OYSTER-BEDS OF LOUISIANA. 53 



False-moutli Bay covers about 11.3 square miles. It connects with 

 Mississippi Sound by means of Nine-mile Bayou, and to the eastward 

 opens by a wide mouth into the passage between Raccoon and Mud- 

 grass islands. The bottom is composed of hard mud of a somewhat 

 clayey character, resembling that on the surrounding islands. The 

 depth is almost uniform, in the northeastern part being from ."> to .'» , { 

 feet and elsewhere from 4 to 5 feet. The density in the middle of Feb- 

 ruary varied from 1.0048 to 1.0060 in the several parts of the bay, the 

 temperature at the same time ranging between 16.5° 0. (61.7° F.) and 

 10° C. (66.2° F.). The water is less saline than elsewhere in the marsh, 

 owing to its proximity to the main sources of fresh water, the Pearl 

 Eiver and the discharge from Lake Pontchartrain. 



There are very few oysters in False-mouth Bay, and those discovered 

 by the reconnaissance were found fringing the three islands shown on 

 the chart, as a scattering growth of single oysters of fine shape, round, 

 deep, and about G inches long. The amount of young growth was 

 small, a few oysters about 2 to 2i inches long being found attached to 

 the old ones, to clam shells, and lying singly on the mud. A very small 

 amount of spat was attached to the clam shells which fringe the north- 

 east shore of the southernmost island. All of these oysters, both large 

 and small, were extremely fat, but their flavor was insipid owing to the 

 low salinity of the water. The oystermen state that the oysters are 

 always fatter here than on the beds to the eastward, and that they are 

 kept "cleaned up" by the boats which aim to carry the best oysters to 

 the New Orleans markets. It is the custom of the oystermen to paddle 

 around the shores when the water is clear and smooth and pick up with 

 nippers the oysters which can be clearly seen. In December, 1897, a 

 small bed was found in the northern part of the bay, but a number of 

 boats went to work upon it and within a few days it was reduced to a 

 state of practical extinction and we were unable to And any remnant 

 of it. 



An examination of the bottom by means of the dredge and tangles 

 showed it to be remarkably clean and free from debris of all kinds. A 

 few crabs of small size, several species of lamellibranchs, and numerous 

 worms were the only living forms found on the hard bottom. Enemies 

 are probably extremely rare, although it is possible that the drumfish 

 might cause damage upon beds of planted oysters. The conch was not 

 found at all, although it is not uncommon in the neighboring waters 

 of Three-mile and Nine-mile bays. The boring-clam (Martesia) is com- 

 mon, but it is less abundant than in the more saline waters, and in any 

 case it would not prove detrimental to the oyster. 



It seems probable that the scarcity of oysters in False mouth Bay is 

 due in a large part to the lack of suitable places of attachment for the 

 spat, and if this be so there is but little doubt that productive beds 

 might be established by planting shells, together with a sufficient 

 number of brood oysters to furnish fry. We found here the largest 

 area of firm bottom discovered anywhere within the limits of the recon- 



