﻿82 
  

  

  prices, 
  })ut 
  should 
  be 
  solely 
  regulated 
  1);, 
  the 
  amount 
  of 
  

   increase 
  ujion 
  the 
  beds. 
  

  

  "The 
  preservation 
  of 
  the 
  oyster 
  beds 
  is 
  as 
  much 
  a 
  

   question 
  of 
  statesmanshij) 
  as 
  the 
  x:>reservation 
  of 
  forests." 
  

  

  The 
  foregoing- 
  suggestions, 
  emanating 
  from 
  sucli 
  high 
  

   authority, 
  serve 
  to 
  enforce 
  Avhat 
  has 
  been 
  said 
  in 
  relation 
  

   to 
  dredging 
  and 
  the 
  constitution 
  of 
  the 
  banks 
  and 
  their 
  

   extension. 
  The 
  possibilities 
  which 
  seem 
  to 
  await 
  devel- 
  

   opment 
  along 
  the 
  shores 
  of 
  Virginia 
  and 
  Maryland 
  at 
  the 
  

   hands 
  of 
  enterprising 
  oystei'-culturists 
  ai'e 
  almost 
  limit- 
  

   less, 
  unless, 
  as 
  may 
  l)e 
  the 
  case, 
  given 
  areas 
  of 
  waters 
  

   adapted 
  to 
  their 
  culture, 
  will 
  afford 
  food 
  for 
  only 
  a 
  given 
  

   nund)er 
  of 
  oysters. 
  

  

  FAUNA 
  OF 
  THE 
  OYSTEK 
  BEDS. 
  

  

  The 
  animal 
  forms 
  Avhich 
  are 
  encountered 
  on 
  the 
  oyster 
  

   beds 
  and 
  in 
  the 
  surrounding 
  waters 
  are 
  exceedingly 
  nu- 
  

   merous, 
  and 
  range 
  in 
  size 
  from 
  the 
  most 
  minute 
  monads, 
  

   Vibriones 
  and 
  Bacteria 
  up 
  to 
  fishes 
  and 
  other 
  types 
  of 
  

   considerable 
  size. 
  Whether 
  the 
  Sheep's-head 
  Archo- 
  

   8(irgns 
  prohafoceplialiifi, 
  frequents 
  the 
  oyster 
  ])eds 
  or 
  

   not 
  I 
  do 
  not 
  positively 
  know, 
  but 
  I 
  strongly 
  suspect 
  that 
  

   it 
  does. 
  My 
  reason 
  for 
  this 
  belief 
  is 
  that 
  I 
  find 
  the 
  half 
  

   digested 
  remains 
  of 
  the 
  common 
  branching, 
  crimson-col- 
  

   ored 
  sponge 
  Mirroc/lona 
  prolifenim 
  in 
  their 
  stomachs, 
  

   together 
  with 
  the 
  crushed 
  shells 
  of 
  mussels 
  {Modmlaria 
  

   and 
  Mytil'U.^.) 
  These 
  last 
  can 
  be 
  best 
  obtained 
  by 
  the 
  

   fish 
  from 
  submerged 
  rocks 
  to 
  w^hich 
  they 
  are 
  attached, 
  

   but 
  the 
  s])onge 
  Avhich 
  grows 
  in 
  considerable 
  abundance 
  

   on 
  the 
  oyster 
  beds 
  would 
  attract 
  these 
  animals, 
  where 
  

   they 
  might 
  do 
  some 
  damage 
  to 
  young 
  oysters 
  with 
  their 
  

   powerful 
  cutting 
  and 
  grinding 
  teeth. 
  Other 
  fishes 
  are 
  

   found 
  on 
  the 
  banks 
  such 
  ;is 
  the 
  sole, 
  Achirufi 
  lineatfts^ 
  

   the 
  true 
  toad 
  lisli 
  BdtrncJni.^ 
  fait; 
  the 
  outer 
  gill 
  o]>enings 
  

   of 
  the 
  latter 
  were 
  usually 
  surrounded 
  by 
  a 
  phalanx 
  of 
  

   parasitic 
  crustaceans 
  nearly 
  allied 
  to 
  the 
  genus 
  ('(ili(jus, 
  

   provided 
  with 
  a 
  pair 
  of 
  discoidal 
  suckers 
  on 
  the 
  forepart 
  

   of 
  the 
  under 
  side 
  of 
  the 
  body. 
  Puffers 
  (called 
  "toads" 
  

  

  