EFFECT OF CRUDE OIL POLLUTION ON OYSTERS 
155 
were a few drills, though the actual abundance of the latter is difficult to determine 
until they begin to assemble for the spring spawning around the first of April. 
On March 7, 9 stations, all on flood tide, were made from Bay Bound to the head 
of Pelican Lake. The salinity varied from less than 24 parts per thousand at the head 
of the lake to 28 parts per thousand where Bay Round joins Lake Pelto. The average 
depth in Pelican Lake at three-quarters flood was 3 to 4 feet. In Bay Round, depths 
of 7 to 9 feet were found. The bottom temperatures on March 7 in Pelican Lake 
varied from 67° to 69° F. (19.4-19.6° C.). These high temperatures ended March 
8, and by the morning of March 9 the temperature was down to 61° F. (16.1° C.) and 
only rarely exceeded 65° F. (18.3° C.) during the remainder of the month. 
Production of oil at Lake Pelto was discontinued April 1, 1934. The total pro- 
duction from this dome is not known, but at the time the survey began (February 
1934) only about 40 barrels per day were reported. No oil was produced in Bay Saint 
Elaine until the first of April 1934, but gas was piped from here to the Lake Pelto 
wells for fuel. 
Bay Saint Elaine lies to the north of Lake Pelto at the eastern end. The area 
is about 4 square miles, but the shape is so irregular and there are so many marsh} 7 
islands within that the actual extent of the bay is difficult to determine. 
Few, if any, oysters were being marketed from this bay at the time of the survey. 
Coon oysters were abundant in places and seemed to grow rapidly. 
Four stations were made on March 7. Salinities varied from 18 parts per thou- 
sand, at the head of the bay where bayou Little Caillou empties into it above Coon 
Road, to 24 parts per million at signal Elaine. The bottom temperature ranged 
from 69° to 72° F. (20.5°-22.2° C.), an increase of about 2 degrees per mile from the 
lower to the upper end. The depth was generally about 5 feet, but at station 225 
east of signal Elaine the depth was 16 feet. 
EXAMINATION OF OYSTER BEDS AT MOUTH OF BAYOU GREY AND 
LITTLE LAKE 
On March 24, 1934, a trip to the beds was made by oyster lugger from Leesville. 
Thirteen wells were then in operation along the bayou below Leesville. The surface 
of the bayou was covered with oil for a distance of 3 miles below the wells. There 
was a flood tide, with a strong wind from the southeast. 
Adult oysters, which had been on the bedding grounds 3 months, had a strong 
oily flavor. There had been some mortality as evidenced by recently dead paired 
shells. All shells were covered with a brownish black coating of a tarry consistency. 
When the bottom was stirred by tongs, an oily patch appeared on the surface. The 
oysters were of good shape but watery. There was very little gonad development. 
It was stated that ordinarily the oysters were very milky at that time. 
On March 28, 1934, an examination was made of water conditions in Lake Wash- 
ington, with reference to their bearing on oyster culture. At the time of the survey, 
there were 44 sulphur wells in operation, each producing 12 tons of crude sulphur per 
hour. Very little effluent found its way into the lake. The bottom over a short 
radius around the point of entry of the effluent was covered with a thick brownish 
layer of diatoms of undetermined species. There was a strong odor of hydrogen 
sulphide in the air, but the mud samples had very little odor, though they were quite 
oily. 
