probably Chi one pubera Valenolennes, locally called cookies, are present 

 in great abundance in the mud. These should be of value as a marketable 

 shellfish, but few are eaten. The bottcm water temperature here was 

 Ze.S^C, and the salinity 36.95 parts per thousand, 



Ths island of St. Croix, larger than St. Thomas or St. John, is 

 less mountainous and has more areas of level land. Agriculture and 

 th« cultivation of the soil is of greater importance. There are more 

 small streams, although they have water in them only a small part of 

 the time. In general the coast is rooky, but extensive offshore 

 coral reefs make the water less rough on the beaches. The most promising 

 areas for oysters appeared to be Altona Lagoon and Salt River and these 

 were carefully investigated, 



Altona Lagoon is a well-protected body of water almost completely 

 cut off from Christiansted Harbor. It is connected to it only by a very 

 narrow and shallow entrance. The lagoon itself is shallow, the lower 

 central portion being deepest with a maximum of 7 to 8 feet* The bottom 

 is soft mud and the shores are bordered by a heavy growth of mangrove 

 trees • 



No edible oysters were found in Altona Lagoon - only a few tree 

 oysters, Padalion alata, barnacles, eind numerous sponges and bryozoan 

 colonies. Clams are reported to be present in the mud, but were not 

 collected* The bottom water temperature on March 29 was 24.3°C*, and 

 the salinity was 34.42 parts per thousand. 



Salt River on the northern coast of St. Croix is more like an 

 estuary tham other places in the Virgin Islands. It was here that 

 Colunbus sent his men in search of fresh water, only to meet with 

 disappointment. The small stream flowing into the inlet, which is 

 primarily an arm of the sea, is dry most of the year. At the time of 

 sampling there was a small flow of fresh water entering; it was raining 

 and had been raining for two days. It was reported that 4.82 inches of 

 rain had fallen in the 24 hours preoeeding our visit. The flow of the 

 stream was slight and little influence could be seen on the waters of 

 the inlet* 



The bottom in Salt River is mud, somewhat firm at the lower 

 end and grading to sticky and soft in the upper reaches. The mangrove 

 trees bordering the shore have many oysters attached to their roots. 

 These are more abundant and of larger siee in the upper portion of the 

 inlet which receives the most fresh water* The largest are from 3 to 

 3-1/4 inches in length, the largest seen or collected either in the 

 Virgin Islands or in Puerto Rico. The bottom water temperature was 

 24.8°C., and the salinity 35*48 parts per thousand on March 30* 



11 



