whenever an oyster specimen was taken, all the observations, with the exception of those for 

 strength and direction of current, were made. Only general instructions could be given as to the 

 points on the beds where it was desirable to obtain specimens of any kind, or observations for 

 temperature or character of bottom, and much was necessarily left to the discretion of the officer 

 of the boat, not only with regard to those points but also as to the general delineation of the beds. 



So far as it went the work was satisfactory, but there were three great drawbacks to the use 

 of the boats, viz: The time and labor necessary to effect anything with them, the inability to use 

 the pole with any accuracy in depths over three fathoms, and the failure of the pole to discover auy- 

 thing but the solid beds. We attempted to use with the boats a small and light dredge made 

 especially for us, but found it impracticable, the largest boat, when under oars, fully manned, or 

 when under sail in a stiff breeze, being unable to tow the dredge or even to move it ; consequently the 

 boats were useless for collecting any information, except over solid beds in less than three fathoms 

 of water. 



To define the limits of those beds lying in deeper water and of those not entirely solid, or 

 where the oysters were scattered either in groups or singly, recourse was had to dredging with the 

 schooner, using an ordinary oyster dredge of 36 inches width and with twelve teeth. This method 

 was found to be so much more satisfactory in all respects, that all the boat work, whenever it was 

 possible, was supplemented by dredging. lines run by the schooner. Traverses were made as with 

 the boats, and observations for ascertaining the character of the bottom, both of the surface and 

 substrata, observations of temperature, and the selection of the various specimens, were carried on. 

 The position of the vessel, however, was more frequently ascertained than had been customary 

 in the boat work. The lowest possible rate of speed was maintained that was consistent with safe 

 and ready manoeuvering (a matter of some difficulty), and the dredge put over at intervals varying 

 from two to ten minutes, and depending upon the character and extent of the bed, depth of water, 

 and ability of the crew to get the dredge in, it being at times necessary to heave the vessel to in 

 order to recover it. The dredge was put over from the weather side, and, after having dragged a 

 sufficient distance to insure its bringing up a specimen, should there be any oysters, was hauled in 

 by hand. The presence of oysters on the bottom was readily detected by placing the hand on the 

 dredging rope, the uneven, jumping motion of the dredge as it gathered the oysters and shells 

 being distinctly perceptible. The dredge was usually on the bottom from thirty to forty-five 

 seconds, which length of time was sufficient for our purpose and sometimes enough to fill the 

 dredge, a catastrophe which was not desirable. Soundings were taken along the lines, and, with 

 the character of the bottom, recorded. 



The following form for keeping the record was used and found to be of great value: 



RECORD. 

 [Date, September 5, 1878. Day-mark, S. Becorder, S. E. Stevens.] 



Time. 



Depth. 



Station. 



Bottom. 



Dredge. 



Amount in 

 dredge. 



Ground ; 

 log. 



34 this. 



h . m. see. 



7 10 20 

 30 



15 feet. 



3 



Hard.... 



Over 



Taking 

 Offbot. 



i full 



168 



oysters. 



11 00 





















Angles. 



52 08 

 68 23 



28 00 



Specimens. 



Oysters. 



Bottom. 



Water. 



Temperatures. 



Tide. 



Air. 



i flood. 59 



Surface. 



Bottom. 



68 



68 



Bight object. 



Clay Island Light-House 



Bed trees 



Tall trees 



Bemaiks on oysters. 



Left object. 



Bed trees. 

 Tall trees. 

 Solomon's Lump Light-House. 



General remarks. 



Large, single 



Young growth and clusters 



Many young and drills ; no sponge 



Brobed : 2 feet oysters, then 

 hard. 100 sail dredging to 

 southward. Wind, SW— 3. 



The number of oysters in the dredge, the portion of the dredge filled, the character of the 

 oysters, whether old or young, single or in clusters, large or small, the character of the parasites 

 attached to the shells, the amount of grass, seaweed, and sponge in the dredge, the estimated 



