39 



At the northwest coruer of Bay Jeaii Pierre there is an aim 

 that extends for some three-quarters of a mile ah^ng the soutli 

 side of Terrelmnne Bayou, with which it eommunieates by a nar- 

 row pass. The depth of the watei- in this arm of the bay is from 

 three to tive feet, except near the pass to l^ayoii Terrebonne, 

 where there is a depth of fourteen feet. Near the pass and for 

 some distance out into the center of this body of water there are 

 considerable areas covered by old reefs; but the remainder of 

 the bottom is soft. 



In all of the bays south of Bayou Terrebonne the water is 

 considerably nuu-e saline than in those to the north of this bayou. 

 The average salinity in Bay Jean Pierre was 1.016, and the 

 amount of oyster food in the water was always large. 



Pass Backet Bay, next east of the bay just mentioned, has 

 much the same characteristics as that body of water except that 

 the depth of the water is considerably greater. There are not 

 so many, nor so extensive dead reefs in this bay, but the bottom 

 outside of the reefs is considerably firmer. 



East of Pass Kaeket there are a number of shallow bays 

 among the islands. These bays are all snuiller than the two last 

 mentioned, but have much the same general characteristics. The 

 bottom in all of them is composed of rather soft mud. The food 

 and salinitj^ conditions are very favorable for the growth of 

 oysters. 



South of Bay Jean Pierre, and Pass Racket Bay, there are 

 many small protected bodies of water among the uppermost of 

 the islands separating Cat Island Liike and Timbalier Bay. 

 Many of these bays contain small dead reefs and in many of 

 them the bottom is made up of clayey mud like that which forms 

 the islands. 



The water in these bays is quite salty, salinometer readings 

 of 1.0168 to 1.0196 having been recorded from samples taken 

 from ditf'erent ones of the bays. The amount of oyster food is 

 large in tlie northernmo.st of these bays; but in those farther to 

 the south it is considerably smaller. 



Lake Barvo, lying east of Terrebonne Bayou, is a body of 

 water al)out nine and three-quarter miles long and of a width 

 varying from two to three miles. It communicates with Terre- 

 bonne Bavou at its eastern end through a cut oppo- 



