OF THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT. 31 
sioners had no means to investigate the subject, they referred 
the complainants to the State Board of Health who have a special 
appropriation for inquiring into the pollution of streams. 
SPAWNING, 
There has been an unusal quantity of spawn cast the past 
season, and an abundant set secured. For the reasons already 
given there has not been so much shelling as in previous years; 
but in the restricted areas, with favorable weather, with more 
careful watchfulness and with the use of improved appliances for 
catching starfish, it is probable that a larger crop than ever will be 
grown and matured for market. ‘The starfish, however, do not 
make so much trouble and havoc as they did a year or two ago 
—though there are enough of them left yet in many places to 
create serious apprehension. ‘The oyster growers have had a 
great deal of experience with them—and knowing to some extent 
their peculiar habits they are better qualified to cope with them 
successfully. 
A few of the oyster growers continue to scatter more shells 
than they can take care of. Consequently a large proportion 
must be neglected so that the stars are left to spawn and grow on 
them without disturbance. As soon as they are big enough they 
will be sure to migrate to the adjacent grounds to eat up the oys- 
ters of innocent neighbors. 
SABELLA VULGARIS. 
This worm which was found two years ago in unusual quanti- 
ties on an oyster bed near Stratford, seems to have done no harm 
anywhere else. From careful inquiries among the oyster growers 
we are led to believe that although it is sometimes found among 
the oysters along the shores of the State, and may occasionally 
smother some of the younger growths, the percentage of loss 
caused by the worm is really inappreciable. 
BUOY DISPUTES. 
Attention was called to this subject in the last report as follows: 
Disputes frequently arise between adjoining owners of grounds, 
caused by one owner moving a buoy without the knowledge or 
consent of the other. As such an act results in a change of the 
division line between them, there is a constant temptation to make 
such changes more favorable to the party present than to the party 
