were but few barnacles and few snails. A few tree oysters, probably 

 Pedalion alata Gmelln, were observed attached in clusters on the 

 mangrove roots below the attachment of the true oysters, usually 

 close to the low water mark. 



It was in this lagoon at Boqueron that Mattox made rather 

 extensive observations on the biology and ecology of the oysters. 

 His detailed observations have not been published, but they are 

 svnnmarised in a brief paper (Mattox, 1948). He gives the salinity 

 range in this lagoon as being firom 32.9 to 40.2 parts per thousand. 

 The water temperature varies from 25°C., in January to 3l°C., in 

 August, while the pH ranges from 7.2 to 8. 3* 



The southern shore of Vieques Island has a number of bays 

 and inlets I Salina del Sur, Ensenada Honda, Port Ferro, Port Mosquito, 

 and Ensenada Sombe. On the western end of the island near Point Arenas 

 are swampy areas ocsnpletely cut off from the sea. A large salt water 

 pond lies on the south shore near Playa Grande* Because of operations 

 of the U« S* Navy, only the middle belt across the island is unrestricted* 



To complete the survey in as short a time as possible, the 

 different areas of Vieques Island were observed first from a small 

 plane \J traveling at very low altitude and slowly circling the 

 bodies of water. From the air it was possible to Judge well the 

 conditions in the bays. Ihe swampy areas of the western end of the 

 island were judged not suitable for oyster culture. The salt water 

 pond of the southern shore is shallow with much area completely 

 exposed as drying mud. A rooky bottom with considerable exposure to 

 the open sea characterizes the remaining bays and inlets with the 

 exception of Port Mosquito. In this inlet the bottom appears more 

 suitable and the fringe of mangroves contains many oysters. A more 

 detailed examination of this inlet by boat was arranged, for it is 

 the only place on the island that appears promising for oyster oultux*e» 



Port Mosquito is a body of water, the shores of which are 

 bordered with mangrove trees with many oysters growing on their roots* 

 Near the entrance, which is a deep channel to the sea, the bottom is 

 hard sand with little mud. Closer to the shores there is a firm mud 

 bottom, often only a firm crust that can be penetrated by a pole with 

 A little effort* Once through the crust, the pole can be pushed to 



l/ Mr. Seth Plank of the Puerto Rican Agricultural Development 

 Company piloted his personal plansfor the survey* 



