BULLETIN OF THE UNITED '.STATES EISII COMMISSION. 195 



dition. The presence in the organs of sexual products in small quan- 

 tity and in a weak state of development made it still more difficult to 

 read) a conclusion; one thing, however, seemed to be certain, that 

 they had not yet performed the functions of males. 



Of 200 only 10 were lost, which 10 either appeared dead when the 

 shells were opened, or whose shells contained nothing but sand, or else 

 the piece that was laid aside spoiled because of the evaporation of the 

 alcohol before the microscopic examination could be made 



The results obtained by an examination of 11)0 oysters of each kind 

 are given in the following table: 



Condition of sexual organs. 



A. Oysters with white spawn 



];. Oytters with black spawn 



c. Oysters with mature or nearly mature eggs 



1). Oysters with mature or nearly mature sperm ... 

 E Oysters with organs inclined to become female. . 

 1'. Oysters with organs inclined to become male ... 

 G. Oysters with organs little or not at all developed 



Total number of oysters examined 



190 



190 



Of the number of 190 cultivated oysters, at least 49 performed the 

 functions of females, and of the uncultivated at least 73. These figures 

 show an excess of 12£ per cent of uncultivated oysters. The specimens 

 classed under E, which are more numerous as regards the cultivated 

 oysters, should, however, properly be classed among the females, and 

 the difference would therefore be less. As, moreover, among those of 

 class O several had doubtless already performed the functions of fe- 

 males, and as therefore there must be more of these among 38 than 

 among 10, the difference as it presents itself at first loses all significance. 

 The same applies to the oysters with sperm. The excess is on the side 

 of the uncultivated oysters, but this excess is so small that any conclu- 

 sion based ou these data would not be reliable. 



In consulting this table one thing will at once become apparent, 

 namely, that at a certain period of the season the cultivated oysters are 

 ahead of the uncultivated, as regards their development. Generally an 

 equal number of each kind was sent to me, so that they may be consid- 

 ered as having beeu opened at the same time. Presuming that of those 

 cfcissed under G. one half had performed the functions of females, the 

 oysters which had already performed these functions and those which 

 were about to perform them should be classified as follows: 



Culti- 

 vated. 



Unculti- 

 vated. 



Oysters with ripe or nearly ripe eggs 



Oysters with white spawn 



Oysters with black spawn 



0\ steis which had deposited spawn. 



21 

 11 

 17 



19 



42 



19 



12 



5 



