120 REPORT 01' COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



sorni cAHouxA. 



During' the wiuter of 1<S'.>()-1U, the .steaiiior Fish Jlawl; Lieut. Robeit 

 Piatt, U. S. Navy, coumumdiug, was detailed to investigate the coast 

 waters of South Carolina in the interest of the development of their 

 oyster resources. Tliis iiKjuiry necessitated the determination of the 

 position, extent, and characteristics of the natural oyster beds, and of 

 the bottom areas not now ])r()ducing oysters but suitable for their cul 

 tivation, as well as the study of the natural history of the oyster, as 

 disi>Iayed in this region. Surveys of a similar character, previ(»usly 

 made by the U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey on the coasts of North 

 Carolina and Georgia had greatly stimulated the oyster industry in 

 those States, and had demonstrated the practical utility of such an 

 investigation. In arranging for the wcnk in South Carolina, however, 

 it was deemed expedient to increase the scope of the observations, so 

 as to provide for a careful study of the biological features of the region, 

 with special reference to the feeding of the oyster, chemical analyses 

 of the water, and a more detailed inquiry than had been customary 

 respecting the physical characteristics of the latter. 



The hydrographic work, including the delineation of the natural oys- 

 ter beds, the determination of suitable bottoms for oyster-planting, and 

 the specific- gravity observations, was placed in charge of Mr. John D. 

 Battle, formerly associated with Lieut. Francis Wuislow, U. S. Navy, 

 in the oyster survey of North Carolina, and with Ensign J. C. Drake, 

 U. S. Navy, in that of Georgia. The services of Dr. Bashford Dean, 

 of Columbia College, New York, were secured for the more special bio- 

 logical researches respecting the oyster and its food and the chemical 

 and physical considerations, subjects to Avhich he had previously given 

 much attention in connection with the investigations of the oyster- 

 grounds of New York State. The general natural history of the waters 

 Avas studied by Mr. James E. Benedict, of the U. S. National Museum, 

 and Mr. \V. C. Kendall. The ofhcers of the Fish Haul: parti(!ipated in 

 all the branches of the work, and their hearty cooperation, especially 

 in regard to the hydrographic part of the survey, was essential to its 

 success. 



Operations wei-e begun December 23, ISOO, in the neighborhood of 

 AVinyah I>ay, in the northeastern part of the State. The creeks in that 

 vicinity had already been examined by Mr. Battle, in the interest of an 

 oyster comi)any, and the ]nivilege of using his results IxMiig obtained, 

 but little time was spent tliere. The steamer then proceeded to the 

 Savannah Kiverand worked thence noitliward to the northern i)art of 

 Bull Bay, near C^a])*' Itomain, comi)leting tlie survey March 30, ISOl. 



The coast icgion of South Carolina consists chielly of very low laud, 

 marshy to a great extent, which in many places extends inland a con- 

 siderable distance. It is indented or cut through by a number of 

 sounds, bays, and river mouths, which are (connected by an intricate 



