DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE BUREAU OF FISHERIES HUGH M. SMITH, CommUaton.r CONDITION AND EXTENT OF THE NATURAL OYSTER BEDS AND BARREN BOnOMS OF LAVAa BAY, TEXAS By H, F. Moore Assistant in Charge of Scientific Inquiry U. S. Bureau of Fisheries AND Ernest Danglade Scientific Assistant APPENDIX II TO THE REPORT OF THE U. S, COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES FOR 1914 Bureou of Fisheries Document No. 809 WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1915 J DEPARTMENT OF COMMERGE BUREAU OF FISHERIES HUGH M. SMITH, Commissioner CONDITION AND EXTENT OF THE NATURAL OYSTER BEDS AND BARREN BOTTOMS OF LAVACA BAY, TEXAS By H. F* Moore Assistant in Charge of Scientific Inquiry U. S. Bureau of Fisheries Ernest Danglade Scientific Assistant APPENDIX II TO THE REPORT OF THE U. S. COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES FOR 1914 Bureau of Fisheries Document No. 809 WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1915 Oj^ <> "^> 0. m 0, FEB 24 1915 \ J CONDITION AND EXTENT OF THE NATURAL OYSTER BEDS AND BARREN BOTTOHS OF LAVAa BAY, TEXAS By H, F* Moore Assistant in Charge of Scientific Inquiry U.S. Bureau of Fisheries AlSfD Ernest Danglade Scientific Assistant Appendix II to the Report of the U. S. Commissioner of Fisheries for 1 9 14 CONTENTS Page. Introduction 5 Methods of the survey 6 Lavaca Bay : 10 Description of natural beds 11 Sand Point Reef 11 Lumps northeast of Sand Point Reef 12 Middle Ground Reef 13 Old Town Bed 14 Lump south of Old Town Bed 15 Bed north of Middle Ground Reef 16 Kellers Bed 17 Rhodes Point Reef 18 Cox Bed 20 Gallinipper Reef =■ 21 Mitchell Point Reef*. 22 Point Comfort Beds • 23 Lap Reef 24 Chicken Reef 25 Beds northwest of Lap Reef 26 Chain Beds 27 Hoppe Lump 28 Half Moon Reef 29 Long Reef 30 Patches near Signal Gar 31 Benado Creek Reef 32 Patches between Benado Creek and Lavaca River 33 Review of the natural oyster beds 33 Barren bottoms 37 General physical and biological conditions 39 Tides and currents 39 Salinity and temperature of the water , 39 Oyster enemies 41 Spawning. 42 Oyster culture 43 Resume, conclusions, and recommendations 45 3 CONDITION AND EXTENT OF THE NATURAL OYSTER BEDS AND BARREN BOTTOMS OF LAVACA BAY, TEXAS. By H. F. Moore, Assistant in Charge of Scientific Inquiry, Bureau of Fisheries, AND Ernest Danglade, Scientific Assistant. INTRODUCTION. This survey was made at the request of Col. W. G. Sterett, game, fish, and oyster commissioner of Texas, preferred through Hon. A. S, Burleson, at that time Representative in Congress from Texas, who secured an act of Congress authorizing the work. The investigation began on February 1, 1913, and was concluded May 12. The steamer FisJi Hawk served as the base of operations until the examination of the lower two-thirds of the bay had been completed, after which, from April 1 until the end of the work, the field party, consisting of the scientific staff and a detail from the vessel, made their headquarters on a shallow-draft schooner which could enter the shoal waters not practicable for the steamer. The survey was under the immediate direction of Mr. T. E. B. Pope, scientific assistant, whose subsequent resignation from the service prevented his preparation of the report. Mr. Danglade was second in charga and the biological investigations were made by him. Chief Boatswain William Martin was in command of the vessel until his detachment, after which Boatswain J. J. O'Brien assumed com- mand. The work was much hampered by bad weather, and after practically all of the signals had been erected they were blown down by a gale. The triangulation was carried into the bay from two old stations ("Sand" and "La Salle") of the Coast and Geodetic Survey which were recovered. The signals were cut in as carefully as possible with the sextant, the accuracy of the work being checked by erecting cer- tain of the signals in two ranges diverging from "Sand." While this method does not give the precision exacted by the Coast Survey, it is sufficiently exact for the purposes of the present investigation. No previous oyster survey has been made in Lavaca Bay, but in 1905 an investigation similar to this was conducted