PROGRESS IN BIOLOGICAL INQUIRIES, 1926 549 
death of the oyster larvee during their free-swimming period of life. 
It has been noticed that adult oysters were rather scarce, being scat- 
tered over a large area of bottom, a condition that, according to the 
experiments described later, should be regarded as unfavorable for 
successful spawning. 
Waquoit Bay. —The oyster business in Waquoit Bay is of no im- 
portance at present. The main reason for the decline is the accumu- 
lation of eelgrass on the bottom, where it decays, giving off hydrogen 
sulphide in great abundance. A region free from “eelorass, and 
which appears to be excellent for oyster planting, was found at the 
mouth of Quostinet River. The salinity in this section of the bay 
ranges from 17 to 18 parts per thousand. 
Chatham region.—Conditions similar to those found in Osterville 
Harbor were found in Oyster River, Oyster Pond, Mill Pond, and 
Stage Harbor. Observations made in this region indicate that set- 
ting occurs irregularly and is never abundant. The grounds, how- 
ever, are excellent for erowing oysters for market. The salinity in 
Oyster Pond and Mill ‘Pond averages 30 parts per thousand. 
Centerville region —The natural oyster beds of this section, located 
in Bumps and Chequaquette Rivers, have been so depleted in the 
past 15 years that no oyster business is carried on there at present. 
A survey failed to show any mature oysters on the beds; consequently 
there were no seed oysters. Only a few small oysters, probably 2 
or 3 years old, lying in clusters, were discovered on the bottom at 
the mouth of Bumps River. As no attempt at oyster culture has 
been made for about 12 years, the continual taking up of the mature 
oysters has exhausted the beds. The survey shows that the natural 
oyster beds can be developed again by planting mature oysters for 
spawning on the old oyster bed in Bumps River and the former 
value of the region as seed-producing ground thus be restored. This 
section is not suitable for raising marketable oysters, because in 
certain seasons of the year they turn yellow and acquire a dis 
agreeable flavor, but it is very suitable for raising seed oysters to 
supply Hyannis, Chatham, and other farms nearby. 
The results of the survey of Wareham River are discussed later 
in connection with the experiments on spat collectors. 
Mississippi—At the request of Hon. J. J. Kennedy, mayor of 
Biloxi, Miss., J. H. Weatherby, temporary investigator of the bureau. 
was detailed to make an investigation of the Mississippi Sound and 
adjacent waters. The observations were begun on October 15, and 
will be carried on throughout the year, covering various phases of 
the life history of the oyster. The purpose of the investigation is 
to determine the present conditions of the natural reefs and to work 
out the method by which the oyster crop in the State can be in- 
creased. The bill passed by the Louisiana Legislature, forbidding 
the citizens of the State of Mississippi to take ‘oysters in Louisiana 
waters, and the fact that at present about 50 per cent of oysters 
canned in Mississippi are brought from Louisiana, make this in- 
vestigation imperative. A preliminary survey of the reefs in the 
western section of Mississippi Sound was made in October by Dr. 
P. S. Galtsoff. Special attention was directed to the reefs near 
Pass Christian, where high mortality occurs rather regularly among 
the young oysters. Local oystermen attribute it either to the high 
salinity of water or to the destructive activity of conchs. The ob- 
