BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 77 



Oyster culture in Northern Massachusetts. — Writing- from 

 Newbury port, Mass., December 4, 1884, Mr. James W. Gunnison states 

 that, in connection with Mr. J. E. Dyer, two years ago he planted in the 

 bed of the Parker River (a small stream flowing through Newburyport 

 and entering into Plum Island Sound) some seed oysters taken from 

 Buzzard's Bay. They survived the winter, and, being encouraged by 

 this, 200 bushels more were planted last spring with the expectation that 

 they would propagate during the summer. A few young oysters are 

 now found, which are called this year's growth, but the territory is 

 small and the tide swift, which has led the experimenters to think that 

 much of the spat floated beyond their limits. The river bed is covered 

 with water at all times of tide, and is navigable. The town authorities 

 issued a license to Mr. Dyer to use the small tract in question, but the 

 greater part of the river bed is leased to another person who has made 

 no experiments. 



Star-fish depredations. — The oyster beds, covering several hun- 

 dred acres, off Milford and New Haven Harbors, have suffered seriously 

 this summer from the depredations of star-fish. One Milford firm en- 

 gaged in oyster-growing has employed a submarine diver to investigate 

 their movements. It is proposed to gather the star-fish in purse-nets 

 and carry them ashore for use as fertilizers. Many of the oystermen 

 east of Bridgeport will put out but few shells this season on account of 

 the bad prospect. The star-fish are less numerous at the west end of 

 the sound, and more shells will be planted off Stamford, Greenwich, 

 Norwalk, and Westport. 



The large increase in star-fish is explained by some as due to the ab- 

 sence of menhaden, which used to swarm in the sound, and, as is alleged, 

 devour star-fish spawn. The menhaden schools, which formerly covered 

 thousands of acres, as well as the herring and alewives, which were nu- 

 merous, and all considered as enemies of star-fish, have been caught up 

 by the fishermen for oil, and are now rarely seen in the Sound. 



The method of attack is thus described by Capt. S. J. Martin, under 

 date of July 17, 1884: "Holding the oyster firmly as in a vise, the 

 star-fish waits till the bivalve becomes hungry and attempts to open its 

 shell to obtain the food. At this instant a reddish fluid, familiar to 

 those who have caught star -fish at the sea-side in summer and experi- 

 enced the irritation which contact with it produces on the hands, is 

 injected between the shells of the victim, stupefying and rendering it an 

 easy prey." 



Diamond-backed terrapin.— Writing under date of October 4, 

 1884, Dr. T. H. Parramore, of Hampton, Va., states that the diamond- 

 backed terrapins are diminishing in that region, and he thinks that 

 unless something is done to protect the species and to propagate it this 

 terrapin will soon be exterminated. He will, therefore, devote some 

 attention to the study of this subject. Professor Baird suggests in 