in Matagorda Bay, above Half Moon Reef, a report being published in the following year. 5 6 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF LAVACA BAY, TEX. METHODS OF THE SURVEY. The methods employed were those pursued in former surveys of like character, and are explained in detail in a description of the beds of the James River, "' from which some of the following is repeated : A ''boat sheet" was prepared, on which were accurately platted the positions, as determined by triangulation, of lighthouses, build- ings, tripods, etc., used as signals. These data were furnished by the Uniled States Coast and Geodetic Survey. The oyster beds were discovered by soundings with a lead line, but principally by means of a length of chain dragged over the bottom at the end of a copper wire running from the sounding boat. The wire was wound on a reel and its unwound length was adjusted to the depth of water and the speed of the launch, so that the chain was always on the bottom. Whenever the chain touched a shell or an oyster the shock or vibration was transmitted up the wire to the hand of a man whose sole duty it was to give heed to such signals and report them to the recorder. The launches from which the soundings were made were run at a speed of between 3 and 4 miles per hour. At intervals of three minutes — in some cases two minutes — the position of the boat was determined by two simultaneous sextant observations of the angles between a set of three signals, the middle one of which was common to the two angles, the position being immediately platted on the boat sheet. At regular intervals of 15 seconds, as measured by a clock under the observation of the recorder, the leadsman made a sounding and reported to the recorder the depth of the water and the character of the bottom, immediately after which the man at the wire reported the character of the chain indications since the last sounding — that is, whether they showed barren bottom or dense, scattering, or very scattering growths of oysters. With the boat running at 3 miles per hour the soundings were between 60 and 70 feet apart, and, as the speed of the boat was uniform, the location of each was determinable within a yard or two by dividing the platted distance between the positions determined by the sextant by the number of soundings. The chain, of course, gave a continuous indication of the character of the bottom, but the record was made at the regular lo-second intervals observed in sounding. The chain, while indicating the absence or the relative abundance of objects on the bottom, gives no information as to whether they are shells or oysters, nor, if the latter, their size and condition. To obtain these data it was necessary to supplement the observations already described by others more definite in respect to the desired a Moore, H. F.: Condition and extent of the oyster beds of James River, Va. Bureau of Fisheries Document no. 729. OYSTER BOTTOMS OF LAVACA BAY, TEX. 7 particulars. Wlienever, in the opinion of the oflScer in charge of the sounding boat, such information was required, a numbered buoy was dropped, the time and number being entered in the sounding book. Another launch, following the sounding boat, anchored alongside the buoy, and a quantity of the oysters and shells were tonged up, separated by sizes, and counted. This boat at each station made a known number of "grabs" with the oyster tongs, exercising care to clean the bottom of oysters as thoroughly as possible at each grab. In a given depth of water and using the same boat and tongs, an oysterman will cover practically the same area of the bottom at each grab, but, other factors remaining the same, the area of the grab will decrease with an increase in the depth. Careful measurements were made and tabulated showing the area per grab covered by the tonger employed on the work at each foot of depth of water and for each pair of tongs and boat used. With these data, and knowing the number of ''grabs," the number of oysters of each size per square yard of bottom was readily obtainable by simple calculation. The following example will illustrate the data obtained and the form of the record: Department of C OMMERCE AND LaBOR. BUREAU ( DP FISHERIES. Field record of examinations of oyster beds. General locality, Mississippi Sound. Local name of oyster ground, Scranton Reef Date, February 1. 