16 



to 3 feet in thickness, over a stratum of mud, except in the southwestern part and on a small rock 

 on the eastern side of the channel, near Clay Island Light-House, where the substratum is of sand. 

 The rocks arc surrounded, like those to the northward, by soft muddy bottoms, except in the case 

 of those in the southwestern part of the bay, where the surrounding bottom is of sand; those beds 

 having sand as a substratum were less broken than the others. In the channel the bottom was 

 invariably of soft, dark mud. 



On the northern beds of the bay the oysters were single and of small size, with many of recent 

 growth and probably about one year old. No sponges and but few of the usual molluscan inhab- 

 itants of an oyster bed were discovered. On the extreme northern beds above Fishing Point, where 

 the w r ater is shoal, the beds old and much worked, the oysters are scarce, but on the other beds a 

 very fair number were found. They were round and thin shelled and gave promise of developing 

 into those of good quality, but the majority were too young at the time of our observations to be 

 removed from the beds. 



On the southern beds the oysters were larger and of a better quality than those to the north- 

 ward, though the young growth still predominated. Some clusters were found, but generally the 

 oysters were single and more plentiful than in the northern part of the bay. but the same sparse- 

 ness of the fauna was noticed. In the southern portions, where the bottom is sandy, a moderate 

 number of young and many astyris were discovered, and in the same part of the bay many oysters 

 were found buried in the sand 3 or 4 inches. I was not able to ascertain whether that was their 

 uormal condition or not, but am inclined to think the sand was moved over them by a gale which 

 occurred during the day previous to our examination. 



A remarkable absence of young of less than a year's growth, and nearly a total absence of the 

 drill, seem peculiar to the Fishing Bay beds. 



Were Point Bed. — South of the Fishing Bay beds and north of Hooper's Strait Channel lies the 

 Were Point Bed, comprising an area of 1,845,000 square yards. It is divided about the middje by 

 a narrow strip of sand and mud into two irregularly-shaped portions, the upper one of which is 

 similar in character to the Fishing Bay beds, though more broken. On both portions the oyste s 

 grow in groups and patches, separated by mud and sand sloughs, the separation being more marked 

 about the edges of the bed. Oysters are found over the entire surface, but are not evenly distrib- 

 uted, the largest number on the southern portion being found along its northern and eastern 

 border. The depth of water is from 9 to 15 feet, the general depth being about 11 feet. The 

 bottom is of oysters and shells mixed with sand and mud, for about '1 feet, with a substratum of 

 soft sand or mud. Where the groups occur the shell stratum is very thick, but is* thin over and 

 about the mud and sand spaces. Along the dark line on the chart, indicating the largest number 

 to the square yard, the bottom is harder than elsewhere. The muddy bottoms were found princi- 

 pally on the eastern and southern portions of the bed, and the bed is bounded in those directions 

 by bottoms of a similar character, while to the westward the contiguous bottom is of sand. The 

 oysters were single, of moderate size and fair quality; very few young and no drills were found, 

 either on the muddy or sandy bottoms; there was no sponge or grass among the oysters, and 

 young growth of at least oue year predominated. The scattered oysters near the bed were similar 

 to those on it, though a few small clusters were found to the westward. 



The number of oysters to the square yard, as given by the mean of fourteen measurements, is 

 1.25. On account of the shoaluess of the water and softness of the bottom, the number is more 

 nearly correct than usual, but it must be remembered that in this, and in all other cases, where the 

 number to the square yard is given, that number only expresses •• marketable" oysters, and does 

 not include those which would not be accepted by a dredger, or which on account of want of age 

 are practically incapable of reproduction. 



Shark's Fin Bed. — Directly south of the Were Point Bed on the w estern side of the main channel 

 and south of Hooper's Strait Channel, lies a bed of moderate size, but celebrated for the quality 

 of its oysters, called the Shark's Fin Rock. It is regular in shape, extending ESE. and WNW. 

 about one mile, and being about one-half mile broad. Its area is about 1,867,000 square yards 

 Practically, it joins the Were Point Bed at the southern extremity of the latter, the space separating 

 the beds being very small. In the course of time through the action of natural causes and the 

 dredges this space will be obliterated and the union of the beds made complete. 



