10 



NATURAL OYSTER BEDS OF DELAWARE. 



bottom bears no oysters and but few exposed shells and, apparently, 

 has been formed either by the silting of sparsely productive bottom 

 or by shells dragged by dredging from the rock on to the adjacent 

 muddy bottom. 



The oysters throughout the entire bed are long, narrow, sharp-edged, 

 and inferior in quality, and are almost invariably in clusters, whose 

 bases are buried in soft mud. The bottom throughout is soft, and 

 there is apparent nowhere any depth of shell deposits such as are 

 found on Silver bed and the Ridge. 



The details of the examinations made on this bed are shown in the 

 following table: 



Details of Examinations of Over-the-Bar Bed. 



PATCHES BETWEEN OVER-THE-BAR AND SAND BEDS. 



In the area between these beds are several small scattered patches 

 of oysters, but two of which were examined to determine their char- 

 acter. One of these has an area of about 16 acres and is estimated 

 to contain about 1,000 or 1,200 bushels of oysters. The other is 

 about 5 acres in extent and contains probably about 200 bushels of 

 oysters. On both beds and probably on other small patches in the 

 vicinity the oysters are long, thin, and narrow, and are found in 

 scattered clusters. 



The following table exhibits the data obtained from the examina- 

 tions : 



Details of Examinations of Patches between Over-the-Bar Bed and Sand 



Beds." 



