30 



OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 



There is an area of dense growth at the northern end of the bed, 

 apparently extending on to the planted bottom inside of the no?"theast 

 arm of the bay. These oysters are in small clusters and are of good 

 size and fair shape and quality. There is another dense patch near 

 the southern end of the bed, where the oysters are smaller and 

 inferior. 



The scattering growth lies in a narrow strip along the western edge 

 of the southern half of the bed. The bottom consists in large part of 

 firm mud and shells lying in a substratum of soft mud. The very 

 scattering growth lies in a small patch near the southern inshore 

 part of the bed and the depleted area stretches nearly the entire length 

 of the bed and for a considerable distance comprises its entire width. 

 The following examinations were made: 



Details op Examination of Heron Bay, East Side, 



Angle 

 No 



Date of 

 examination. 



Depth 



of 

 water. 



Character of growth. 



Oysters caught per 

 square yard. 



Estimated quantity oys- 

 ters per acre. 





Spat. 



Culls. 



Counts. 



Seed. 



Market. 



Total. 



507 



Jan. 1,1911 



do 



do 



Dec. 21,1910 

 Jan. 1,1911 

 Dec. 21,1910 

 do 



Feet. 

 3.0 

 4.9 

 4.0 

 4.0 

 4.3 

 3.6 

 3.6 



Dense 



2.1 

 .0 

 .0 

 .5 

 .0 

 .0 

 .0 



16.3 

 11.2 

 13.5 



.0 



3.0 



15.8 



.0 



14.2 



10.0 



11.5 



5.0 



7.0 



4.5 



.0 



Bush. 



129 



78 



95 



4 



21 



110 







Bush. 



227 



160 



184 



80 



112 



72 







Bush. 

 356 



508 



do 



238 



516 

 418 

 515 

 417 

 416 



do 



Scattering 



do 



Very scattering — 

 Depleted 



279 



84 



133 



182 













HERON BAY, WEST SIDE. 



The oyster growth on the western, or, more accurately, on the north- 

 western, side of Heron Bay stretches along shore for a distance of 

 upward of one-half mile from^the mouth of northwest arm. 



The following table exhibits the area, density of oyster growth, and 

 estimated total content of oysters : 



Oyster Growth in Heron Bay, West Side. 





Area. 



Oysters per acre. 



Estimated content of oysters. 



Character of oyster growth. 



Under 3 

 inches. 



Over 3 

 inches. 



Seed. 



Market. 



Total. 



Dense : 



Acres. 

 31 

 21 



Bushels. 



54 



4 



Bushels. 



245 



10 



Bushels. 

 1,674 



84 



Bushels. 



7,595 

 210 



BV;Shels. 

 9,269 



Depleted 



294 







Total 



52 







1,758 



7,805 



9,563 









The area of dense growth lies at the northeast end of the bed on a 

 very hard sand and shell bottom, gradually becoming softer toward 

 the depleted bottom. The oysters are elongated, sharp edged, and in 

 rather heavy clusters, bearing a few mussels. 



