three places a small number of spawning oysters, and later about 200 oysters from 

 the government plant were placed on a breeding float and said float anchored near 

 the Ship Yard. While this float was anchored near Oyster City before being towed 

 to the Ship Yard a very interesting and encouraging thing happened; viz: the water 

 in the float reached a temperature of 70*^ F. and the oysters spawned rendering the 

 water milk white. The oystermen, many of whom are skeptical as regards artificial 

 fertilization, were summoned that they might witness the spontaneous spawning. 



The Ship Yard is about nine miles from the ocean and marks the upper limit 

 of the tonging grounds for our Yaquina Bay Oyster (Ostrea lurida.) Small speci- 

 mens of this oyster are found somewhat farther up the stream but they are periodi- 

 cally killed Vjy winter freshets. In this connection it may be mentioned that the 

 eastern oyster can endure much fresher water than our west coast species; in fact it 

 s constantly in such water on its native beds. 



Observations on salinity and temperature, surface and bottom at diff"erent tides 

 both at Yaquina and Coos Bay corroborate the results of last year's investigations in 

 this direction. It must be confessed that the waters of our bays are occasionally 

 subject to sudden changes of temperature and salinity on different tides which must 

 effect unfavorably the spawn of the introduced oyster, but I do not think this neces- 

 sarily means the failure of the experiment, since, if the spawn should start to de- 

 velop in a favorable period, it may have passed beyond its tender, critical stage 

 before meeting the fatal conditions alluded to. It should be borne in mind that, in 

 the case of any species of oyster, not every season offers favorable conditions for 

 spawning. Once in every few years, however, it may happen that different natural 

 forces combine favorably and thtt result; isagreat abundance of spat (i. e. spawn 

 which has developed and become fixed,'', 



There seems to be considerable misconception regarding the condition 

 of the eastern oysters which have for so many years been shipped from the 

 eastern coast to San Francisco Bay. Many think that they do not spawn there 

 while some do not hesitate to declare that their progeny is most abundant, so much 

 so as to materially affect shipments in recent years. As a matter of fact, the intro- 

 duced oyster does spawn there and the spawn develops; a considerable number of 

 eastern oysters, spawned and developed there, being frequently found; but I am led 

 to believe, from what I hear from an authority in a position to obtain accurate in- 

 formation regarding the shipments of the bivalves, that the production has not 

 been great enough to materially affect importations from the east. 



It might be mentioned incidentally, tho' it has no bearing on the eastern oyster 

 question, that large shell heaps of our west coast oyster found on the shores of Coos 

 Bay give proof that many years ago this oj^ster which now flourishes at Yaquina, 

 Netarts, vShoalwater Bay and elsewhere lived and flourished there until annihilated 

 by some sudden catastrophe, possibly an unusually destructive freshet bringing into 

 the bay a large amount of mud. 



The oyster industry at Yaquina Bay is not what it used to be, and I have on 

 several occasions pointed out to the oystermen there that the number of native oys- 

 ters on their planted beds might be increased by the use of brush collectors, to catch 

 anj' drifting spawn, which, lacking something to catch on, settles on another's bed 

 or on public ground. They are not disposed, however, to adopt new methods and 

 content themselves witVi the old and good, but insufficient method of strewing 

 clean shells on the beds. 



Future Prospects of the Experiment. 



In commenting upon the attempt to introduce the eastern oyster, the press of 



