14 



OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 



The dense growth covers about 75 per cent of the total area, and 

 either constitutes the entirety of the several beds or forms a center 

 fringed by less dense areas, as shown in the chart. 



The oysters are in clusters containing a fair proportion of large 

 individuals. In the areas of dense growth, the market oysters exceed, 

 numerically and in volume, the young under 3 inches in length, but 

 on the less densely populated parts of the beds young oysters prepon- 

 derate over the old ones. The depth of water over the areas of dense 

 growtli varies from 6 to 8^ feet and on the adjacent less dense parts 

 of the beds it is usually a foot or two deeper. 



A few drills were found here and some dead oysters, but in general 

 the beds seem to be in good condition and capable of producing a 

 good supply of oysters of indifferent quahty. The market oysters 

 on this and Kjngs Bayou and Cedar Point Reefs ran about 300 to 

 the bushel, and it required over 700 of the small oysters under 3 

 inches in length to fill the same measure. 



The following examinations were made: 



Details of Examination of Buoy Reef. 



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. 



32 



Nov. 21,1910 



do 



do 



do 



do 



do 



do 



do 



do 



do 



Nov. 22,1910 



Nov. 21,1910 

 do 



Nov. 22,1910 



do 



do 



Nov. 21,1910 



do 



do 



do 



do 



do 



do 



do 



Nov. 22,1910 



do 



do 



do 



do 



do 



do 



do 



do 



Nov. 21,1910 



do 



do 



Nov. 22, 1910 



Nov. 21, 1910 



do 



do 



Nov. 22, 1910 

 do 



Nov. 21,1910 

 do 



Feet. 

 9.50 

 9.00 

 8.00 

 8.00 

 7.00 

 10.50 

 10.00 

 10.00 

 10.00 

 8.00 

 8.50 

 8.00 

 7.00 

 9.50 

 8.00 

 8.00 

 7.50 

 8.00 

 8.00 

 9.00 

 7.00 

 10.00 

 8.00 

 9.00 

 8.00 

 9.50 

 8.00 

 9.00 

 10.00 

 9.50 

 8.50 

 9.50 

 7.50 

 6.50 

 6.00 

 9.00 

 6.50 

 9.00 

 8.00 

 9.00 

 8.00 

 8.50 

 8.00 

 9.00 



Dense 



14.2 



10.5 



21 5 



5.2 



11.5 



11.7 



2.8 



7.2 



25.0 



7.4 



7.7 



12.6 



8.1 



.0 



.8 



8.3 



2.8 



10.0 



10.9 



6.5 



1.1 



7.8 



8.2 



12.0 



2.6 



10.0 



18.3 



.0 



4.5 



1.0 



10.0 



14.7 



15.6 



15.0 



5.1 



5.0 



5.5 



.0 



3.0 



4.0 



.0 



5.9 



.4 



7.5 



11.5 

 66.5 

 19.0 

 21.7 

 37.8 

 31.0 

 27.8 

 21.1 

 19.4 

 20.0 

 16.3 

 24.0 

 42.3 

 15.2 

 13.5 

 24.3 

 28.5 

 32.5 

 10.9 

 13.0 

 14.5 

 20.4 

 19.6 

 22.5 

 27.8 

 11.6 

 16.1 

 24.5 

 8.9 

 3.2 

 17.7 

 18.4 

 22.8 

 61.0 

 29.0 

 47.5 

 14.2 

 7.5 

 45.0 

 8.0 

 9.6 

 11.8 

 17.0 

 30.5 



13.0 

 34.5 

 11.7 

 17.4 

 19.2 

 22.8 

 15.0 

 13.9 

 27.3 

 13.5 

 39.0 

 24.0 

 36.7 

 22.6 

 16.1 

 20.4 

 25.0 

 17.5 



7.8 

 18.0 

 13.7 

 11.1 

 ■ 8.2 

 13.0 

 35.7 

 19.5 

 34.8 



6.5 

 12.8 

 17.9 

 30.4 

 15.2 

 22.8 

 27.0 

 31.0 

 22.0 

 33.4 

 12.0 

 29.5 

 12.5 

 32.6 

 12.7 

 14.0 

 34.0 J 



Bush. 

 180 

 540 

 284 

 188 

 345 

 299 

 214 

 198 

 311 

 192 

 168 

 256 

 354 

 106 

 100 

 228 

 219 

 298 

 153 

 136 

 109 

 197 

 195 

 242 

 213 

 151 

 241 

 172 

 94 

 29 

 194 

 232 

 269 

 533 

 238 

 367 

 138 

 52 

 336 

 84 

 67 

 124 

 123 

 266 



Bush. 

 208 

 554 

 187 

 278 

 307 

 365 

 240 

 222 

 437 

 216 

 625 

 384 

 586 

 362 

 257 

 327 

 400 

 280 

 125 

 288 

 219 

 178 

 131 

 208 

 571 

 312 

 556 

 104 

 205 

 286 

 487 

 243 

 365 

 432 

 495 

 352 

 535 

 192 

 474 

 200 

 522 

 203 

 224 

 542 



Bush. 



388 



33 



do 



1,094 



34 



do 



471 



35 



do 



466 



36 



do 



652 



45 



do 



664 



46 

 53 



do 



... do 



454 

 420 



55 



56 



98 



do 



do 



do 



748 

 408 

 793 



39 



do 



640 



40 



do 



940 



86 



do 



468 



87 



do 



357 



88 

 27 



do 



do 



555 

 619 



29 



... do 



578 



30 

 31 

 51 



do 



do 



do 



278 

 424 

 328 



57 



do 



375 



58 



do 



326 



62 



do 



450 



90 



do 



784 



91 



... do 



463 



92 



. . do 



797 



94 



. .do 



276 



95 



do 



299 



100 



do 



315 



101 



do 



681 



102 



do 



475 



106 



do 



634 



24 

 25 



do 



do 



965 

 733 



26 



do 



719 



105 



do 



673 



21 



do 



244 



22 



do 



810 



23 



do 



284 



104 



do 



589 



103 



do 



327 



20 



do 



347 



18 



do 



808 



