OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 



29 



WEST SIDE OF LITTLE DAUPHIN ISLAND. 



This is an economically unimportant bed lying between the Turtle 

 Hole, Mussel Gully, and Redfish Gull3^ A large part of it lies on 

 bottom which is exposed during low winter tides. The extent and 

 density of oyster growth are as follows: 



Oyster Growth on West Side of Little Dauphin Island. 



Character of oyster growth. 



Area . 



Oysters per acre. 



Estimated content of oysters. 



Under 3 

 inches. 



Over 3 

 Inches. 



Seed. 



Market. 



Total. 



Very scattei'ing 



Acres. 



9 



156 



Bushels. 



58 



9 



Bushels. 



35 



4 



Bushels. 



522 



1,404 



Bushels. 

 315 

 624 



Bushels. 



837 



Depleted 



2.028 



Total - 







165 







1,926 



939 



2,865 









There is an insignificant patch of very scattering growth adjoining 

 a small shell island northeast of Turtle Hole, and the rest of the bed 

 is depleted. The proportion of dead oysters is very large in all parts 

 of the bed, and drills, which appear to be the principal cause of the 

 mortality, are abundant. The following examinations were made: 



Details of Examination of West Side of Little Dauphin Island. 



Angle 



Date of 

 examination. 



Depth 

 of 



water. 



Character of growth. 



Oysters caught per 

 square yard. 



Estimated quantity oys- 

 ters per acre. 



No. 



Spat. 



Culls. 



Counts. 



Seed. 



Market. 



Totol. 



392 

 326 



Dec. 16,1910 

 Dec. 8, 1910 



do 



do 



do 



do 



Dec. 16,1910 



do 



do 



do 



Feet. 

 1.00 

 3.80 

 2.60 

 2.60 

 3.10 

 4.20 

 3.20 

 2.30 

 2.20 

 1.40 



Very scattering 



Depleted 



0.8 

 .0 

 4.1 

 3.7 

 .0 

 .0 

 .0 

 .0 

 .3 

 .0 



7.5 

 .0 

 .0 

 .0 

 .0 

 .0 

 .0 

 .0 

 .7 



2.1 



2.2 

 .0 

 .7 

 .0 

 .0 

 .0 

 .0 

 .0 



1.3 

 .3 



Bush. 



58 

 



29 



26 

 

 

 

 

 7 



15 



Bush. 



35 

 



11 

 

 

 

 

 



21 

 5 



Bush. 

 93 

 



327 

 328 



do 



do 



40 

 26 



329 



do 







330 



do 







385 

 387 



do 



do 





 



388 

 389 



do 



do 



28 

 20 



MUSSEL GULLY. 



Mussel Gully lies northwest of Little Dauphin Island, running north- 

 east from Turtle Hole and ending blindly in a sand fiat. The beds 

 which bear its name, as considered in this report, lie between the 

 gully and the island. They are of no importance and are badly 

 infested with drills. 



The following tables furnish all necessarv information: 



Oyster Growth in Mussel Gully. 



Character of oyster growth. 



Area. 



Oj-sters per acre. 



Estimated content of oysters. 



Under 3 

 inches. 



Over 3 

 inches. 



Seed. 



Market. 



Total. 



Very scattering 



Acres. 

 11 

 32 



Bushels. 



123 



51 



Bushels. 



27 







Bushels. 

 1,353 

 1,632 



Bushels. 



297 







Bushels. 

 1,650 



Depleted 



1,632 





Total 



43 







2,985 



297 



3,282 









