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  \. 
  

  

  extension 
  and 
  growth 
  of 
  any 
  bed 
  is 
  in 
  that 
  direction, 
  the 
  spat 
  

  

  being 
  carried 
  backward 
  and 
  forward 
  by 
  tlie 
  ebb 
  and 
  flow 
  of 
  

   the 
  tides. 
  

  

  The 
  large 
  number 
  of 
  beds 
  near 
  and 
  off 
  Kedge's 
  Straits 
  is 
  

   probably 
  due 
  to 
  the 
  large 
  number 
  of 
  spat 
  brought 
  out 
  from 
  

   the 
  Sounds 
  through 
  the 
  Straits. 
  

  

  The 
  bottom 
  is 
  generally 
  of 
  hard 
  sand 
  covered 
  with 
  sponge 
  

   and 
  grass. 
  Near 
  Kedge's 
  Straits 
  some 
  mud 
  sloughs 
  were 
  

   found, 
  and 
  in 
  some 
  cases 
  the 
  sub-stratum 
  of 
  the 
  beds 
  was 
  of 
  

   clay, 
  but 
  in 
  most 
  of 
  them 
  the 
  stratum 
  of 
  oysters 
  and 
  shells 
  

   was 
  too 
  thick 
  and 
  hard 
  to 
  be 
  penetrated. 
  

  

  The 
  beds 
  outside 
  the 
  Sounds 
  have 
  been 
  comparatively 
  free 
  

   from 
  dredging, 
  and 
  thus 
  present 
  marked 
  differences 
  from 
  those 
  

   inside. 
  

  

  They 
  are 
  comparatively 
  longer 
  and 
  narrower, 
  and 
  much 
  

   more 
  sharply 
  defined. 
  Very 
  few 
  scattered 
  oysters 
  are 
  found 
  

   near 
  them, 
  and 
  the 
  beds 
  are 
  much 
  more 
  solid, 
  unbroken, 
  and 
  

   much 
  harder, 
  requiring 
  heavier 
  dredges 
  than 
  those 
  used 
  in 
  

   the 
  Souhds. 
  

  

  The 
  most 
  remarkable 
  difference 
  is, 
  however, 
  in 
  the 
  shape 
  

   and 
  growth 
  of 
  the 
  oysters. 
  

  

  On 
  the 
  undredged 
  beds 
  they 
  are 
  long 
  and 
  narrow, 
  with 
  the 
  

   lower 
  shells 
  very 
  deep, 
  and 
  bills 
  very 
  thin 
  and 
  sharp. 
  In 
  no 
  

   case 
  did 
  we 
  find 
  any 
  single 
  oysters 
  of 
  any 
  class. 
  All 
  grew 
  in 
  

   clusters 
  of 
  from 
  three 
  and 
  four 
  to 
  twelve 
  and 
  flfteen. 
  The 
  

   shells 
  were 
  clean 
  and 
  white 
  and 
  free 
  from 
  mud 
  and 
  sand. 
  

   Generally 
  there 
  was 
  found 
  a 
  tuft 
  of 
  I'ed 
  or 
  white 
  sponge 
  at- 
  

   tached 
  to 
  the 
  clusters, 
  and 
  the 
  mature 
  first 
  and 
  second 
  class 
  

   oysters 
  were 
  covered, 
  and 
  the 
  interstices 
  between 
  them 
  filled. 
  

  

  With 
  those 
  of 
  the 
  third 
  and 
  fourth 
  classes 
  numbers 
  of 
  bar- 
  

   nacles 
  were 
  also 
  found, 
  and 
  some 
  crepidula^ 
  but 
  tuhicola 
  were 
  

   only 
  present 
  in 
  small 
  numbers. 
  

  

  The 
  oysters 
  found 
  upon 
  beds 
  that 
  have 
  been 
  much 
  worked 
  

   differ 
  materially, 
  being 
  sino-le 
  and 
  broader, 
  in 
  comparison 
  to 
  

   their 
  length, 
  round 
  and 
  with 
  blunt 
  bills. 
  They 
  are 
  usually 
  

   dark 
  in 
  color, 
  and 
  have 
  a 
  considerable 
  amount 
  of 
  mud 
  and 
  

   sand 
  on 
  the 
  shells. 
  The 
  sponges 
  do 
  not 
  appear 
  to 
  be 
  as 
  

   abundant, 
  and 
  the 
  amount 
  of 
  dredging 
  on 
  any 
  bed 
  may 
  al 
  ways- 
  

   be 
  known 
  by 
  the 
  appearance 
  of 
  the 
  oysters 
  brought 
  up. 
  

  

  