260 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [30] 
Proportions of flesh, of liquids, and of total shell contents ( flesh and liquids) in samples of 
oysters. 
| 
Flesh in whole oysters. | Per ct.| Liquid in whole oysters. | Per ct Total See ae ™ | Per ct 
iBlneeeOINt)~.2-4-- ~~ =~ 13. 39 | Stony Creek ...........- Sl) | Mast ELVOlse-sacre cnet | 20. 28 
Shrewsburys.--2-------- 12.64 | Stony Creek ............ 11.38 | Buzzards Bay .......... 20. 01 
WITHA AVED sec ne~ coe 5 ~~ 12. 63.| East’ River ............. 10.01 | Stony Creek ............ 19.15 
Buzzards Bay ..-..-..--- 12,50 | Rockawayi:..--..--.--< %st2\| Stonyi Creek 22.2.2). == 18. 90 
Providence River...----- 10.88 | Buzzards Bay......-....: 4.00) ) Blue POM. s5os6 seni oe 18. 62 
Rockaway ----22-+--2---- 10.68 | Rappahannock River...| 7.31 | Rockaway ...-...-..:... 18. 40 
Mast River, ./.---------2|/ 10.27 | James Niver!-...---- =<. M20 ui Malm Haver smcisiseiceies 18. 06 
Staten Island.......-..-- 9.13 | Staten Island -........-- 7.10 | Shrewsbury .........---| 17.52 
Rappahannock River....| 7.86 | Norfolk --.....-..-...--- 6.52 | Providence River.....-.. 17. 00 
Stony Creek.-.....---... 7.52 | Providence River....... 6.12 | Staten Island -.......... 16. 23 
Stony; Creek. --2cee--4--- 7.34 | Potomac River.......... 5.64 | Rappahannock River.-..| 15.17 
Potomac River ....--.--- 6.51 | Fair Haven 5.43 | James River...-.......-- 13. 79 
AMES URIVEL)- <5 seco 6.50 | Blue Point-....-. 5.23 | Potomac River.-......-.-- 12.15 
BNOLiOlk <252 0% secei-- 2 = 4.66 | Shrewsbury 4) 88h SNortolks.).22 ccoeee eer 11.18 
Thus in the samples from East River, N. Y., and Buzzard’s Bay, Mass., 
the contents of the shells, including both flesh and liquids, “meat” and — 
“liquor,” made respectively 20.2 and 20 per cent. of the whole weight, 
while of the samples from the James and the Potomac the shell contents 
constituted only 12.2 and 11.2 per cent. of the whole. The East River and 
Buzzards Bay were one-fifth edible matter and four-fifths shell, while in 
the southern samples the shell contents made only one-eighth of the 
whole. 
The ratios of flesh to liquids were still more variable. The sample of 
Blue Points had 13.4 per cent. of solids and 5.3 of liquids, while one from 
Stony Creek had 7.3 per cent. of meat and 11.8 of liquor. Taking the 
flesh and liquids separately the variation is even greater. The percent- 
ages of flesh range from 13.4 in the Blue Points to 4.7 in the Norfolks, the 
liquids from 11.8 in the Stony Creeks to 4.9 in the Shrewsburys. 
None of the above figures, however, give a measure of the actual 
nutrients in the oysters, since both flesh and liquids consist mostly of 
water, and the proportions of dry substance which constitutes the ac- 
tually nutritive portion are extremely variable. 
Below the samples are arranged in the order of the percentages of dry 
substance in flesh, in liquids, and in total shell contents. 
Proportion of dry substance, actually nutritive materials, in flesh, in liquids, and in total 
shell contents of oysters. 
total shell contents, 
oie In 
In flesh. Per ct. Tn liquid. Per ct. flesh plus liquids. Per ct. 
BlnexPointit. so5.2.:2.%5 23.76:| Fair Haven:.<...:..s.-: 6.00 | Bluo Point.-...--.-.-...- 19. 24 
Potomac River.-........ 21.13 | Blue) Point. 225 s-..5--c6 5.67 | Providence River....... 15. 21 
Providence River ....... 20.99 | Providence River ....... 4.95 | Fair Haven........-.... 14. 88 
East River.............. 20:08) |, Rockaway:.<.--c.-scco. 4.94.| Shrewsbury .-.-......-..- 14. 63 
Stony Creek:.........--. 18.98 | Shrewsbury ..........-. 4.93 | Potomac River.......... 13. 40 
IROCKAWAY, -cccoct cies <= -1- 18.73 | East River......... ...- 4.56 | Rockaway......-..-..--. 13. 02 
Mas AVeN es ss ecco aise 18.70 | Potomac River.......... 4.49 | East River. --..........-- 12. 43 
Repeats masouscuucdun 18.35 | James River.........--. 4.09 | Buzzards Bay........---| 11.20 
Stony Creek............. 17.91 | Stony Creek ...........- 3.88 | Staten Island .22-2.----- 10. 42 
Rappahannock River....} 17.36 | Stony Creek ............ 3.67 | Rappahannock River...| 10.12 
James River .....-.-.--- 16.51 | Staten Island ...........| 3.65 | Stony Creek............ . 96 
INorfolkis-ca-s2cscleecelscee 16.14 | Buzzards Bay ........-... 3.60!) James River cossctesease 9. 93 
BUZZaALOS bAyesseseec caeelanlO. (Ou NOLLOLK, © oo 5- ecemice cscs 8.17 | Stony Creek ..sscn.- se 9.11 
Staten Island..........-- 15.53 | Rappahannock River...) 2.76 | Norfolk ..............-. 8.55 
