NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BAY SCALLOP 
615 
tality among scallops in very shallow water or on flats which are exposed or nearly 
exposed at low water. Depths in productive areas are seldom over 6 feet and gener- 
ally less than that. In a large proportion of the areas it is not over 3 feet. Scallops 
of the most rapid growth and largest size are found both on flats in shallow water and 
in the greater depth of channels. In some areas larger scallops are found in channels, 
but this may be chiefly a matter of current rather than depth. 
CURRENT 
Water currents are important in various ways. Undoubtedly they effect dis- 
tribution of scallops, as of other oviparous bivalves, by carrying eggs, embryos, and 
larvse, but to what extent and in just what way is not well understood. In addition, 
by carrying the loosened vegetation from scallop beds, currents doubtless transport 
scallops considerable distances, and may sometimes establish them in distant areas. 
Currents also bring food and 0 2 to the scallop and so become very important. 
Figure 28.— Bogue Sound, showing areas of strong tide and rapid growth (unshaded); moderate tide and slower growth 
(single shaded) ; and little tide and poor growth (double shaded) 
Because both salinity and scallop size generally decrease away from the inlets 
at first it seemed that salinity was the principal factor affecting the scallop growth rate. 
Later, as scallops became reestablished over considerable and varied areas, it became 
evident that the areas of rapid growth were not so much areas of saltier water as 
areas of greater current. 
This is illustrated in Core Sound, where larger scallops are found along the west 
shore near the southerly end where the main current enters and leaves; in Beaufort 
Harbor, where scallops of moderate size are found on Town Marsh flats nearest the 
inlet but so situated that the tide rises over and flows off but does not traverse them; 
but is most easily illustrated in Bogue Sound. 
Figure 28 shows Bogue Sound, from Beaufort Inlet (which furnishes much the 
greater tidal flow to and from the sound) nearly to the western end. It is divided 
into three sections. In the eastern section near the inlet, growth is rapid and pro- 
duces the largest and most highly prized scallops in North Carolina. In only one 
productive area are the scallops of relatively inferior size (60 to 70 millimeters). This 
is in Tar Landing Bay, nearest the inlet but so protected by land that the tide merely 
