36 



practically making the two beds one; but as the oysters were not very thick in the channel into 

 Guilford Creek, the original dividing space, and as the two beds still retain their original names, I 

 have considered them separately. The depth ot water over the Bird Bed is from 14 to 24 feet, 

 the deep water being found near the channel and tlie shoal near the sand spits. The bed is 

 unbroken, except about the edges; that portion indicated on the chart by the dark line is less 

 broken than the remainder, and probabby in that vicinity was located the original "rock" from 

 which the bed has extended. About the western edge the bed is broken by mud sloughs, and 

 immediately to the eastward of the bed numerous small, detached groups of oysters are found and 

 a few small beds, whose area has been included in that given for the Bird Bed. The oysters, 

 though found over the entire area, are not evenly distributed, but exist in larger numbers on the 

 northern and more solid portion of the bed than elsewhere. The bottom is hard, of shells, with a 

 light covering of mud. On the western portion the substratum was of mud, but elsewhere it was 

 generally hard, probably of sand. To the northward of the bed the bottom was of sand, soft on 

 top and hard underneath; to the south and west soft mud was found. The oysters were single, 

 of medium size, and good quality. No sponge or grass was found, but many old and broken shells. 

 In the vicinity of the muddy bottoms the shells were black and no young were discovered, but on 

 the central part of the main bed, where the shells were of ordinary color and moderately clean, 

 large numbers of youug were found. It was noticed that many of the young had been destroyed 

 by the drills, and especially about the solid portion of the bed, where as many as 152 out of 156 

 on one shell had suffered. As the channel was approached the drills (astyris) did not appear to 

 be as numerous nor to have done as much damage, only about one-fourth of the youug having 

 been destroyed. The number of oysters to the square yard, the mean of four observations on 

 different parts of the bed, was 0.36. 



Hern Island Bed. — Originally this bed was south of the channel into Guilford Creek, but 1>3 T 

 the actiou of natural causes and by dredging it has been extended across that channel and con- 

 nected with the Bird Bed. It lies due south of that bed and extends in an east and west direction 

 one mile, and has a width of about one-half mile. Its area is 2,092,000 square yards, and it is 

 next in size to the Bird Bed. The depth of water is from 14 to 22 feet, the shoal water lying a 

 little to the westward of the central portion of the bed, and the deep water being found in the 

 Guilford Channel. The bed is broken about the edges, especially the northwestern one, and where 

 it borders on the Guilford Channel, but elsewhere and iu the center it is comparatively solid. A 

 few mud or soft sand spaces were found in the eastern part. The oysters are distributed very 

 evenly over the entire area. The bottom generally is hard, of shells and sand, though only a small 

 amount of the latter was found. In the Guilford Channel and its vicinity the bottom is softer and 

 the substratum of mud. To the southward of the bed hard saud is found, and iu the channel to 

 the westward the usual soft mud. The oysters were single, small, and principally of a young 

 growth. Those adult oysters taken by us were of fair quality. Many old broken shells were 

 brought up by the dredge but no sponge or grass. Many young were discovered and a large 

 number, over 25 per cent., had been destroyed by drills. Large numbers of astyris were present 

 with the young. The number of oysters to the square yard, the mean of six observations, was 0.29. 



Beds of the Guilford Channel. — South of the Guilford Flats, on each side of the channel into 

 Guilford Creek, are two narrow ledges of oysters, extending east and west and following the trend 

 of the channel. The northern bed is 1 mile in length, and has its greatest width, of one-third of 

 a mile, at its eastern extremity, and its least, of one-tenth of a mile, at its western. Its area is 

 585,000 square yards. The southern bed is If miles long, one-quarter of a mile broad at its western 

 and one-tenth of a mile at its eastern extremity. Its area is 630,000 square yards. The northern 

 bed has au average depth of water over it of 11 feet. The southern has from 9 to 21 feet, the deeper 

 water being on the extreme western part of the bed. Both beds, though narrow, are solid, being 

 but little broken even about the edges. They are old and not frequently worked. The bottom is 

 of mud and shells for several feet, and underneath that a hard stratum. The oysters were scarce, 

 and no young were found. 



Beach Island Bed. — This is a small Bed, lying about 1 mile NNE. of Beach Island, and south 

 of the narrow channel into Deep Creek. It is irr» gular in shape and comprises an area of 225,000 

 square yards. The depth of water over it is from 12 to 17 feet. The bottom is of mud and shells, 



