BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 53 



oysters, but the captain stated that the set was generally good. The 

 water is from 2 to 12 fathoms over the beds, and dredges are used in 

 working the beds. The dredges on the north shore of the island are 

 limited to 30 pounds in weight, and probably the greater number of 

 them are without teeth on the drag-bar. In the shallow water along 

 the shores and in the coves tongs are used in taking the oysters from 

 the bottom. The principal enemies of the oyster in this locality are the 

 drills, Urosalpinx cinerea, but now and then the beds are troubled with 

 starfish. The seed for the planted ground is taken either from the na- 

 tive beds or brought from Connecticut. 



September 15. — At Perth Amboy Mr. John Sofield was taken on as 

 pilot, and the vessel was put to work among the planted beds to the 

 south of Staten Island, iu the mouth of Raritan Bay. The beds here, 

 as indeed in all this neighborhood, in either New York or New Jersey 

 waters, are very numerous and very small, in many cases hardly more 

 than the size of the vessel. They are as a ride well cared for and fur- 

 nish fine oysters. There were no natural beds in this neighborhood. 

 The seed for the planted beds comes from Newark Bay and some from 

 New Haven, Conn. The first and second dredges were made on the 

 pilot's grounds and resulted in 33 and 74 oysters, respectively. The 

 oysters were of good size, with very little refuse material. The third 

 dredge was made upon the ground of Mr. William Sofield. The dredge 

 was down two minutes and brought up 341 oysters. The oysters were 

 in fine condition and very few drills were seen. The beds are well cared 

 for and protected. 



September 16. — Cold Spring Harbor. After visiting the State hatch- 

 ery, located at the head of the harbor, where some experiments in the 

 artificial hatching of oysters were being carried on, Mr. Charles Walters 

 was taken aboard as pilot and dredges were made on his planted ground 

 and on a strip of natural bed along the eastern side of the harbor. The 

 wind was quite strong, aud it was accordingly rather difficult to manip- 

 ulate the vessel to the best advantage for either the natural or planted 

 beds, hence the results were not as good as they ought to have been. 

 The central part of the harbor and up quite close to the shores the bot- 

 tom is of rather deep mud. so that most of the planted grounds are 

 close to the shores, and the only strip of natural ground of any extent 

 is along the east shore in about 8 feet of water and inside of the planted 

 beds. The oysters on the planted beds grow quite rapidly and are of 

 very fine flavor. The first dredge on the natural bed resulted in 17 

 oysters and a good many shells and some drills. The second dredge on« 

 the pilot's planted bed resulted in 20 oysters of good size and very few 

 shells. There are a good many drills and whelks in the harbor, and 

 some years the star-fish comes in great numbers, but not often. The 

 seed is brought from the sound beds or from Connecticut. In some 

 parts of the harbor the set this season is very fine. 



September 17. — Hempstead Harbor. This harbor has much more hard 



