18 



southward and westward, and the one-fathom curve the northern limit. The bottom is of mud or 

 sand, the latter being found inshore. 



( 'In mp Point Bocks. — These are small beds lying on each side of the channel into the Wicomico 

 River and between Long and Clump Points. They are of small area, comprising collectively but 

 382,500 square yards, and lie in from 5 to 10 feet of water; they are separated from each other by 

 the muddy bottoms of the channel or sloughs. All the rocks are broken in many places, the 

 oyster groups separated by spaces of mud and sand, the latter species of bottom being found 

 principally near Long Point. On the rocks the bottom is of shells and mud, with a substratum 

 of mud. Very few oysters were found on the bottoms surrounding the rocks, and those discovered 

 grew in small groups, the number and size of which decreased very much to the eastward of Long 

 Point. The oysters were very scarce and resembled those of the Xanticoke Middle Ground in 

 general character, though a larger number of single ones were found than on that bed. 



Horsey 1 * Bar and Tyler's Rock. — These are comparatively small beds, lying on the southern side 

 of the Nanticoke Channel, southwest of the Middle Ground and north of Haine's Point. The first 

 bed exteuds north and south three-eighths of a mile and east and west one-eighth of a mile. Its 

 area is 202,500 square yards. The second bed lies southwest of Horsey's Bar, and is one-half 

 mile in length and breadth, and comprises an area of 675,000 square yards. Both beds are 

 unbroken, except about the edges, aud on the major portion of each bed the oysters are evenly 

 distributed. Along the northern and southern boundaries, where the beds border on the channels, 

 the oysters are found in groups, separated by mud sloughs. The depth of water over Horsey's 

 Bar is 12 feet, over Tyler's Rock from 14 to 1G feet. The bottom consists of a stratum of shells 

 from 1 to 2 feet in thickness, on a stratum of hard sand; on top of the shells was a light layer of 

 mud. The oysters were small, single, and of poor quality, aud those of one year's growth pre- 

 dominated. Xo young, drills, sponges, or grass were found on the beds. 



Drumming Shoal Bed. — This bed lies on and about the shoal off" Haine's Point, from which it 

 derives its name. It is one mile and three-quarters long and three-eighths of a mile wide, and 

 extends in a northeasterly and southwesterly direction along the eastern edge of the main channel 

 of the sound. Its area is 2,430,000 square yards. The bed is unbroken, the central and southern 

 portions being remarkably hard and solid. About the edges, as with the other beds, it is inter- 

 sected by mud sloughs, and the oysters grow in the usual groups and detached patches, but gen- 

 erally they are evenly distributed, a slight difference existing in favor of the shoaler and central 

 part of the bed lying on the Drumming Shoal. 



The depth of water is from 10 to 20 feet, the deeper water being found on the northern part 

 and along the western border. The major portion of the bed has but 11 feet over it. On nearly 

 the whole bed the bottom consists of a stratum of shells with a light covering of mud over a 

 stratum of hard sand. On the extreme northern part the substratum was mud, and the surface 

 stratum of shells not so thick as elsewhere. The oysters were single and in small clusters; a 

 moderate number of shells and a little of the red sponge was found. Inside of Drumming Shoal 

 is a small bed called Haine's Point Rock, which has been included in the description and area 

 given for the Drumming Shoal Bed, with which it is closely connected. 



Cedar Bock. — This bed lies about one-half mile south of the Drumming Shoal and comprises 

 au area of 337,500 square yards. The depth of water over it is from 12 to 17 feet and in all 

 respects it is similar in character to the Drumming Shoal Bed. 



On the western side of the sound, along the edge of the channel, the beds are nearly continu- 

 ous from the Shark's Fin to the Terrapin Sands, a distance of about 11 miles. This space was 

 originally divided into three portions, each locality having a particular designation, but at present 

 it is difficult to define their limits, the spaces separating the beds having gradually diminished 

 until they practically have ceased to exist. The dark lines on the chart indicate the positions 

 where the largest numbers of oysters are found, aud will show approximately the situation of the 

 original unbroken "rock" from which the locality derives its name. The oysters taken from this 

 region are known in the market as "Grass Tangiers" and have a good reputation, both for size 

 and flavor. 



The Cow and Calf Beds. — These are two small beds lying on the edge of the channel and south 

 of the Shark's Fin. This area is 292,500 square yards. The smaller bed, called the Calf, has from 



