198 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



The following notes on the temperature of Willapa Bay are taken 

 from the writer's first report on the subject : 



It is not unlikely that the summer temperature of the extreme southern part of 

 Willapa Bay may be clost^ to that of Sau Francisco, and that eastern oysters would 

 propagate there. From the shelly nature of the bottom they might be expected to 

 do well, provided the conditions of temperature were similar. It is certain that the 

 native oyster.s of this bay breed freely at San Francisco. We know nothing as yet 

 about the summer temperature of the water in this bay, except as it is indicated by 

 observations made by the Coast Survey steamer Gedney in the northern part. The 

 temperature even there may be higher than the following table indicates, as the 

 observations were all made at 4 a. m., when the temperature is usually lowest, day 

 temperatures being as a rule higher. Ranging, as it does, u.sually no lower than 60° 

 at 4 a. m. for August and for that part of July covered by the record, it is probable 

 that the temperature would not be lower than 65^ for afternoon observations. 

 Assuming a summer temperature of 60° to 65° for that part of the bay nearest the 

 sea, we may reasonably expect to find the water decidedly warmer iu those parts of 

 the bay 15 or 20 miles back from the sea. A careful study of the temperature of this 

 locality would, no doubt, yield important information. 



Surface temperatures taken at 4 a. m., daily, hy the United States Coast Surrey steamer 

 Gedney, in Willapa Bay, 1S90. 



From March 18 to April 5, 1895, Mr. K P.. Miller, of the Fish Com- 

 mission steamer Albatross, was engaged in stndying the temperature 

 and specific gravity of the water iu Willapa Bay. Commencing ou the 

 18th of March, with the Willapa River at South Bend, about 3 miles 

 above where it enters the bay, temperatures and specific-gravity obser- 

 vations were taken hourly from 7 a. m. until 7 p. m. The specific 

 gravity gradually decreased during the fall of the tide, Avhich is about 

 10 feet, from 1,0105 at high water at 7 a. m. to 1.0005 at low water at 



