4 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH ANU FISIIEKIES. 



Under authority Iroiii the I'ri-sMlciiL of tlic IJiiitcd States, the Com- 

 missiiHier has beeu gratified to assign the steamer Albatross to a spe- 

 cial scieiitilic investigation of the waters lying ott" the Avestern coast 

 of America, bet ween ( "ape San Francisco and the Galapagos Islands, on 

 the south, and the Gulf of California, on the north. This inquiry, whicli 

 took place during the early part of ISOI, was planned and personally 

 directed l>y I'rof. Alexander Agassiz, director of the Museum of Com- 

 parative Zoology at Harvard University, who also paid a large propor- 

 tion of the running expenses of the cruise. Scarcely anything had 

 l)revious]y been learned regarding the i)hysical or natural-history char- 

 acteristics of the region, and tin; expedition proved entirely successful, 

 Ijromising residts of aii imi)ortant character. The uuiterials and obser- 

 vations obtained have been placed in Prof. Agassiz's charge for elabo- 

 ration, and three reports bearing u[)on the same have already been 

 published. 



The most extensive and ini]»<)rt;nit operations on the Atlantic coast 

 have been conducted in the interest of the oyster industry. A com- 

 plete survey has beeu made of the coast waters of South Carolina, 

 which, it is expected, will direct attention to the asbundant resources 

 contained within tlie boundaries of this State. The oysters are 

 almost exclusively of the laccoon type, seldom growing upon the 

 bottom, but forjuing narrow ledges or flats along the borders of the 

 l)ays ami of the numerous winding tidal channels, between the levels of 

 high and low tide, wherever the conditions are favorable for their exist- 

 ence. The cause of this surface distribution has not yet been entirely 

 explained, l)ut the ol)servations so far nuide suggest that possibly the 

 relatively high si»ecific gravity of the water prevents the spat from 

 sinking below the surlacc. Should this prove to be the case, the estab- 

 lishment of self-sustaining beds below the level of low^ tide may be im- 

 l)0ssible, but further investigations are re<piired before passing finally 

 upon this (piestion. In any event an important industry is insured in 

 the use of the raccoon oysters as seed, which, when planted in suitable 

 localities, grow to a good shape, and imi)rove greatly in flavor and 

 consistency. This nu'thod of oyster farming is already practiced suc- 

 cessfully in two or three places, but oidy on a very limited scale, and 

 the busiiu'ss is susceptible of extensive development. 



The States of INIaryhind and Virginia have both beconje greatly c<ui- 

 cerned regarding the liitnre i»rosi)erity of their oyster lisheries. The 

 fact that the oyster beds of Chesapeake r>ay have apparently been 

 deteriorating for a number of years has led to the very general ccnivic- 

 tion that sonu'. radical changes in tlu' management of the industry are 

 necessary in order to iirevent a very serious depletion. In the spring 

 of ISOl the steanu'r Fish Hank began an investigation of this region, 

 the i>rincipal object of which was to obtain as nmch accurate informa- 

 tion as possible respecting the present condition of the beds, and the 