1911. Time, 2.00 p. m. Angle, HlOl. Buoy No. 6. Depth, 4.3. Bottom, Soft, over 7^^- Condition of water. Thick. Density, 1.016. Temperature, 19. Current, Stage of tide. Flood. No. grabs made, 8. Tongs, 10 feet. Total area covered, 2.S6 square yards. f— 1 in., 20. No. oysters takenj 3 ^^ i^^,^ n. lin.-3in., 101. 4in., 0. Quantity shells, 0. 8 dead. [Spat per square yard, 8.3. Result Culls per square yard, 42.2. [Counts per square yard, 4-6. This furnishes an exact statement of the condition of the bed at the spot, which can be platted on the chart with error in position of not more than a few yards. From the data obtained a close esti- 66341°— 15— 2 8 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF LAVACA BAY, TEX. mate may be formed of the number of bushels of oysters and shells per acre in the vicinity of the examination, and, by multiplying the observations, for the bed as a whole. In the course of the survey 472 observations were made at various places, principally on the natural rocks, but some on the barren bottoms also. In estimating the productiveness of the bottoms it appeared desirable to use the method employed in Delaware Bay "- rather than that followed in the James River survey. Where tongs are used exclusively a bed with a given quantity of oysters lying in shoal water is more valuable commercially than one with The same quantity of oysters in deeper water, owing to the fact that the labor of the tonger is more efficient on the former. As has been pointed out, the area covered by a ''grab" decreases with the depth, other factors being the same; and, moreover, the deeper the water the greater is the labor involved in making the grab and the smaller is the number of grabs which can be made in a given time. Where, however, the depth is practically uniform and shoal, as in the region treated in this report, it is unnecessarily refined and laborious to make such allowance for depth, and it is nearly as accurate and satisfactory to rate the bottoms in accordance with an arbitrary standard. In this report the classification of the relative productiveness of the various beds and parts of beds, as exhibited on the chart and dis- cussed in the text, is as follows: Dense growth Bearing over 150 bushels per acre. Scattering growth Bearing between 75 and 150 bushels per acre. Very scattering growth Bearing between 25 and 75 bushels per acre. Depleted bottom Bearing less than 25 bushels per acre. This classification refers solely to oysters of a size assumed to be large enough for the market, in this case to those 3 inches or more in length. As the classification takes no account of the smaller oysters, certain areas bearing a heavy growth of young may be described and shown on the chart as depleted, owing to the paucity of mature oysters. While the charts can not indicate this, the descriptions of the beds show it in all cases. The charts show in general terms the character of the beds in respect to the product available for market, so far as mere size of the oysters is concerned, at the time of the survey. If the oysters were of ordinarily good condition and shape, which unfortu- nately in most cases they were not, the areas indicated as bearing dense and scattering growth would yield a product sufficient to make tonging remunerative under the economic conditions existing. Where the market oysters are rated as very scattering, the growth is insufficient to support a fishery at the low price which the product a Condition and extent of the natural oyster beds of Delaware. By H. F. Moore, assistant, United States Bureau of Fisheries. Bureau of Fisheries Document no. 745, 1911, OYSTER BOTTOMS OF LAVACA BAY, TEX. 9 would yield. The depleted bottom is that on which the product of market oysters, at the time of the survey, was very small, and is not necessarily formerly productive bottom now denuded, as might be supposed from a strict definition of the descriptive term employed. On the contrary, it may be formerly barren bottom now coming into production. The barren