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an oyster ground, is an unfailing sign of the presence of a 
patch or bed. 
Considering the success which has attended the investiga- 
tion of Prof. Brooks, and the new light which it has thrown 
upon the embryological life of the oyster, I think that perhaps 
the most efficacious means of maintaining the productive 
power of the beds would be in bringing, if such be possible, 
the artificial impregnation of the eggs and subsequent care of 
the young to such a state of perfection as would be of prac- 
tical utility. 
Prof. Brooks is, of course, the best person to devise the 
method of successfully continuing his experiment, and I hope 
that he may be able to do so, and that they will meet with 
complete success, and, as pertinent to his work, which is mainly 
conducted by means of aquaria, I would suggest that the study 
of the effect of changes of temperature, so far as they affect 
the embryo, can be best and most easily done while engaged 
upon the attempt to artificially raise them. In order to arrive 
at certain conclusions, with regard to the effect of changes of 
density or of temperature, the investigation, if conducted on 
the natural beds, must be extended over many seasons in order 
to insure by a coincidence of temperatures or densities and 
results the elimination of other affecting conditions. 
The study of the temperature seems so important that any 
suggestion with regard to it is of value and should claim at- 
tention. 
I would also recommend that some person inspect and count 
at intervals the oysters on the spat collector in the Big Anne- 
messex Biver. It is securely moored and buoyed with a spar 
buoy, and probably will remain in place. 
With regard to the protection of the beds in the Sounds, I 
can only renew my previous recommendations of the previous 
year. 
The deterioration of any bed will be evident by abnormal 
rates of young growth to mature oysters, by a small and de- 
creasing proportion to the square yard, by large and increas- 
ing percentage of broken shells and other debris , and by the 
appearance of the oysters, as has been described. 
