OYSTER BEDS OF MOBILE BAY. 
335 
that here there are numbers of patches of soft mucl which are higher than the places 
upon which are found the oysters. These are doubtless scow loads of mud dredged 
from the channel and dumped here. I should say that the reef has become fully a 
third smaller from the above cause. 
Two density observations, about a fourth of a mile apart, taken on March 13, 
gave 1.0007 for surface and 1.0035 for bottom for one and 1.0007 and 1.0016 for the 
other. Several other density observations were taken in this neighborhood, all indi- 
cating the water to be very fresh during the then prevailing freshet. The observa- 
tions taken in December showed an average of about 1.0120 for this locality. 
In March a temperature of 19° was found; in December about 17°. 
The indications are that this reef is in good condition. Many young oysters were 
found attached to the larger specimens. The northern part of this reef is affected 
more or less by mud dumped in the neighborhood; but I presume that by the time 
the mud has become somewhat hardened the growing will go on again, for this whole 
western shore of the bay seems to be a favorable locality for oyster growth, judging 
from the wide extent of the reefs. The reef is separated into two parts by a short 
distance of mud bottom on which no oysters were found growing. As this mud is 
higher than the surrounding oyster-ground it presumably has been dumped there. 
The quality of the oysters was good. They were fat and of nice flavor. The 
specimens caught had a good many young oysters attached, which in the lower part 
of the reef were growing nicely. While passing over this reef in December a hasty 
examination seemed to indicate that the young oysters had not suffered from the 
preceding drought in the early part of the year. Some perforated dead shells were 
noticed. The washing over of mud from the dredging dumps is probably of more 
injury to this reef than anything else. Many of the specimens taken had a coating 
of mud. 
White Rouse Reef to Birmingham Reef . — No oysters exist, so far as we could learn 
during our limited stay, south of Point Juliet until Birmingham Beef is reached. A 
distance of about 3 miles intervenes between Birmingham Beef and White House 
Beef. A series of sounding lines was run in passing from one reef to the other, but 
it will be seen by an inspection of the map that this area covered by our lines lies 
outside of the 12-foot curve, so that we can not say from actual examination whether 
or not there are any oysters there. 
A number of density observations were taken in this locality during March, at 
different places along the 6-foot curve, showing that the fresh water extended at that 
time this far down the bay. In December the density of the water was found to be 
1.0120. Depth of water and character of bottom are also identical with the locality 
just north of it. 
Birmingham Reef — This oyster reef lies about 2 miles E. by N. of Cedar Point. 
It is divided into two large beds and three smaller ones; in all containing 267 acres, 
211 of which are rank and 56 are scattering. The depth of water over the reef varies 
all the way from 6£ to 12 h feet, the changes often being quite abrupt. The bottom is 
soft mud, with frequent hard shelly lumps. 
This reef has gradually raised itself to a height of 5 or 6 feet above the surround- 
ing bottom, the slopes at its edges being often quite abrupt. In considering this reef 
there has been taken into account all that portion which lies between the 6-foot curve 
and the wreck buoy. 