bottom, which is that totally devoid of oysters, and in most cases of shells, vastly exceeds the oyster bottom in extent. Its interest in connection with the survey hes in its relative avail- ability for oyster culture; that is, whether or not its general character is such as to enable it to become productive, if proper measures to that end be taken. The most important consideration is, usually, the character and degree of stabihty of its constituent materials. If the bottom be too soft, the shells and oysters deposited thereon wiU soon become engulfed. In previous surveys the method ordinarily used by oystermen has been employed, the consistency of the bottom being determined by probing with a pole. By noting the resistance which the bottom imposes to the penetration of the probe, the observer forms an opinion of its relative hardness and of its suitabihty in that respect for oyster culture. In many cases different observers will not agree as to the proper term by which to describe the bottom so tested, and it is there- fore difl&cult to convey to another the meaning desired. To overcome this difficulty an instrument °' has been devised which gives these data mechanically, by measuring the number of inches the bottom is penetrated by a plunger of a constant weight and size falling through a uniform distance. The instrument is used from an anchored boat, from 6 to 10 tests being made at each station. Any readings which are markedly higher or lower than the others are discarded on the assumption that the plunger has fallen into a crab hole or other depression, or that it has encountered a shell or similar accidental obstruction. 'The average of the remaining depths of penetration, as indicated on the scale of inches inscribed on the rod, is regarded as the measure of the consistency of the bottom. The foUowing designations used to indicate the different degrees of hardness, as shown by the instrument, are arbitrary, although based on the terms used by the oyster growers: Hard Penetration less than 4 inches. Stiff -Penetration between 4 and 8 inches. Soft Penetration between 8 and 13 inches. Very soft Penetration between 13 and 18 inches. Ooze Penetration over 18 inches. o Illustrated and described in "Condition and extent of the natural oyster beds and barren bottoms , of Mississippi Sound, Alabama." By H. F, Moore, Bureau of Fisheries Document no. 769. 10 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF LAVACA BAY, TEX. These various types of bottom are shown on the chart by means of circles, the relative area of black included within them indicating the relative degree of hardness, as follows: Hard, a black circle; stiff, a black semicircle; soft, a black quadrant; very soft, two cross- ing diameters; ooze, one diameter. The bottoms classed as hard and stiff, those in which the plunger will not penetrate more than 8 inches, are suitable for planting without preparation, provided they are not composed of shifting sand. As sand invariably gives a reading of less than 4 inches, and is therefore rated as ''hard," it follows that all "stiff" bottom shown on the chart by a black semicircle can be accepted as safe for planting. Part of the hard bottom is composed of mud and part of sand. The former may be accepted without hesitation, but the latter should be examined with respect to its liabihty to shift. Soft bottom should be planted with care, and toward its upper or less consistent limits may require some preliminary hardening with shells or sand. Very soft bottom and ooze should not be considered, as oysters planted there will sink, and if not killed, as is probable, will be ill-shaped and inferior in every respect. The ratings on which the classification is based have been checked by observation on bottoms actually used for oyster culture in Chesapeake Bay. The instrument employed has been thoroughly tested and is reli- able for the purposes of oyster surveys, but there may be errors in cases where hard bottom is overlaid by several inches of soft mud and ooze. Such bottoms are always readily detected by probing with a pole. LAVACA BAY. Lavaca Bay is the northwest arm of Matagorda Bay and, exclusive of minor bays, covers an area of about 60 square