14 



end there is a small area about on-half aere in extent that is 

 exposed at low tide. The water over the remainder of the reef 

 varies from two to sixteen feet in depth. The oysters on this 

 reef are mostly elongated, thin shells, and arranged in d'^nse 

 chisters. 



At a few points on this reef there are a limited nui'ibe;- of 

 oysters growing singl}^, or in clusters of only two or three. 

 These are found on the borders of the reef, where th^'y have 

 been broken off fi-om the parent cluster and fallen on a clear 

 bottom of sufficient firmness to afford them support. Ari .ibun 

 dant growth of hydroids two or three inches long is found on 

 most of the oysters taken from this reef. 



■' The reef on the east side of the entrance to the pass ex- 

 tends from the dry. reef at the end of Marsh Island along th;> 

 edge of the channel for about half a mile It is interrupted at 

 a point about half its length from shore by a channel fifty yards 

 in width. Throughout its length it is much nai-rower than the 

 reef on the west side, and the water covei-ing it is giMicrally 

 deeper. 



The oysters over the greater part of this reef are of the 

 elongated cluster type; although there are /(^ood/many more*^ 

 shaped ones than on the reef last mentioned. On the eastern 

 (inshore) side of the reef, whei-e the surrounding bottom is com- 

 posed of hard mud, many oysters of good shape and condition 

 are to be found. Near the r-uins of an old lighthouse that fov- 

 mei'ly stood on th(^ west eiul of IMarsh Island some especially 

 large, good shaped single oysters were taken by the tongmen. 

 '1 hese oysters were growing on a bottom composed of a few inchesJ 

 of soft mud overlying a substi-atum of firm clay. All the otliei' 

 conditions, besides the fact that these oystei's wei-e not eronc.i^d, 

 were the same as tliosi^ to Avhich the elongated oysters neiu-by 

 were exposed. ;ind yet their shape and coiulition were as differ- 

 ent as thougli Ihey IimcI eoiiie frnm diffVrent reefs. 



A num])er of l),,ats weiv constantly working on thesi^ two 

 last mentioned re.ds. Most of t!.e oysters taken from here 

 were used for steam oysters by the cannery fit Avery Island, 

 although some of the me]i carrying oystei-s to Franklin and 

 other markets obtained ;, p^rt of their loads on Ihes.. reefs. 



