﻿OYSTER 
  BOTTOMS 
  OF 
  LAVACA 
  BAY, 
  TEX. 
  

   Oyster 
  Growth 
  on 
  Lap 
  Reef. 
  

  

  25 
  

  

  a 
  Counted 
  in 
  with 
  dense. 
  

   Details 
  of 
  Examination 
  of 
  Lap 
  Reef. 
  

  

  CHICKEN 
  REEF. 
  

  

  This 
  begins 
  at 
  the 
  channel 
  — 
  the 
  "Hole 
  in 
  the 
  Wall" 
  — 
  from 
  which 
  

   it 
  extends 
  in 
  an 
  easterly 
  direction 
  to 
  the 
  shoal 
  water 
  of 
  a 
  projecting 
  

   point 
  of 
  the 
  east 
  shore. 
  The 
  reef 
  is 
  long, 
  narrow, 
  and 
  with 
  a 
  slight 
  

   dip 
  southward 
  near 
  the 
  center. 
  The 
  length 
  is 
  approximately 
  1| 
  

   miles, 
  while 
  the 
  average 
  width 
  is 
  about 
  200 
  yards. 
  

  

  The 
  depth 
  of 
  water 
  varies 
  from 
  1 
  foot 
  to 
  5 
  feet, 
  averaging 
  about 
  3 
  

   feet; 
  there 
  are 
  two 
  narrow 
  ridges, 
  one 
  at 
  the 
  western 
  and 
  the 
  other 
  

   at 
  the 
  eastern 
  extremity, 
  which 
  are 
  awash 
  at 
  low 
  tide. 
  Other 
  than 
  

   at 
  the 
  eastern 
  limit, 
  where 
  the 
  depths 
  on 
  and 
  near 
  the 
  bed 
  are 
  prac- 
  

   tically 
  the 
  same 
  and 
  do 
  not 
  exceed 
  3^ 
  or 
  4 
  feet, 
  this 
  reef 
  is 
  markedly 
  

   shoaler 
  than 
  the 
  surrounding 
  parts 
  of 
  the 
  bay. 
  Like 
  all 
  such 
  ele- 
  

   vated 
  reefs, 
  its 
  mass 
  is 
  composed 
  of 
  compacted 
  shells 
  and 
  debris, 
  the 
  

   accumulation 
  of 
  many 
  years 
  of 
  existence. 
  

  

  The 
  character 
  of 
  these 
  oysters 
  is 
  about 
  the 
  same 
  as 
  those 
  of 
  Lap 
  

   Reef. 
  On 
  the 
  top 
  of 
  the 
  reef 
  there 
  were 
  fine 
  white 
  shells, 
  and 
  some 
  

   excellent 
  oysters 
  in 
  the 
  guts 
  near 
  shore, 
  but 
  they 
  have 
  been 
  prac- 
  

   tically 
  fished 
  out. 
  ' 
  

  

  9497°— 
  15 
  15 
  . 
  .^^ 
  . 
  ^-- 
  - 
  

  

  