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9 to 16 feet of water over it; and the larger bed, the Cow, has from 9 to 11 feet. The beds consist 

 of large groups of oysters separated by mud sloughs; the "rock" itself is a very hard and thick 

 stratum of oysters and shells, into which we could not force the probe more than 2£ feet. The 

 oysters were small, with about two-thirds of young growth; neither young nor drills were found. 

 The number of oysters to the square yard was 1.51, which is probably more nearly correct than 

 usual, the hauls of the dredge being made under exceptionally favorable circumstances. 



On the western side of the channel and Sound and due east of the southern part of Bloods- 

 worth Island is a large bed, the name of which we were unable to ascertain. It is two miles long, 

 extends north and south, and is from two-eighths to Ave eighths of a mile wide. Its area is 

 4,027,000 square yards. The eastern part of the bed is unbroken, but the western portion and the 

 extreme eastern border are cut up by mud sloughs, which separate the oysters and leave them in 

 groups of different sizes. Aloug the eastern part, almost immediately after striking the bed, we 

 discovered a shoal ridge about 200 yards wide, which was unbroken and had a depth of water over 

 it of 10 or 11 feet. To the westward of this ridge the water deepened quickly 3 or 1 feet, but the 

 general depth of water over the bed is from 10 to 14 feet. The oysters are distributed over the 

 entire area, but unevenly, the largest number being f.mud on the central and southern portions 

 of the bed. The bottom was found to be generally a stratum of shells, oysters, and mud, of about 

 one foot in thickness, over a stratum of mud. Along the shoal ridge oysters and shells were found 

 as far as the probe could penetrate. To the westward of the bed the bottom is soft sand or mud, 

 the sand predominating and becoming harder as the shores of the island are approached. To the 

 eastward the bottom is soft mud. The oysters were single and of moderate size. Large numbers 

 of young growth, but neither young nor drills, were discovered. A little red sponge was found on 

 the eastern edge of the bed. To the southward of the bed the oysters were larger, but not so many 

 of recent growth were found, while to the westward the scattered oysters presented similar char- 

 acteristics to those on the bed, and the same absence of young and drills was also noticed. The 

 number of oysters to the square yard, the mean of ten observations, was 1.06. 



Turtle Egg Island Bed. — This bed is situated on the western side of the channel, off the small 

 island from which it derives its name. It is irregular in shape, extending along the edge of the 

 channel in a jSTXE. and SSW. direction about 1J miles, and is from one-quarter to one-half mile 

 broad. Its area is 1,620,000 square yards. The bed is unbroken about the center, but narrow mud 

 sloughs intersect the northern, eastern, and southern portions; to the westward the oysters are 

 scattered; on the eastern border of the bed they are more numerous than elsewhere. The depth 

 of water over the bed is from 10 to 23 feet. A ridge similar to the one on the bed immediately to 

 the southward was found aloug the eastern edge with a depth of water over it of about 12 feet; 

 to the westward of the ridge 14 and 10 feet were found, and to the eastward much deeper water. 

 The surface stratum of the bottom generally consisted of shells and oysters mixed with mud or 

 sand; on the eastern portion of the bed the substratum was mud, while on the western and north- 

 ern portions it was sand. East of the bed the bottom was soft mud ; west of it soft sand on top 

 of hard sand. The oysters were single, a few of large, but most of moderate size, of good quality, 

 and many of recent growth. Neither young nor drills were found. A little red sponge was brought 

 by the dredge on the SE. border, and a good deal of grass was found on the sands to the southward 

 and westward of the bed. Very few oysters were found to the westward. East of the bed, on 

 the small rock in deep water, many young growth, but no young, were discovered. The number 

 of oysters to the square yard on the bed, as given by the mean of thirteen observations, was 0.38. 

 On the small rock referred to above, the number to the square yard was 1.30. 



Mud Bock. — This bed lies on the western side of the channel, south of the Turtle Egg Island 

 Bed, and east of South Marsh Island. It extends north and south about 1| miles, and is from one- 

 quarter to one-half mile broad. Its area is 1,845,000 square yards. The bottom is very irregular, 

 the depth of water being from 12 to 34 feet. The ridge aloug the edge of the channel was not as 

 prominent as on the two beds previously described. The bed is broken in many places by mud 

 sloughs, and about the eastern portion especially, where the oysters are in groups and patches. 

 In the vicinity of the line showing where the largest number of oysters exist, the bed is more solid 

 and the bottom harder than elsewhere. As this line crosses the bed three times, and from other 

 circumstances, it is concluded that the distribution of the oysters is irregular, and the conclusion 



