92 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION 



The temperature of the water where oysters abound varies with the 

 year, the month, the physiography of the contiguous land, prevailing winds, 

 the size, shape, and depth of the body of water, the nature of its entrance, 

 the presence of islands, reefs, sand-bars, shoals, flats, the extent of the 

 shore, amount of river-water, evaporation, sunshine, fog, and such-like con- 

 ditions. The oyster itself can withstand considerable changes of tempera- 

 ture — it is the developing young that suffer. Accordingly there has 

 arisen a periodicity in the spawning which falls in the warmest part of the 

 season. As soon as the snow and ice have disappeared and the spring 

 freshets subsided, the water gradually rises in temperature and becomes 

 inhabited by increasing numbers of microscopic plants and animals. In 

 May and June oysters, like other large animals that live on such minute 

 plankton organisms, begin to ripen their eggs and spawn in time to give 

 their offspring the advantage of the long spell of comparatively calm and 

 warm water. At Shediac, on July 7th, 1909 (which it must be noted 

 was a backward season), the water was at 17^° C. (63^° F.); at Cocagne, 

 July 10th, 17i° C; Richibucto, July 12th, 16i° C. (6U F.); Bay du Vin, 

 July 13th, 19° C. (664° F.); Buctouche, July 17th, 20° C. (68° F.); Coc- 

 agne, July 22nd, 19° C; Summerside, July 30th, 2U° C. (70f° F.); Shediac 

 August 2nd, 22^° C. (72^° F.); Richibucto, August 3rd, 19°; Bay du Vin, 

 August 5th, 20i° C. (69° F.) ; Caraquet, August 6th, 20° C. The tem- 

 perature was sustained throughout August, but began to fall off in Sep- 

 tember. 



The water of coves and of small inlets is warmer than that of large 

 bays, and these are warmer than the gulf or the ocean. In crossing from 

 the north-east corner of New Brunswick to the northern point of Prince 

 Edward island on the 13th of August, 1909, the temperature of the surface 

 water changed from 17i° C. (63° F.) at Shippigan to 16° C. (60|° F.) 

 half way across and to 18^° C. (65^° F.) at Cascumpeque. The tem- 

 perature of the water upon reaching Malpeque next day was 20^° C. 

 (69° F.), which is to be explained by the inland, land-locked position of 

 the bay, the level character of the surrounding cleared land, the great ex- 

 tent of the shore, the immense amount of sand exposed to the sun at low 

 tides, and the comparative shallowness of the water. The deeper and 

 more open water about the wharves at Caraquet on August 6, 1909, was 

 at 20° C. (68° F.) and the salinity 1-018, while the shallow water at the 

 head of the bay, where the oyster beds are, showed a temperature of 23° C. 

 (73^° F.) and a salinity of 1*016. The fresh water of streams when issuing 

 from springs or flowing through forest land or deep ravines is cooler than 

 the sea-water into which it empties. At Departure bay, B.C., July 28, 

 1911, at 2 p.m., on a hot day, with the tide just beginning to rise, the tem- 

 perature of the water at the end of the floating wharf was 24° C. (75^° F.) 

 and salinity l'016f. At Cable point, about 100 yards away, where the 

 tide from the gulf of Georgia flows into the bay, it was 19° C. (66^° F.) 



