254 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [24] 
minations of the relative proportions of flesh and shell in different sam- 
ples of eysters. But as he takes only three oysters for the basis of his 
percentages in each, and does not weigh nearer than one-fourth ounce, 
his estimates can be regarded as only approximate for the samples 
examined. We may also add that we have found as great differences in 
different oysters from the same sample as he finds in oysters from dif- 
ferent localities. It wasin order to obviate as far as possible this source 
of error that we have taken such a large number of oysters in each sam- 
ple. The only American oyster Mr. Buckland notices is one trom Hast 
River, New York, laid at Beaumarais, North Wales. In this he finds the 
proportion of flesh to shell one to ten. 
The figures for “ Flesh” denote the percentages of solids or meat” 
those under ‘ liquids” the liquid portion, “liquor” in the sample. The 
solids and liquids together are designated as “edible portion,” which, 
with “refuse” and “loss in cleaning,” make up the whole sample. 
Under the heading “In Flesh” are given the percentages of water 
and dry substance in the flesh. After these follow the same percent- 
ages for liquids and for the whole edible portion. 
Some explanation may be needed of the way in which these calcula- 
tions have been made. Tor example, in obtaining the figures in the 
column headed ‘‘ water” in total “edible portion”, the percentages of 
flesh and of liquids in the total edible portion were multiplied each by 
its percentage of water as given in the table, the two products added 
and their sum divided by the sum of the percentages of flesh and liquids, 
the quotient being the percentage of water in the edible portion. The 
calculation for the Buzzard’s Bay oyster is as follows: 
(12.50 x 54,21) + (7.51 x 96.40) — 88.78. 
20.01 
The last three columns, “dry substance of flesh,” “dry substance of 
liquids,” and ‘dry substance of edible portion” are obtained by multiply- 
ing the percentage of each in the whole sample by its percentage of 
dry substance. 
TABLE AVAL: 
This table gives the figures for the dry substance in the flesh and 
in liquids. The only columns needing any explanation are those of 
albuminoids, phosphorus, and sulphur. The per cent. of “ albuminoids” 
is obtained by multiplying the nitrogen by the factor 6.25. The phos- 
phorus and sulphur are calculated as phosphoric and sulphurie anhy- 
drides. The last division of the table “in flesh and liquids” is caleu- 
lated as in Table V, already explained. 
TABLESV LI. 
In the first section of Table VII the analyses of Table VI are calculated 
over to ‘fresh substance.” By fresh substance are here meant the 
flesh and liquids as they were after the separation described under 
