CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF FOOD-FISHES, 
805 
Table 37 . — Statistics of weights , etc., of specimens of oysters. 
James River.* 
Potomac River.* 
Constituents. 
From beds. 
From floats. 
From beds. 
From floats. 
Lab. No. 82; 31 oys- 
Lab. No. 83: 34 oys- 
Lab. No. 85 ; 35 oys- 
Lab. No. 
84; 41 
ters. 
ters. 
ters. 
oysters. 
Grms. 
Lbs. Oz. 
Grms. 
Lbs. Oz. 
Grms. 
j Lbs. Oz. 
Grms. 
| Lbs. Oz. 
Shell contents : 
Flesh (body) 
312.5 
11.0 
412.5 
14.5 
302.5 
10.7 
415.5 
14.7 
Liquids (liquor) . . 
181. 5 
6.4 
208.0 
7.3 
282.0 
10.0 
264. 3 
1 9.3 
Total 
494.0 
1 1.4 
620.5 
1 5.8 
584.5 | 
1 4.7 
679. 8 
1 8.0 
Refuse : 
Shells 
2778. 0 
6 2.0 
2976. 0 
6 9.1 
3017. 0 
6 10.4 
3386. 0 
7 7.4 
Loss t 
21.0 
0.8 
17.5 
0.6 
22.5 
0.8 
15.2 
0. 5 
Total 
2799. 0 
6 2.8 
2993. 5 
6 9.7 
3039. 5 
6 11.2 
3401. 2 
7 7.9 
Total weight of 
specimen 
3293. 0 
7 4.2 
3614. 0 
7 15.5 
3624. 0 
7 15.9 
1 
4081.0 
8 15.9 
* Transplanted to beds in New Haven harbor, Connecticut, in April, and taken for analysis the 
following November. 
t Loss in opening and weighing, chiefly water. 
The flesh and liquids were analyzed separately. From the results of 
the analyses, of which the details with those of the weighings are stated 
in full under Nos. 82-85, in the chapter on details of analyses of inver- 
tebrates, the composition of the several constituents and of the whole 
specimen were calculated. The results are set forth in Table 38, viz : 
Table 38 . — Comparative percentage composition of oysters before and after “floating ” 
Constituents of oysters. 
James River oysters trans- 
planted to New Haven. 
Potomac River oysters tran s- 
• planted to New Haven. 
As taken 
from beds. 
As taken 
from floats. 
As taken 
from beds. 
As taken 
from floats. 
No. 82. 
No. 83. 
No. 85. 
No. 84. 
In whole specimen : 
Shell contents : 
P.ct. 
P. ct. 
P. ct. 
P.ct. 
Flesh 
9. 49 
11.41 
8. 35 
! 10.18 
Liquids 
5. 51 
5.76 
7. 78 
6. 48 
Total shellcontents 
15.00 
17.17 
16.13 
16. 66 
Refuse : 
Shells 
84. 36 
82. 35 
83. 25 
82. 97 
Loss in preparation for analysis 
0.64 
0.48 
0. 62 
0.37 
Total refuse 
85. 00 
82. 83 
83.87 
83. 34 
Total constituents, shell contents 
! 
and refuse 
100. 00 
100. 00 
100. 00 
100. 00 
In flesh (body) : 
Water 
77. 99 
82. 77 
77. 90 
82. 06 
Water-free substance 
22. 01 
17. 23 
22.10 
17. 94 
Total flesh 
100. 00 
100. 00 
100. 00 
100. 00 
In water-free substance : 
- 
Nitrogen 
1.70 
1.40 
1.65 
1. 45 
Protein (nitrogen X 6.25) 
10.63 
8. 79 
10.31 
9. 09 
Fat (ether extract) 
2.61 
1.91 
2. 33 
1.93 
Ash 
2.21 
1.55 
2.17 
1.58 
Carbohydrates, etc. (by difference) .. 
6. 56 
4. 98 
7. 29 
5.34 
Total water-free substance 
22.01 
17. 23 
22.10 
17.94 
