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4 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
Under authority from the President of the United States, the Com- 
missioner has been gratified to assign the steamer Albatross to a spe- 
cial scientific investigation of the waters lying off the western coast 
of America, between Cape San Francisco and the Galapagos Islands, on 
the south, and the Gulf of California, on the north. This inquiry, which 
took place during the early part of 1891, was planned and personally 
directed by Prof. Alexander Agassiz, director of the Museum of Com- 
parative Zoblogy at Harvard University, who also paid a large propor- 
tion of the running expenses of the cruise. Scarcely anything had 
previously been learned regarding the physical or natural-history char- 
acteristics of the region, and the expedition proved entirely successful, 
promising results of an important character. The materials and obser- 
vations obtained have been placed in Prof. Agassiz’s charge for elabo- 
ration, and three reports bearing upon the same have already been 
published. 
The most extensive and important operations on the Atlantic coast 
have been conducted in the interest of the oyster industry. A com- 
plete survey has been made of the coast waters of South Carolina, | 
which, it is expected, will direct attention to the abundant resources | 
contained within the boundaries of this State. The oysters are | 
almost exclusively of the raccoon type, seldom growing upon the 
bottom, but forming narrow ledges or flats along the borders of the 
bays and of the numerous winding tidal channels, between the levels of 
high and low tide, wherever the conditions are favorable for their exist- 
ence. The cause of this surface distribution has not yet been entirely 
explained, but the observations so far made suggest that possibly the 
relatively high specific gravity of the water prevents the spat from 
sinking below the surface. Should this prove to be the case, the estab- 
lishment of self-sustaining beds below the level of low tide may be im- 
possible, but further investigations are required before passing finally 
upon this question. In any event an important industry is insured in 
the use of the raccoon oysters as seed, which, when planted in suitable 
localities, grow to a good shape, and improve greatly in flavor and 
consistency. This method of oyster farming is already practiced sue- 
cessfully in two or three places, but only on a very limited scale, and 
the business is susceptible of extensive development. 
The States of Maryland and Virginia have both become greatly con- 
cerned regarding the future prosperity of their oyster fisheries. The 
fact that the oyster beds of Chesapeake Bay have apparently been 
deteriorating for a number of years has led to the very general convic- 
tion that some radical changes in the management of the industry are 
necessary in order to prevent a very serious depletion. In the spring 
of 1891 the steamer ish Hawk began an investigation of this region, 
the principal object of which was to obtain as much accurate informa- 
tion as possible respecting the present condition of the beds, and the 
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