miles. Its greatest width, including Kellers Bay, is about 7 miles, and it has a length, from Sand Point to the head of Garcitas Bay, of about 12| miles. It is about 2 miles wide at its mouth, but the effective width for pur- poses of navigation is much reduced by bars and oyster reefs. The mouth is about 15 miles from Pass Cavallo, the entrance from the Gulf of Mexico, in which there is a variable depth of 9 to 10 feet on the bar. Most of the lower half of the bay, excluding the shore waters and the reefs, is from 7 to 9 feet deep, and a draft of about 7 feet can be carried at low water through the two short dredged channels and to within a short distance of Lavaca, the only town on the bay and the center of the oyster industry of the region. The upper half of the bay has an average depth of 4 to 5 feet. The streams tributary are Cavallo River, Garcitas River, Benado Creek, and Lavaca River, of which the latter is the largest. All of these flow into the upper part of the bay. OYSTER BOTTOMS OP LAVACA BAY^ TEX. 11 In the survey 16,153 soundings were made on lines aggregating 362 miles, the position of the boat being instrumentally fixed at about 800 places. The character of the oysters and the nature of the bottom were determined at 464 stations, of which 228 were on the reefs and 236 on barren bottom, in addition to continuous chain readings over a distance of 362 miles. The data available, therefore, are sufficient to give an unusually accurate idea of the conditions for both natural growth and oyster culture. DESCRIPTION OF NATURAL BEDS. SAND POINT REEF. This reef is located on the northwest side of Sand Point and extends in. a southwesterly direction to join the more productive Middle Ground Reef. There is no distinct line of demarcation between these two reefs, but there is a gradual change in the character of the bottom from sand to stiff mud. The average width of the reef is about one-fourth of a mile, the length is about seven-eighths of a mile, and the area is about 160 acres. Comparison of the charts of the present survey with the coast survey charts shows that this bed is gradually extending westward. This reef bears singles and scattering bunches of good oysters, nearly all of which are marketable. It has been fished for at least the last 16 years and has never been entirely depleted, and at the time of the survey the average tonger could take about three barrels of oysters per day. On account of the protection afforded by Sand Point it is fished principally when weather conditions prevent the working of the more productive neighboring beds. The area, con- dition of oyster growth, and estimated content of this bed are shown in the following table: Oyster Growth on Sand Point Reef. Area. Oysters per acre. Estimated content of oysters. Character of oyster growth. Under 3 inches. Overs inches. Seed. Market. Total. Dense , Acres. 78 20 62 Bushels. 336 604 136 Bushels. 212 57 6 Bushels. 26,208 12,080 8,432 Bushels. 16,536 1,140 372 Bushels. 42, 744 Very scattering 13,220 8,804 Depleted Total .... 160 46, 720 18,048 64,768 12 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF LAVACA BAY, TEX, Details op Examination of Sand Point Reef. sta- tion. Date of examina- tion. Depth of water. Area cov- ered. . Oysters caught per square yard. Shells per square yard. Estimated quantity oysters per acre. Character of oyster Spat. Culls. Counts. Seed. Market. Total. growth. 48 101 12 100 47 98 1913. Mar. Mar. 11 Mar. 6 Mar. 11 Mar. 6 Mar. 11 Feet. 4.5 5.5 5.5 6.5 4.0 5.0 8q. yds. 1.79 1.99 1.99 1.82 1.99 2.12 12.3 2.5 43.7 29.6 5.0 10.4 4.4 7.0 42.2 20.4 .0 7.1 2.2 8.5 4.1 2.2 .0 0.5 13 10 29 15 9 12 Bush. 201 115 1,031 604 60 212 Bush. 532 219 99 57 13 Bush. 733 334 1,130 661 60 225 Dense. Do. Do. Very scat- tering. Depleted. Do. The areas of more scanty growth lie along the eastern margin of the bed,. the dense growth being found in the parts contiguous to the middle ground. The bottom over practically the entire bed is hard, owing to the preponderance of sand. The oysters for Sand Point Reef were, at the time of the survey, superior in shape and fatness to those from adjacent beds. LUMPS NORTHEAST OF SAND POINT REEF. There is a small lump of 5 