344 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



California waters. Doubtless one reason for the lack of information 

 necessary to effect a change in tlie method of handling oysters is the 

 fact that all the minor (irnis engaged in the business were early merged 

 into one or more important companies, which, having practically the 

 control of the entire oyster industry of the Pacific coast, had no need 

 to change the methods of a business already prolitable. Importations 

 of seed oysters from Atlantic waters have therefore been made annually 

 almost to the present time, while it is by no means proven that seed 

 oysters can not be raised in that region. The methods of nearly twenty 

 years ago are still in vogue, the only advancement made being the 

 larger scale on wiiich the business is now conducted. 



The subject of oyster-culture does not appear to have engaged the 

 attention of the State fish commission at any time, or at least it is not 

 mentioned in such of the published rei)orts as are accessible, and nothing 

 Las ever been done in California in this direction beyond the enactment 

 of the usual laws relating to such fisheries. 



During occasional visits to the oyster beds in 1889 I found jiroof of 

 considerable natural propagation of the eastern oyster in the southern 

 part of San Francisco Bay, and transmitted evidence of the same to 

 the United States Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries, who directed 

 that an examination be made in order to determine to wiiat extent 

 this had taken place. 



My studies on this subject were limited to such times as the U. S. 

 Fish Commission steamer Albatross was detained at the port of San 

 Francisco, and even then they were secondary to my regular duties as 

 naturalist of the vessel. 



The investigations were, therefore, made very irregularly, and at 

 different seasons of the year, as follows : February and October, 1890, 

 and May, June, September, and October, 1891. A few days in June, 

 1891, were devoted to an examination of Tomales Bay, and two weeks 

 in September, 1891, were spent in visiting the native oyster beds of 

 Olympia and Willapa Bay. In this work I frequently had the use of 

 one of the steam launches belonging to the steamer Albatross, which 

 enabled me to examine every portion of San Francisco Bay, employing 

 baymen as pilots for the narrower channels when necessary. 



In view of the great success that attended the introduction of certain 

 Atlantic species of mollusks and fishes into the waters of California, 

 such as the soft-shelled clam, shad, striped bass, carp, catfish, etc., there 

 was reason for expecting similar results from the introduction of tlie 

 oyster. The investigations of this subje(;t have simply disclosed the 

 facts that the oyster has to some extent adapted itself to the new habi- 

 tat in common with tlie other introdu<'ed species and that in spite of 

 many unfavorable conditions it is slowly increasing. Future stndy with 

 reference to oyster-cnlture on the Pacific coast should be made in the 

 light of these facts. 



