OCT 28 1902 



Preliminary Report upon the Introduction of 



the Eastern Oyster to the Oregon 



Coast; Summer of 1897. 



F. L. WASHBURN, A. M.^ 

 University of Ores:on, Eugene, Oregon. 



It is quite fitting that those interested in the success of this 

 experiment should be informed of its present status, and be 

 furnished with a report less detailed than that forwarded to 

 Washington and yet more complete than the communication in 

 the Oregonian of Jan. 1, 1898. 



As is well known the work was authorized by the United 

 States Fish Commission; it was in charge of the State University. 

 The U. S. Government paid all the expenses, and it is some satis- 

 faction to know that the experiment has cost the people of Ore- 

 gon nothing. 



Regarding the present condition of the oyster plant, it gives 

 me pleasure to state that the condition of the introduced speci- 

 mens leaves nothing further to be desired; they have withstood 

 two winters successfully and have made phenomenal growth, far 

 exceeding what they would have made in the same time in their 

 native waters. Further, they spawned. A sufficiently complete 

 statement regarding the work in artificial fertilization has been 

 already made through the medium of the press; suffice it to say 

 that many million of swimming oyster embryos were turned into 

 the waters of Yaquina Bay. Up to the time of leaving the coast, 

 Sept. 12, no spat (developed spawn) of Eastern oysters had been 

 found. The writer hopes that better success will attend the 

 search the coming season and that sufficient spat will be dis- 

 covered in favorable localities to warrant declaring the experi- 

 njent a success scientifically if not practically. From data given 

 below regarding the sudden variability in the temperature and 

 salinity of the water, it must be confessed that the developing 

 spawn has to run a trying gauntlet before attaining the security 

 afforded by a strong shell. It is too early, however, to judge re- 

 garding the success or failure of the experiment. 



In the work of last summer very complete records of salinity 

 and temperature at different tides and hours were obtained at 

 Yaquina Bay, Coos Bay, Tillamook and Netarts. At Yaquina 

 Bay, particularly, daily air temperature, and surface and bottom 

 water temperature were obtained during the entire sunmier and 

 a large part of the previous winter, Mr. Geo. King of Oyster City, 