acres about one-half mile to the north- east of Sand Point Reef. One station was made which disclosed 23.6 counts and 24 shells per square yard. Between this lump and Sand Point Reef the bottom is generally hard and ajBFords more or less scattered and irregular clusters rather close to the shore line, but does not interfere with seining. There were formerly oysters of good quality here, although they were never dense, but they have been practically fished out. A patch containing 67 acres of very scattering oysters is located near the main reef off Sand Point. The bottom is hard sand and the shells are more or less covered with yellow sponge. The conditions on these unimportant patches are shown in the fol- lowing table : Oyster Growth on Lumps Northeast op Sand Point Reef. Area. Oysters per acre. Estimated content of oysters. Character of oyster growth. Under 3 inches. Overs laches. Seed. Market. Total. Den.se. Acres. 5 67 Bushels. 662 426 Bushels. 611 40 Bushels. 3,310 28,542 Bushels. 3,055 2,680 Bushels. 6,365 Very scattering 31,222 Total 72 31,852 5,735 37,587 OYSTER BOTTOMS OP LAVACA BAY, TEX. 13 Details of Examination of Lumps Northeast of Sand Point Reef. Sta- tion. Date of examina- tion. Depth of water. Area cov- ered. Oysters caught per square yard. Shells per square yard. Estimated quantity oysters per acre. Character of oyster Spat. CuUs. Counts. Seed. Market. Total. growth. 94 96 97 1913. Mar. 11 ...do ...do Feet. 4.0 7.0 6.5 Sq. yds. 1.99 1.79 1.82 31.1 35.8 22.0 23.6 15.2 17.6 23.6 2.3 1.1 24 44 40 Bush. 662 616 236 Bush. 611 53 28 Bush. 1,273 669 264 Dense. Very scat- tering. Do. MIDDLE GROUND REEF. This lies at the entrance of Lavaca Bay and extends from near the western shore line in a northerly direction for approximately If miles, with an average width of about one-fourth mile. The upper half of the reef broadens toward the east and merges with Sand Point Reef, the arbitrary hne of demarcation used in this report being the strip of deep water running toward the northeast. The greatest depth found in tonging on this reef was 8^ feet at the extreme western point and the least was 3^ feet near the beacons. There are, however, a number of depressions along the eastern border with a depth of 10 to 13| feet, and the dredged channel marked by beacons no. 1 and no. 2 has a depth of 7 feet. The material dug from this channel was thrown to the westward of the beacons and becomes exposed during low tides. The extent and general condition of the bed are shown in the following table : Oyster Growth on Middle Ground Reef. Area. Oysters per acre. Estimated content of oysters. Character of oyster growth. Under 3 inches. Overs inches. Seed. Market. Total. Dense Acres. 444 28 Bushels. 809 761 Bushels. 960 137 Bushels. 359, 196 21,308 Bushels. 426, 240 3,836 Bushels. 785,436 25, 144 Scattering Total 472 380,504 430, 076 810,580 With the exception of a comparatively small area of scattering oysters near the northeast margin of the bed adjoining Sand Point Reef, the entire reef is covered with dense growth, which in some places amounts to nearly 4,900 bushels per acre, about equally divided between small and adults. It is not probable that this ex- traordinary denseness of growth obtains over a very wide area, but there are many places on which there are in excess of 2,500 bushels per acre. As is to be expected under such conditions, the oysters are clustered and rough, and in quality they are generally inferior to 14 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF LAVACA BAY, TEX. those on the less densely populated Sand Point Reef. The bed was tonged through the season and the average tonger could take about 4 barrels per day. A few drills were found and some specimens of the yellow boring sponge. The following table shows the details of the examination of the bed : Details of Examination op Middle Ground Reef. Oysters caught per SheUs per square yard. Estimated quantity Sta- Date of examina- tion. Depth of water. Area cov- ered. square yard. oysters per acre. Character of oyster tion. growth. Spat. Culls. Counts. Seed. Market. Total. 1913. Feet. Sq. yds. Bush. Bush. Bush. 1 Mar. 5 4.0 2.65 31.6 17.7 23.0 8 578 555 1,133 Dense. 