Visit 5, 27 June—Successfully collected oyster samples from 
stations 2, 3 , 4, 6, 1 and 8. Station 5 had been removed by 
vandals. Outboard motor trouble prevented sampling of sta¬ 
tions 9 and 10. 
Visit 6, 12 July--Collections were made from stations 2 , 3 , 4 , 6, 
7, 8, 9 and 10. 
Visit 7, 4 August—Collected from stations 3, 4 , 6, 1 , 8, 9 and 
10. Station 2 could not be retrieved by either grapnel or 
by diving. Efforts to locate this station's trays on 
subsequent visits failed. 
Visit 8, 23 August—Failed to bring up station 4 with either 
grapnel or diving. Samples were taken at stations 3, 6, 7, 
9 and 10. 
Visit 9, 18 September--Ended the observation period. One tray 
from each remaining two-tray station was taken out. The 
remaining trays were left to be collected at a later date 
so that oysters could be checked for phthalic esters after 
a full growing season. However, those trays tied to the 
clam buoys were taken up by D.N.R. and no identification 
of trays could be made. 
Controls—A control station was established on 15 May at the 
pier at Solomons. Sampling of the controls coincided with 
every visit to the Chester River stations. 
Oyster Scoring Procedures 
Oysters were brought into the lab for gross examination and 
preservation. Oyster samples collected from the tray stations 
were packed in wet paper towels and kept under refrigeration 
until they could be examined. Oysters were shucked by severing 
the aductor muscle at the left valve and displaying the oyster 
in its right valve with the left valve removed. Features de¬ 
scribed were shell height, new growth, color of the meats, 
condition ,(which will be further explained) and possible imper¬ 
fections. Most common imperfections were Polidora websteri 
infections, shell ulcers, muscle ulcers, and mud blisters. 
Tissue ulcers and bill obstructions were rare and no pea crabs 
Pinnotheres ostreum or sponge penetration by Cliona celata were 
found (salinity too low). 
Length and new growth measurements were recorded in mm, but 
imperfections and infestations were scored on a scale of 0 (not 
present) to 5 (omnipresent). The scoring of observed oyster 
condition (not to be confused with condition index (Cl) which 
is a totally different procedure) was also according to a scale 
of 0 to 5 but deserves elucidation of its criteria: 
18 
