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grown, and among the shells brought up could be seen a number that had been killed apparently 

 by the star-fish. From the appearance of other shells, there was evidence that the drum-fish 

 had killed some of the oysters also. When these observations were made there was a fresh 

 wind blowing from the northeast, and it was about one-half flood tide. 



The density of the surface water was 1.0124, while at the bottom at the same point it was 

 1. 0214. Had the density of the water been uniform at this place and contained more salt than 

 that contained at the surface, it is believed that the star-fish would not have been found here. 

 One of the live star-fish was afterwards placed in a bucket of the surface water, and after a 

 period of 24 hours it was found to have died. 



At low water the specific gravity of the water at the mouth was 1.0067; °ff the mouth of 

 Little Mud River, 1.0012. 



Hampton River connects with Buttermilk Sound on the east side and flows in an easterly 

 and then in a southerly direction, separating St. Simon's and Little St. Simon's islands, and 

 coming out on the coast 5 miles below the mouth of Altamaha Sound. It is about 12 miles in 

 length, and the depth of water ranges from 8 to 40 feet. From the mouth it has an average 

 width of 500 yards for the first three miles; it then gradually narrows to a width of about 150 

 yards. 



The prevailing character of the bottom is sticky. There are a few sand shoals at inter- 

 vals, but very little evidence of shifting bottom, and so far as concerns the character of the 

 bottom this river is admirably adapted to the growth of oysters. At the head of this river 

 there is considerable clay, which is more or less a deposit brought in from the Altamaha River. 

 The natural oyster beds found in this river lie along the shores, and are generally of the 

 "raccoon" type, being partly visible at low water. 



The specific gravity at the mouth of Village Creek was 1.02 15; 2 miles above Village Creek, 

 1. 0167; 4 miles above, 1.0115; 5 miles above, 1.0109, and 7 miles above, 1.0037. These observa- 

 tions were taken at low water, and it will be observed that the water- in the upper half is too 

 fresh, or too liable to become so, to admit of the growing of oysters. This river has an area 

 of 992 acres. Area of natural oyster beds, 3.25 acres. 



Village Creek comes into Hampton River from the southward about 1^ miles above its 

 mouth, winding through the marshes and separating Long Island from St. Simon's Island, and 

 at its head connecting with a narrow and tortuous stream that flows southward between the 

 two islands named, and enters the sea at the south end of Long Island. 



This creek is about 4 miles long and 300 yards wide for the greater portion. There are a 

 few shoal spots in it, but the depth of water for the most part ranges from 10 to 30 feet. The 

 character of bottom ranges from soft mud to sticky mud, with occasionally a small area of 

 hard sand. Scattered along here and there may be found a small area of natural oyster beds 

 making out from the edges of the marsh. The oysters are poor and small — poor by reason 

 of the high salt water, and small from being crowded together. The total area of the creek 

 is 352 acres. Area of natural oyster beds, 7 acres. 



At low water at the head of Village Creek the specific gravity was 1.0205; atitsmouth, 1.0215. 



Frederica River flows almost entirely through marshes in a southerly direction, separating 

 St. Simon's Island from the main land, and, connecting with the fresh water of Buttermilk 

 Sound, flows into St. Simon's Sound. It is quite crooked, and will not average more than 

 150 yards in width, except for 2 miles from the mouth; it has a depth ranging from 7 to 30 feet. 



The water in this river is found to be entirely too fresh for the growing of oysters above 

 a point 2 miles from its junction with Mackay's River. The bottom in this portion varies 

 from soft and sticky mud to hard mud and sand. 



The specific gravity at the lower mouth was 1.0145, the mean of five observations being 1.0157 ; 

 the highest observed, 1.0184, and the lowest, 1.0130. The total area of the river is 752 acres, 

 and that adapted to the growth of oysters about 250 acres. Area beyond 1,000 feet from the 

 shore, 60 acres. Area of natural oyster beds, 14 acres. The maximum current observed at 

 the mouth of this river was 1.4 knots per hour. 



