22 FIFTH REPORT OF SHELL FISH COMMISSIONERS 
at a contract cost of fifty dollars. Four granite posts, whose 
tops project a few inches above the ground, were set about the 
spar, at the four points of the compass. Notices printed on cloth 
have been tacked to all the signals, warning the public that the 
structures on which they are placed are State Oyster Survey Sig- 
nals, and any interference therewith will be punished according 
to Section 2, Chap. LII. of the Laws of 1883. 
BUOY WORK. 
June 16th Messrs. Sanford and Pike, Jr., moved to South Nor- 
walk. The buoy work has been prosecuted to the present time 
by them from that place. Before moving to South Norwalk, the 
work of buoy setting, incident to sales of ground and shelling as 
far to the west as Bridgeport, was fully attended to. 
The number of buoys set during the seven months is 192. 
Buoys surveyed, 22. Total positions determined, 214. The regu- 
lar field operations did not begin till May 26th. 
SEXTANT PROTRACTOR. 
A new sextant protractor having a ten inch circle divided on 
silver to half minutes, was received on March 30th. It was made 
by Fauth & Co., of Washington, D. C., in accordance with plans 
and specifications which were carefully considered and resultant 
from experience. The arms may be securely clamped to the 
circle, and the extension arms are secured in a manner to give 
rigidity and also extensions in straight lines. ‘The spread of the 
arms is seven feet. The cost of this instrument was $206.50. 
A saving of $30 was effected through Mr. H. J. Lewis contract- 
ing for a like instrument at the same time. 
APPLICATIONS. 
During the year I have drawn descriptions for the deeds of 29 
applications. ‘The area deeded and paid for under the same is 
613.22 acres. This makes a total area of 45,667.8 acres deeded 
since June 1st, 1881. The applications now pending for which 
deeds have not been tendered, are 63 in number, and aggregate 
4,812.4 acres. Four deeds having an aggregate area of 2,148.1 
acres, are pending. ‘Twenty-seven applications, having an ag- 
gregate areaof 1,100.1 acres have been received during the seven 
