CXXIV REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



long distances from the ship miwh time was lost. Should the work be 

 again taken up, with a view to making a finished survey, it would be 

 desirable to obtain one or two light-draft sailing vessels, which could 

 be taken into the interior waters to serve as bases of operation and 

 living quarters for the field parties using the launches. 



The survey was under the direction of Lieutenant Swift, who was 

 assisted by Dr. Moore as zoologist. After the Fish Eaicl- left Louisiana 

 waters, on February 26, Dr. Moore remained and made a rapid exam- 

 ination of the remaining oyster-grounds of the State. 



The oyster-beds of Louisiana lie i^rincipally between Mississippi 

 Sound and the mouth of the Atchafalaya, the only beds to the west- 

 ward of the latter place being comparatively unimportant ones in the 

 vicinity of Vermilion Bay and Calcasieu River. The most productive 

 natural beds at present are in St. Bernard and Terrebonne parishes, 

 the latter being the most important oyster region in the State. 



There is ample evidence that some of the practices now and formerly 

 in vogue are detrimental to the best interests of the State and have 

 resulted in the practical extermination of the oyster in certain regions 

 in which it was formerly abundant. Dr. Moore's report upon this inves- 

 tigation, which will be transmitted to the Louisiana authorities, contains 

 suggestions concerning the laws and methods necessary to secure the 

 growth and welfare of the industry, and also deals with the history, 

 condition, and prospects of the oyster-grounds. It will be found in the 

 appendix to this volume (pp. 45-100), accompanied by a chart showing 

 the location of the oyvster-beds of St. Bernard Parish. 



The oyster-i)lanting industry is capable of great expansion within 

 the limits of Louisiana. At present planting is practically confined to 

 Plaquemines Parish, where a rather crude method of oyster-culture has 

 been Ibund to yield satisfactory profits and is now engaged in by a con- 

 siderable number of i)ersons. Practically all of the oysters sold from 

 this parish, most of which are put on the market as "Bayou Cooks," 

 are planted — generally as seed obtained from the natural beds, but 

 sometimes as spat caught on artificially distributed shells. 



The rather limited biological investigation of the Louisiana oyster 

 which it has been possible to make indicates that it spawns during 

 nearly all the year, but most of the spawn is undoubtedly expelled 

 between Aj)ril 1 and September 15. The rate of growth is rapid and 

 there are doubtless few places in the State in which oysters will not reach 

 a good marketable size within three years from the time of spawning. 



The principal enemies of the oyster in Louisiana are the drumfish 

 {Po(jonias cromis) and a snail {Melongcnaf). Other foes do a limited 

 amount of damage, but the starfish and drill ( Urosalpinx), which create 

 such havoc on the beds of the North, are here practically unknown 

 as destructive agents. Storms and crevasses occasionally i)rove very 

 injnrious to the oyster-beds of the State, but crevasses are often fol- 

 lowed by a ])eculiar process of regeneration (not satisfactorily explained) 

 which soon renders the beds more ])roductive than before. This phe- 



