} 
OYSTER RESOURCES OF THE PACIFIC COAST. 353 
native oyster (Ostrea lurida). Indeed, there is nothing on this whole 
bank but clean shells of the native species. The bank is exposed to 
heavy seas during the season of strong winds, and many eastern oys- 
ters doubtless become buried beneath the easily drifted shells of the 
small natives. It is probable that there is a very great production of 
eastern oysters here that we know nothing of, as the whole tract is 
accessible to stingrays, which prey upon every kind of shellfish outside 
of the stake-protected beds. It is also probable that the heavy seas 
which at times sweep across this shallow section of the bay and actu- 
ally break up the clusters of native oysters by rolling them toward the 
beaches, have an injurious effect upon newly fixed eastern spat by 
burying them beneath the drifting shells. 
Considerable quantities of wild eastern oysters are annually gath- 
ered upon this and other shellbanks in the bay. They are retailed in 
Oakland and Alameda at $1.50 per 100, or sold to the oyster compa- 
nies who lay them out on their fenced beds for further growth. They 
are obtained when unusually low tides happen to expose them. No 
tonging or dredging is done, the oysters being gathered by hand. The 
work is performed chiefly by boys. I have no means of ue the 
quantity of oysters derived from this source. KES 
It appears, therefore, that there are other parts of San ri rancisco Bay 
as good for oyster-culture as those now inclosed, and that the increase 
of wild oysters now growing there would be more rapid if they were 
inclosed and afforded similar-protection from heavy seas, stingrays, ete. 
Spawning season.—lt is not unlikely that the oyster spawns here as 
early as on the north Atlantic coast, as the warming to which adult 
oysters are often exposed early in the spring during low tides must 
have a tendency to hasten the process. I have not examined them 
earlier than the 1st of May, but from that time until J uly 15 plenty of 
them are to be found rive with eggs. Of other months [ can not speak 
personally. Dr. H. W. Harkness, president of the California Academy 
of Sciences, informed me that during one year he examined many 
oysters from the market stalls with the microscope, and he expressed 
the belief that oysters could be found with eges during most months 
‘of the year. Opinions of oystermen differ as to the duration of the 
spawning season, but from April to August seems to be the decision of 
the majority. 
Notes on the general history of the oyster industry of San Francisco 
_Bay.—live oysters were first brought here by A. Booth, of Chicago, 
about the year 1870, when the first overland railroad was completed. 
Afterwards, from time to time, others engaged in the introduction of 
eastern oysters, and they eventually brought only supplies of seed 
oysters, which were bedded until they became marketable. 
Corville & Co. established an oyster bed a short distance south of 
Point San Bruno about 1872. This place was subsequently owned by 
Swanberg & West, who had both eastern and ues Bay oysters at 
Pinole Point at one time. 
H. Mis. 113 23 
