OYSTER BOTTOMS IN MATAGORDA BAY. 29 



through which it is almost impossible to thrust the probe to the 

 underlying mud, and they have over their crests a depth of between 

 -2\ and 3 feet at the mean low water of the winter months. The mar- 

 gins of the reefs are very sharply defined, and the water shoals 

 abruptly from a depth of 4j to 5 feet on the surrounding soft mud. 



The beds consist of densely packed clusters of adults and young, 

 with, in some cases, a considerable growth of mussels. A detailed 

 examination of several parts of the reefs indicated an average density 

 per square yard of 67 oysters over the 3-inch limit and 101 under it. 

 It is estimated that there are on these beds, which have a total area of 

 36 acres, at least 25,000 barrels of oysters of the larger size, which 

 average from 4 J to 6 inches in length with a considerable number 

 reaching a length of 9 or 10 inches. 



Taking them all in all, these adults are the longest and narrowest 

 found in the bay, the extreme types of elongation being found in the 

 center of the clusters, while the peripheral individuals, less subjected 

 to the pressure of their fellows, are often broader and better shaped. 

 Many small oysters, from three-eighths inch and upward, are found 

 on the clusters and dead shells, and the beds are evidently prolific. On 

 the northern edge of the reef the clusters are smaller and very irreg- 

 ular and jagged. The flavor and condition of the oysters are inferior. 



It is stated that Boiler Bayou Reefs have not been fished for three 

 or four years, a fact also indicated by the character of the growth. 

 It is now difficult to long owing to the close aggregation of the 

 clusters. 



RAYMOND LANDING SHOALS. 



These beds as developed by the survey consist of thirteen lumps 

 and patches ranging in area from about 1 to 23 acres. They lie nearly 

 in the middle of the bay between Duncan and Fence signals and 

 stretch in two series over a length of about 2 miles and a width of 

 nearly two-thirds of a mile, the northwestern chain containing nine 

 oyster-bearing areas and the southeastern series four. The total area 

 is about 80 acres, approximately equally distributed between the two 

 chains, the acreage of the individual beds being generally of small 

 extent, one containing 23 acres, one 13, three between 7 and 10, and 

 the other eight less than 3 acres each. 



These beds are in most cases very old, lying on shell deposits sev- 

 eral feet thick, but several of those in the western half of the northern 

 chain are of more recent origin, and repose with but slight shoaling 

 on the generally muddy bottom of this part of the bay. The general 

 depth of the surrounding water is about 4 to 4J feet, but on the 

 crests of the older lumps there is but 1J to 2f feet during the average 

 low water of the winter months. While the crests of these beds are 

 apparently not exposed during even the most extreme low tides, their 

 position can often be readily seen by the dark color overlying them. 



