120 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Ill September, 1899, the investigations were begun in the vicinity of 

 Beaufort and Morehead, and inchided Newport and North rivers, the 

 Straits, Jarrett Bay, and l^ack Sound, which waters were completed 

 in December; then the Fish Hawk moved into Pamlico Sound, where 

 it was engaged until March, 1900, in work on several important areas, 

 including Swan Quarter Bay, the most productive oyster section in 

 the State. 



The general Bxamination of the oyster-beds was under the immedi- 

 ate charge of Mr. James A. Smith, the commanding officer of the ves- 

 sel, who was assisted by Mr. W. F. Hill and Mr. O. F. Bellows, who were 

 detailed from the office at Washington as surveyors and draftsmen, 

 and by Dr. Caswell Grave, of Johns Hopkins University, who gave 

 particular attention to the biological features of the inquiry. Prof. 

 J. A. Holmes, director of the North Carolina geological and natural- 

 history survey, took great interest in the work and his suggestions as to 

 the especial regions to be examined were followed. The State Oyster 

 Commission, at the request of Professor Holmes, detailed their steam 

 launch to assist in the survey in Pamlico Sound. Special reports on 

 the work have been submitted by the commander of the vessel and 

 Dr. Grave, and large detailed charts delineating the natural and 

 planted oyster-beds have been prepared in the office by Mr. Hill from 

 data obtained in the field. 



EASTERN OYSTERS ON THE PACIFIC COAST. 



Although the eastern o^^ster has been acclimatized in the Pacific 

 States for a number of years, it is only in California that natural 

 reproduction is known to have taken place. K the oysters in Oregon 

 and Washington have reproduced, the young have not survived the 

 free-swimming stage. This matter is naturally engaging the atten- 

 tion of the State fishery authorities. References to the studies of the 

 eastern oysters planted in Yaquina Bay, Oregon, have been made in 

 previous reports of the division. In 1899 the condition of the oysters 

 in Willapa Bay, Washington, received attention. The Commission 

 had planted 80 barrels of eastern oysters in this place in 1894, with 

 the understanding that they would be properly guarded and left to 

 multiply. The absence of recent reports from this lot, together with 

 requests from the State that the physical conditions in the bay be 

 considered with reference to oyster propagation, led the Commission 

 to undertake a preliminary examination in the present fiscal year. 

 Dr. H. F. Moore, naturalist on the Albatross and an oyster expert, 

 having been detailed to visit the bay in August, 1899, while en route 

 to join the vessel, made the following report: 



Pursuant to orders, I have visited Willapa Bay for the purpose of examining the 

 eastern oysters planted there by the Commission and •• to determine whether nat- 

 ural spawning has taken place, and if not. whether there are physical conditions 

 which prevent it. " 1 have found that the oysters planted there by the Commission 

 have been almost exterminated, a somewhat lengthy search resulting in finding 



