328 
•BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
GENERAL REMARKS. 
The results of this survey, which must be regarded more in the nature of a recon- 
noissance, are shown upon the accompanying chart. The investigations were confined 
principally to the waters of Mobile Bay and the eastern end of Mississippi Sound. The 
location and extent of the natural oyster beds are shown, as is also the density of the 
water in the different parts of the bay, showing what it was during a heavy freshet 
and also after the succeeding protracted drought. The depth of water and nature of 
the bottom are also indicated wherever examined. The sounding lines as run are 
given, thus showing what areas have actually been gone over and where to make future 
examinations if desired. As most of the information obtained by us will be found in 
the detailed description of the various localities examined, I will preface them with 
only a few remarks. From the most reliable information we could gather, and which 
is borne out by our investigations, the northern limit for oyster growth in Mobile Bay 
is a line extending from Fowl River on the west to Great Point Clear on the east. 
The location of the oyster beds as shown on the chart indicates that in the bay 
the greater part of the natural oyster beds lies between the 6-foot and 12-foot curves. 
From all the information we could obtain the local impression seems to be that few if 
any oyster beds exist beyond the 12-foot curve. On account of this information and 
the limited time at our disposal, which was still further curtailed by almost continuous 
stormy weather, all of which restricted the investigation to the localities close along 
shore, this large area could not be gone over. On the Coast and Geodetic Survey 
chart of Mobile Bay the bottom of a large part of this area is designated as soft, 
though portions of it are shown to be sticky mud, and even shells and shelly bottom; 
this seems to indicate that close examination might discover oyster beds not now 
known. 
EASTERN SHORE OF MOBILE BAY. 
On the eastern shore our investigations were confined to the survey of the oyster 
reefs pointed out to us by the local oystermeu, and some sounding lines run in passing 
from one locality to the other. The known reefs are few in number, of small size, and 
considerably depleted, due doubtless to excessive fishing. The total acreage of the 
reefs surveyed by its on this side of the bay amounted to less than 500 acres; but the 
oysters are generally large and of fine quality. They do not grow so much in bunches 
as those found on the western reefs. 
Oyster planting is carried on to a considerable extent in the southeastern part of 
this side of the bay, especially in and around the mouth of Bon Secours River and in 
Oyster Bay. 
Bon Secours River and Oyster Bay are said to have very little space suitable 
for oyster-culture which is not already occupied. At the mouth of Fish River and 
at several places on the south shore, such as Shellbank Bayou and Collins Creek, the 
culture of the oyster has been undertaken by some progressive people and, so far as 
reported, with good results. 
By an inspection of the accompanying chart it will be seen that that portion of 
the bay lying to the eastward of a line drawn from Fish River to Shellbank Bayou Reef 
contains the principal natural oyster beds which are at present worked. The lines 
of sounding show just how closely this area was gone over during our investigation. 
It will be seen that the beds are distributed quite evenly over this whole area and 