2 ...do 5.0 1.59 18.3 17.6 17.6 8 430 428 858 Do. 13 Mar. 6 5.5 1.99 53.8 37.2 55.3 20 1,092 1,336 2,428 Do. 14 ...do 6.0 1.39 10.8 17.3 12.3 8 338 299 637 Do. 15 ...do 5.5 1.99 25.6 15.6 35.7 11 496 862 1,358 Do. 16 ...do 5.5 1.99 31.2 31.6 40.2 18 759 971 1,730 Do. 17 ...do 5.5 1.99 33.2 32.2 69.9 20 789 1,687 2,476 Do. 18 ...do 4.0 1.99 22.1 36.2 38.7 7 704 937 1,641 Do. 19 ...do 5.0 1.59 34.6 40.8 52.8 19 909 1,279 2,188 Do. 20 ...do... . 4.0 1.99 23.2 36.7 51.8 7 722 1,2.54 1,976 Do. 21 ...do .... 5.0 1.59 28.9 48.5 47.2 8 934 1,141 2,075 Do. 22 ...do 5.0 2.12 7.6 12.8 19.5 7 246 472 718 Do. 23 ...do 6.0 1.86 21.5 22.1 27.1 5 526 657 1,183 Do. 24 ...do 6.0 1.86 20.4 19.9 30.6 13 485 740 1,225 Do. 27 ...do 6.5 1.82 14.3 15.4 19.8 8 359 478 837 Do. 50 Mar. 10 5.5 1.99 74.8 57.8 55.5 26 1,601 1,464 3,065 Do. 83 Mar. 11 6.5 4.17 6.0 7.5 5.8 6 163 150 313 Do. 84 ...do 6.0 5.21 9.6 10.2 8.4 3 239 218 457 Do. 85 ...do 6.0 3.91 21.0 12.3 20.5 7 402 530 932 Do. 86 ...do 6.0 3.91 15.2 15.4 20.5 13 371 530 901 Do. 87 ...do 5.0 4.41 16.1 19.8 38.6 17 434 998 1,432 Do. 90 ...do 4.5 1.56 3.8 17.3 21.2 15 255 550 805 Do. 91 ...do 4.5 4.73 19.2 18.9 28.9 12 578 749 1,327 Do. 102 Mar. 13 5.0 5.90 101.0 84.5 53.8 12 2,241 1,299 3,540 Do. 103 ...do 6.5 3.13 86.0 105.0 107.0 22 2,312 2,582 4,894 Do. 104 ...do 5.5 4.17 70.5 79.2 78.5 14 1,805 1,893 3,698 Do. 105 ...do 6.0 3.90 108. 5 74.7 72.5 9 1,780 1,746 3,526 Do. 106 ...do 6.5 1.82 32.9 39.5 38.4 12 874 927 1,801 Do. 107 ...do fi.O 1.39 51.7 56.1 60.4 26 1,302 1,457 2,759 Do. 108 ...do 6.0 1.39 10.1 40.0 38.8 39 607 936 1,543 Do. 113 ...do 5.5 1.99 12.1 17.1 16.1 14 353 389 742 Do. .114 --.do 4.5 1.79 61.9 75.9 75.9 42 1,669 1,830 3,499 Do. 115 ...do 8.5 2.00 14.0 14.5 15.0 30 344 362 706 Do. 11 Mar. 6 5.5 2.12 43.0 35.0 6.2 28 937 149 1,086 Scattering. 109 Mar. 13 7.0 1.79 35.2 39.6 5.6 44 906 135 1,041 Do. 112 ...do 7.0 1.79 16.7 19.7 5.0 ' 25 440 128 568 Do. OLD TOWN BED. This bed, which is rudely triangular in shape, with the broader end to the north, is located in the southern end of the bay near the entrance. It is separated from the preceding bed by a channel about 11 to 12 feet deep. It is about 1^ miles long by one-third mile wide, and including the small lump to the south contains approxi- mately 342 acres. The depth on the. western side is from 4 to 4^ feet, while the greatest depth, that of 6^ to 7^ feet, is along the north- ern and eastern borders. The oysters of this bed are frequently covered to some extent with yellow sponge, and they usually occur in large irregular clusters with sharp edges. But few drills were observed. OYSTER BOTTOMS OP LAVACA BAY, TEX. 15 The quality of the oysters is not as good as that of the near-by Middle Ground Reef, and the bed was not being worked during the survey. The bed is composed entirely of dense growth, as shown in the following tables: Oyster Growth on Old Town Bed. Area. Oysters per acre. Estimated content of oysters. Character of oyster growth. Under 3 inches. Overs inches. Seed. Market. Total. Dense Acres. 328 Bushels. 683 Bushels. 943 Bushels. 224,024 Bushels. 309,304 Bushels. 533,328 Details of Examination of Old Town Bed. sta- tion. Date of examina- tion. Depth of water. Area cov- ered. Oysters caught per square yard. SheUs per square yard. Estimated quantity oysters per acre. Character of oyster Spat. Culls. Counts. Seed. Market. Total. growth. 25 26 57 58 60 61 79 81 88 89 117 165 1913. Mar. 6 ...do Mar. 10 ...do ...do ...do Mar. 11 ...do ...do ...do Mar. 13 Mar. 18 Feet. 5.5 7.0 7.5 7.5 8.0 7.0 7.0 6.5 6.5 6.0 7.0 7.0 Sq. yds. 1.99 1.34 1.34 1.34 1.34 1.34 3.13 3.13 3.13 3.91 2.34 1.79 37.2 47.7 48.4 23.8 40.0 70.1 26.2 20.5 25.0 60.8 28.5 11.2 27.6 34.4 21.6 15.6 20.4 46.8 15.0 13.4 19.8 20.5 42.1 12.3 30.2 48.5 40.9 24.5 40.1 60.8 17.6 21.8 26.8 60.8 42.1 33.0 32 20 14 13 15 30 7 16 22 23 24 11 Bush. 782 871 845 250 476 1,412 498 409 542 981 856 284 Bush. 729 1,172 1,060 642 1,038 1,576 456 564 694 1,575 1,020 796 Bush. 1,511 2,043 1,905 892 1,514 2,988 954 971 1,236 2,556 1,876 1,080 Dense. