PROGRESS IN BIOLOGICAL INQUIRIES. 19 



or become attached to it in such a way iis not to be removable by the 

 ordinary process of washing. 



In this connection reference may be made to the studies of the food 

 of youno; fishes conducted by the same investi<rator and applying 

 to 18 species of fish of the Woods Hole region. 



THE OYSTER. 



The eastern oyster supports the most valuable fishery possessed by 

 any country and based upon a single species; but, important as the 

 oyster intlustry is in contribution to food supply as well as in its 

 part in the economic life of the Nation, its future can be viewed only 

 with 'keen anxiety. For some years the industry has been manifestly 

 declining. In past times its chief seats have been on the south shores 

 of New England and New York and in the Chesapeake Bay. During 

 a long period the jneld of the Chesapeake has gradually fallen away 

 because of the depletion of natural beds and the misfortunes which 

 have attended all attempts to establish a proper legal basis for the de- 

 velopment of a great oyster farming industry. In waters of the 

 vicinity of Long Island oyster farming has long been established on 

 a large scale, but in recent years, and because of conditions which are 

 not yet fully understood, there has been a notable failure of the setting 

 of seed. The planting industry now depends to a very considerable 

 extent upon the importation of seed oysters from distant points ; and 

 the expense and the uncertainties are such that leases of oyster bot- 

 toms are continually being given up, with consequent loss of revenue 

 to States, as well as diminution in the production of a valuable article 

 of food. The problem of the failure of set has therefore become one 

 of great concern to State Governments as well as to the Nation. It 

 is, however, one of great complexity and may well receive the best 

 attention of all concerned. 



There are oyster industries in Pacific Coast States which are now 

 of no little importance and which may have much greater signifi- 

 cance in future. It is, therefore, a cause for regret that the limita- 

 tions of personnel and appropriations have prevented the Bureau 

 from giving to these the attention which they merit. 



OYSTER INVESTIGATIONS IN LONG ISLAND SOUND. 



At the temporary field laboratory at Milford, Conn., Dr. E. P. 

 Churchill and J. S. Outsell, scientific assistants, continued the in- 

 vestigations relative to the propagation of oysters. R. V. Truitt, 

 temporary assistant in oyster studies, was engaged in that laboratory 

 for a part of the summer, but spent the greater part of the season in 

 a preliminary reconnoissance of the Chesapeake Bay with reference 

 to oyster culture. The conditions prevailing in the vicinity of Mil- 

 ford were in contrast to those in Great South Bay, Long Island, 

 mentioned on another page. Water samples (usually 50 gallons at a 

 time) were collected in various localities from June 16 to September 

 10, and, although 215 such samples were examined, only 308 oyster 

 larvae in all were encountered. Four of the samples yielded 250 of 

 these larvae, 23 other samples gave small numbers (from 1 to 8), and 

 188 were barren. (In Great South Bay, on the other hand, several 

 thousand larvae were sometimes found in one sample.) There being 

 no larvae, there was. of course, no set. 



