12 



OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE NATURAL BEDS. 



KINGS BAYOU REEF. 



The name Kings Bayou Reef was somewhat doubtfully applied 

 by the pilot to an oyster bed lying about 5 miles northeast of the end of 

 Cedar Point. It is about IJ miles long and J mile wide, its greater 

 dimension being east and west, beginning 1 mile offshore in about 3 

 feet of water. This is an old reef, and, like the others in this part of 

 Mobile Bay, it is built up in places several feet above the general 

 level of the bottom. At its outer or offshore end the water shoals 

 abruptly from 10 feet on the mud bottom to 6 J feet on the reef. 



The extent and character of the oyster growth on this bed are 

 shown in the following table: 



Oyster Growth on Kings Bayou Reef. 





Area. 



Oysters per acre. 



Estimated content of oysters. 



Character of oyster growth. 



• 



Under 3 

 inches. 



Over 3 

 inches. 



Seed. 



Market. 



Total. 



Dense 



Very scattering 



Acres. 



39 



40 



3 



Bushels. 

 296 

 205 

 108 



Bushels. 



234 



91 



6 



Bushels. 



11,544 



8,200 



324 



Bushels. 



9,126 



3,640 



18 



Bushels. 

 20,670 

 11,840 



Depleted 



342 



Total 



82 







20, 068 



12. 784 



32, 852 











The dense area is hook-shaped in outline and extends along the 

 entire northern and western edges of the reef, with a brief gap near 

 its middle, and it is probable that the reef consisted formerly of two 

 dense areas separated by soft mud. The oysters are mostly in 

 clusters of 8 or 9, often with very many small spat. The large oysters 

 are long, oval, and thin edged. Very little debris was taken in the 

 tongings. 



The very scattering growths cover a compact area on the south side 

 of the bed and extending between the two limbs of the dense area. 

 On this part of the bed the depth varies from about 7 J to 10 feet, 

 indicating that it is of more recent development than the denser parts. 

 There is yet no considerable accumulation of shells. While the 

 quantity of large oysters per acre is but about 40 per cent of the 

 number found on the area of dense growth, small oysters are nearly as 

 abundant, ranging in places between 91 and 496 bushels per acre. 



The depleted area is a small patch separating the two areas of 

 dense growth above alluded to. While large oysters are scarce, there 

 is a considerable quantity of young growth. 



The details of examination of Kings Bayou Reef follows. 



