OYSTEE BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI EAST OF BILOXI. 



19 



in length and a slightly greater quantity of smaller ones. Numer- 

 ically the small oysters outnumber the larger ones as about 2.6 

 to 1. 



The dense growth occupies a strip nearly a half mile long near 

 the middle of the bed and a small patch at the lower end. On 

 the latter, which covers about 5 acres, the larger oysters are par- 

 ticularly abundant, examination indicating about 416 bushels per 

 acre. On the larger strip, which contains about 29 acres, there are 

 about 235 bushels per acre. Oysters under 3 inches long range at 

 the places examined between 154 and 218 bushels per acre, the aver- 

 age being about 180 bushels. In actual quantity the small oysters 

 are more abundant than on the area of scattering growth, but in 

 numbers relatively to the market oysters they are but half as 

 abundant. 



The very scattering growth and the depleted bottom lie on the 

 edges of the bed as transition areas between the more productive 

 and the barren bottoms. The depleted bottom, although unproduc- 

 tive in large oysters at the time of the survey, was well provided 

 with small ones, the average per acre being about 163 bushels. A 

 number of boats were tonging on this bed during the presence of the 

 survey party in the vicinity. The oysters were of inferior quality, 

 clustered and "coony." 



Details of Examination of Beloxi Bay Below Railroad Bridge. 



BACK BAY, EAST BED. 



This bed, covering about 74 acres of bottom of varying produc- 

 tiveness, lies about north of the draw of the Louisville & Nashville 

 Railroad bridge. It is about five-eighths of a mile long and about 



