REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 89 



St. Clair to II. F. Moore, B. L. Hardin, and Cloud. Butter; Lake Huron 

 to J. T. Scovell and D. C. Bidgely, of Indiana; Lake Superior and Lake 

 of the Woods to A. J. Woolman, of Duluth, Minn. Work was begun 

 on Lakes Ontario, Erie, and Huron early in June, Mr. Batlibun also 

 spending some time with tlie party on Lake Erie during that month, 

 and taking the field for the season just before the close of the fiscal 

 year. 



OYSTER INQUIRIES. 

 MOBILE BAY AND MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALABAMA. 



During February and March, 1894, a survey of the oyster beds of 

 Mobile Bay and Mississippi Sound, Alabama, was made by Mr. Homer 

 P. Bitter, assistant, United States Coast and Geodetic Survey, who 

 had been specially detailed for that purpose, and who was assisted by 

 Mr. W. F. Hill, of the Fish Commission, and Mate James A. Smith, 

 IT. S. 1ST., of the steamer Fish Hawk. A small steamer, suitably 

 equipped, belonging at Mobile, was employed for the use of the party. 

 The limited time available for the inquiry prevented its being made as 

 exhaustive as will eventually be desirable, but the work was executed 

 in a methodical and thoroughly reliable manner, and, within the limits 

 of the bay, is supposed to have been sufficiently comprehensive in scope 

 to meet the present requirements of oyster fishermen of the region. 



The principal object of the investigation, as stated in the instruc- 

 tions, was to determine the positions, outlines, characteristics, and 

 richness of the different oyster beds, and the location and extent of aJl 

 areas of bottom which appear to be suitable for oyster-planting, either 

 in their natural condition or after preparation. During the period 

 when the survey was in progress extensive freshets prevailed in the 

 neighboring region, causing the bay to become nearly filled with fresh 

 water, which extended far out into Mississippi Sound. The densities 

 were therefore again observed by Mr. Bitter in the following Decern 

 ber, when more normal conditions were found to exist. In his report, 1 

 which is accompanied by a large chart, showing graphically the results 

 accomplished, Mr. Bitter states: 



The investigations were confined principally to the waters of Mobile Bay and the 

 eastern end of Mississippi Sound. The location and extent of the natural oyster 

 beds are shown, as is also the density of the water in the different parts of the bay, 

 showing what it was during a heavy freshet and also after the succeeding protracted 

 drought. The depth of water and nature of the bottom are also indicated wherever 

 examined. From tlie most reliable information wo could gather, and which 



is born« out by our investigations, the northern limit for oyster growth in Mobile 

 Bay is a line extending from Fowl River on the west to Great Point Clear on the 

 east. The location of the oyster beds as shown on the chart indicates that in the bay 

 the greater part of the natural oyster beds lies between the 6-foot and 12-foot curves. 

 From all the information we could obtain the local impression seems to be that lev 

 if any oyster beds exist beyond the 12-foot curve. 



1 Report on a Reconnoissance of the Oyster Berts of Mobile Bay and Mississippi 

 Sound. Alabama, by Homer 1". Ritter, assistant, l'. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, 

 Bull. P. S. Fish Coin , xv, for 1895, pp. 325-339, pis. 56-03. 



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