48 
OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 
the several areas ranges between 6 and 16 feet, and the density of 
growth between 142 and 410 bushels per acre. It is estimated that 
the bottoms are capable of producing an initial "yield of about 18 
bushels per day. • 1| s || 
The scattering area occupies a general central position in the bed 
surrounding one of the dense spots. The depth varies from 10 feet 
inshore to about 22 feet at the edge of the channel, and the quantity 
of oysters varies between 92 and 186 bushels per acre. The estimated 
daily yield to the tonger is about 10 bushels. 
The bottom covered by a very scattering growth forms a zone 
encircling the inner edge of the preceding. It lies in a depth varying 
from 7 to 16 feet, and, although the examinations were not as numerous 
as they should have been, they indicate that the growth is sufficient 
to yield an average of between 6 and 7 bushels per day. 
The depleted bottom lies in a belt on the inside edge of the bed. 
It is practically bare of oysters and shells. 
Shells are found in fair quantities on the dense bottom and on the 
outer parts of the scattering growth, but are deficient on the inshore 
parts of the latter, on most of the area of very scattering growth, and 
on the depleted area. 
The following observations were made : 
Details of Examination of Marshy Island Rock. 
Station 
num- 
[ 
| Date of ex- 
amination. 
Mean 
depth 
of wa- 
ter. 
Character of growth. 
Oysters caught per 
square yard. 
Estimated 
quantity 
ber. 
Spat. 
Culls. 
Counts. 
oysters per 
acre. 
217 
Aug. 19,1909 
Feet. 
13.0 
Dense 
5.4 
12.7 
4.6 
Bushels. 
142 
225 
Aug. 20,1909 
12.5 
do 
6.2 
23.1 
1.9 
170 
232 
do 
14.0 
do 
10.4 
54.3 
8.3 
410 
239 
. . .do 
11.5 
do 
7.7 
11.5 
9.6 
201 
221 
.do 
13.0 
Scattering 
6.7 
9.6 
.8 
92 
222 
. . .do 
14.0 
do 
8.1 
9.2 
1.2 
102 
224 
do 
9.5 
do 
2.1 
8.8 
7.5 
136 
231 
do 
17.0 
do 
10.9 
23.6 
.9 
186 
233 
do 
11.0 
do 
7.3 
12.1 
2.8 
129 
223 
234 
do 
9.0 
Very scattering 
1.2 
5.8 
4.2 
81 
do 
16.0 
do 
4.5 
15.9 
.5 
109 
218 
Aug. 19.1909 
12.0 
Depleted 
.0 
.8 
1.3 
18 
LONG SHOAL ROCK. 
* 
This triangular bed flanks a shoal, ebbing bare in many places, 
which extends eastwardly from Point of Shoals lighthouse for a 
distance of upward of 1J miles. As understood in this report, its 
boundary is an imaginary line running from Point of Shoals light 
toward Jail Island at an average distance of about 300 to 400 yards 
from the crest of the shoal, as far as the swash channel opening toward 
the northwest, along the edge of this channel to its mouth, and thence 
to the starting point. The main body of the rock, therefore, lies 
north of the crest of the bar. Its condition and extent about the 
beginning of September, 1909, were as follows: 
