104 SHELL-FISH COMMISSIONERS’ REPORT. . [Jan., 
and the committee or selectmen, who shall thereafter make any 
such designation, shall mark the same upon such map. 
Sec. 10. When the owner of any land in which there may be 
any salt-water creek or inlet shall desire to dam, gate, or lock the 
same for an oyster pond, for the cultivation of oysters, he may 
make application therefor to the selectmen of the town where 
such creek or inlet may be, who shall visit and examine it; and if, 
in their cpinion, to dam it will not injure navigation, or deprive 
the public of any rights or privileges, shall mark off or set bounds 
where a dam may be built, and report their opinion to any meet- 
ing of such town; and if the meeting shall approve of the opinion 
of said selectmen the owner of said creek or inlet may construct 
and maintain such dam, gate, or lock for such purpose during the 
pleasure of the General Assembly. 
Sec. 11. When any natural oyster bed, or any part thereof, is 
designated, inclosed, or staked out contrary to the provisions of 
this chapter, the Superior Court, as a court of equity, in the county 
in which such oyster bed is situated, upon the petition of any 
individual aggrieved, or of the town in which such oyster bed is 
situated, against the person claiming the same, and the chairman 
of the oyster committee appointed by such town, when such peti- 
tion is brought by an individual, shall appoint a committee, who, 
having been sworn and given notice to the parties, shall hear such 
petition and report the facts thereon to such court; and if it shall 
appear that such oyster bed has been improperly staked out the 
court may order said committee to remove the stakes inclosing 
the same, and costs to be paid at the discretion of the court; but 
when oysters have been planted or cultivated or improvements 
made, before such petition shall be brought by any person in good 
faith, to whom said designations shall have been made, or by any 
assignee of such person, the court shall give him a reasonable 
time to remove said oysters and improvements. 
Sec. 12. The selectmen of Guilford may lease, for not exceed- 
ing ten years, all ground of the town in Kast and West rivers 
suitable for planting or cultivating oysters to the highest bidders, 
at an auction at some public place in said town, notice of the time 
and place of which auction shall be given by posting the same on 
the sign-post in Guilford, and publishing it in two daily news- 
papers published in New Haven six times, commencing at least 
two weeks before the auction; but no lease shall be made to any 
person of a tract of ground exceeding five acres in extent, nor to 
