OYSTER RESOURCES OF THE PACIFIC COAST. 359 
San Pablo Bay.—The most diligent dredging from a steam launeh 
failed to reveal any shell life, except clams, upon the bottom of San 
Pablo Bay. The native oyster, O, lurida, so abundant ii San Francisco 
Bay, particularly far south of the city, was not found here at all. Tt 
is probable that it formerly lived here, for there are extensive deposits* 
of shells of this species to be seen in the faces of the bluffs along the 
west side of Mare L e Island fronting on San Pablo B: Ly. Nearly all the 
supply of soft-shelled clams is derived from the mudflats of San Pablo 
Bay. This species is apparently as abundant here as if it had always 
existed in these waters. 
While San Pablo Bay appears to be devoid of shell life, except clams, 
it is rich in shrimps and fishes. Many of the Chinese shrimp-fishers’ 
nets are set here constantly and the Italian fishermen take many stur- 
geon. The shrimp nets also take sculpins, young flounders, and other 
small fish in abundance. 
The muddy character of the bottom is due to its being a favorable 
place for the waters of the Sacramento River to expand and thereby 
~~. deposit the sediment carried by its current. The river maintains a 
\deep channel along the south side of the bay on its course to the sea, — 
‘but when it meets an incoming tide at the entrance to San Figg 
‘Bay its muddy flood is spread all over the broad extent of San Pablo. 
\ Mr. M. Manson, engineer for the Harbor Commission, states that the 
Shoaling of San Pablo Bay dated from the time of hydraulic mining, 
but that since the causeof débris has been removed the bay has improved 
and will doubtless continue todo so. He recommended an examination 
of the west side of San Pablo Bay with reference to the possibility of 
its being made bedding-ground for oysters, but as far as I was able to 
examine it there were no indications of firm bottom like that of the 
west side of San Francisco Bay. 
Mr. McNear, proprietor of the wharves at McNear’s Landing, on San 
Pablo Bay, once laid out eastern oysters upon a narrow mudflat near 
the landing, but lost most of them from continued rough weather, during 
which they were either washed upon the beach or covered by soft mud. 
The experiment was not repeated. 
Though I have as yet found no oysters in San Pablo beyond MeNear’s 
Landing, the discovery of many eastern and Willapa Bay oysters about 
the narrows at the entrance to the bay is interesting as showing the 
propagation of oysters exposed to the fresh water of the river, and is 
an indication that something might be done for oyster-culture in San 
Pablo Bay if firmer bedding-grounds ean be secured. aT 
ee 
Tide lands —The sale of the tide lands of San Francisco Bay has 
hitherto been considered as exercising a retarding influence upon the 
development of the oyster industry, as well as of other branches of 
business. These lands, surveyed and sold by the State at $1.25 per 
acre, have gradually passed into the hands of the larger oyster com- 
panies. ‘This is especially true of the extensive ilats in the southern 
