136 



BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



Madre during October, 1925, and this was due largely to the rainfall during September, 

 which measured 8.12 inches, compared with the normal for the month of 4 inches. 



In the summer of 1926, with the average precipitation during May, June, July, 

 and August at Corpus Christi shghtly above normal (2.78 inches), there appeared no 

 evidence of e.xcessive or destructive salinity within Laguna Madro. Obviously, the 

 amount of rain fall during the summer months determines to a great degree the 

 conditions, both physical and biological, that obtain within this unique salt lagoon. 



There remains to be mentioned another type among the coastal waters of Texas. 

 This is represented by the bayous or channels running into the mainland and islands 

 from the various bays or connecting the bays with one another. These bayous are 

 generally from 10 to 100 feet long, much less in width, and are generally deep, owing 

 to the action of tidal or wind currents, which keep the water running from one bay to 

 another. Such bayous provide a most important refuge and feeding ground for young 

 fish of many species, which enter from the spawning grounds in deeper areas. " Table 

 2 presents an interesting catch made within a small bayou or creek in one haul with a 

 small minnow seine and illustrates the variety of marine fish that prevails within such 

 an environment. 



Table 2. 



-Young fish taken in one haul of a 50-foot seine in a small creek, ^ In 4 feel deep, off Copano 



Bay on May 18, 1927 



METHODS 



AREA OF STUDY 



While the territory encompassed in Figure 1 and briefly described on preceding 

 pages was believed to cover typical en^•ironments in which the redfish, black drum, 

 and spotted sea trout occur, it seemed desirable to divide this extensive area into 

 compact units or "key" stations, which could be examined regularly and efficiently 

 for existing fish populations. A careful study of the fish life occurring at these 

 "key" stations should yield a series of facts that finally could be patched together 

 into a life history of the species of fish under consideration. 



The greater part of the experimental collecting centered iu and about these 

 "key" localities, including the two passes, Aransas and Corpus Christi; adjacent 

 waters to these passes, such as Harbor Island Channel and Bayou, Packery Channel, 

 and the Gulf of Mexico; the more open bays, such as Corpus Christi, Aransas, and 

 Copano, together with various coves (Shamrock and Ingleside) that form restricted 

 portions of these bays; the more remote intercoastal waters, such as Oso and Nueces 

 Bays, with Laguna Madre; and the many brackish rivers and creeks flowing into 



