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  REPORT 
  OF 
  COMMISSIONER 
  OF 
  FISH 
  AND 
  FISHERIES. 
  

  

  Several 
  experiments 
  showed 
  that 
  death 
  from 
  overcrowding 
  was 
  due 
  

   to 
  lack 
  of 
  food 
  and 
  the 
  spread 
  of 
  contamination 
  from 
  decaying 
  bodies. 
  

  

  Experiments 
  indicaled 
  that 
  the 
  character 
  of 
  the 
  bottom 
  had 
  much 
  to 
  

   do 
  in 
  determining 
  the 
  existence 
  of 
  clams, 
  those 
  soils 
  containing 
  much 
  

   decaying 
  vegetable 
  matter 
  destroying 
  the 
  shells 
  faster 
  than 
  thej^ 
  could 
  

   be 
  built 
  up, 
  the 
  active 
  agents 
  being 
  the 
  humous 
  acids 
  formed 
  in 
  the 
  

   decay 
  of 
  plants. 
  

  

  Exposure 
  out 
  of 
  water 
  in 
  the 
  heat 
  of 
  summer 
  caused 
  death 
  after 
  

   twenty-four 
  hours. 
  

  

  It 
  was 
  found 
  to 
  ])e 
  possible 
  to 
  transfer 
  clams 
  from 
  nearl}^ 
  fresh 
  

   water 
  to 
  very 
  salt 
  water 
  without 
  apparent 
  injury. 
  

  

  