PREFACE. 



On February 13, 1904, Hon. A. S. Burleson, Representative in 

 Congress from Texas, addressed to the Bureau of Fisheries a request 

 that a survey of the o} T ster regions of that state be made for the pur- 

 pose of determining their extent, condition, and the possibilities of their 

 development and improvement. It being impossible with the Bureau's 

 limited equipment and personnel to undertake a comprehensive exami- 

 nation of the extensive oyster-producing waters of the entire Texas 

 coast, a work which would require several years, suggestion was 

 made on February 15 that a specific locality be indicated and 

 " that the proper state authorities make a formal request for this 

 survey in order that the Bureau may know officially that the proposed 

 work is agreeable to and desired by the state." Pursuant to this 

 suggestion Hon. S. W. T. Lanham, governor of Texas, on March 14 

 made formal application for the survey, and in a letter dated May 14, 

 in reply to a request of the Bureau, submitted correspondence defi- 

 nitely indicating Matagorda Bay as the most desirable region for the 

 investigation. The steamer Fish Hawk was detailed to the work, with 

 the requisite civilian assistants in addition to her naval personnel, 

 and the direction of the survey was assigned to Dr. H. F. Moore, 

 scientific assistant in the Bureau of Fisheries. It was the original 

 intention to dispatch the Fish Hawk in season to take up the work 

 early in September, 1904, but delays incident to the making of neces- 

 sary repairs caused unexpected detention and the vessel did not reach 

 the scene of her labors until December 14. The work continued until 

 May 14, 1905, according to the plans and with the results detailed in 

 the following pages. 



George M. Bowers, 



Commissioner. 

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