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. LUMP SOUTH OF OLD TOWN BED. This small lump, which is about 125 yards south of Old Town Bed and 50 yards from the west shore, contains 14 acres. Two stations were made, each showing a dense growth of clustered oysters, which were more or less covered with yellow sponge. The bottom was hard and the depth of water from 3^ to 5 feet. No work was being con- ducted on this lump during the survey. The following tables suflB.- ciently indicate its character: Oyster Growth on Lump South of Old Town Bed. Area. Oysters per acre. Estimated content of oysters. Character of oyster growth. Under 3 inches. Overs inches. Seed. Market. Total. Dense Acres. 14 Bushels. 499 Bushels. 665 Bushels. 6,986 Bushels. 9,310 Bushels. 16, 296 66341°— 15- 16 OYSTEE BOTTOMS OF LAVACA BAY, TEX. Details of Examination of Lumps South op Old Town Bed. sta- tion. Date of examina- tion. Depth of water. Area cov- ered. Oysters caught per square yard. SheUs per square yard. Estimated quantity oysters per acre. Character of oyster Spat. Culls. Counts. Seed. Market. Total. growth. 92 118 1913. Mar. 11 Mar. 13 Feet. 7.0 5.5 Sq. yds. 2.35 4.17 18.4 19.7 21.0 23.3 30.8 22.3 10 11 Bush. 477 521 Bush. 793 538 Bush. 1,270 1,059 Dense. Do. A small lump, covering about 13 acres, lies about a quarter of a mile northwest of this bed, but although its position was determined no examination of the oysters was made. BED NORTH OF MIDDLE GROUND REEF. This bed, which has no local name, Ues but a short distance to the north of Middle Ground Reef and is approximately 1 mile in length by one-fifth of a mile wide. It is not fished much for the market, as the stock is poor and largely of the sharp-edged long snapper or raccoon type, which occurs in scattering clusters more or less covered with yellow sponge. The average depth of water is about 6^ feet. The bottom varies from almost an ooze to rather hard mud and con- tains many buried shells. During the last two or three years a new growth has developed on old, partly buried shells south of the middle of the bed. The growth is all rated as dense, and its general condition is shown in the following tables : Oyster Growth on Bed North of Middle Ground Reef. Area. Oysters per acre. Estimated content of oysters. Character of oyster growth. Under 3 inches. Overs inches. Seed. Market. Total. Dense Acres. 173 Bushels. 410 Bushels. 431 Bushels. 70,930 Bushels. 74,563 Bushels. 145, 493 Details of Examination of Bed North of Middle Ground Reef. Sta- Date of examtaa- tion. Depth of water. Area cov- ered. Oysters caught per square yard. Shells per square yard. Estimated quantity oysters per acre. Character of oyster tion. Spat. Culls. Counts. Seed. Market. Total. growth. 9 55 71 132 124 1913. Mar. 5 Mar. 10 ...do.... Mar. 17 Mar. 14 Feet. 6.5 6.5 7.5 7.5 7.0 Sq. yds. 1.37 1.37 1.34 1.79 14.6 43.8 37.2 16.2 .0 9.5 18.3 1.6.7 13.9 .0 11.7 27.0 36.4 8.9 .0 1 15 10 7 Bush. 289 750 651 364 Bush. 282 715 944 215 Bush. 571 1,465 1,595 579 Dense. Do. Do. Do. Do. OYSTER BOTTOMS OF LAVACA BAY, TEX. KELLERS BED. 17 Kellers Bed begins at the shoal water off Rhodes Point and extends southeastward for 3 miles. At its upper end it is half a mile in width, which gradually broadens to a mile near the center, then narrows rather suddenly to about 300 yards for the rest of its length. Disregarding the shallow water off Rhodes Point, varying from 1 foot to 2^ feet, and the water immediately south of the point, ranging from 3 to 3^ feet, the average depth of water on the bed approximates 6^ feet. The bottom is composed generally of hard mud, although four stations made at points along the eastern and southern edges re- vealed a barren bottom of stiff mud 5 to 8 inches deep, and at three tonging stations the bottom was found to be ooze. The oysters occur in large, sharp-edged clusters and are generally "snappers" of poor quality, although at some stations well shaped but watery. Oysters were found on the southern end of the bed, which is depleted, the bottom being hard and covered with scattering dead shells on which were but few spats. The bed is not fished much except at the southern end, where, especially during the past two or three years, oysters have grown on shells thrown overboard bv boats passing from Sand Point to Kellers Bay. This same condition applies to all parts of the bay, especially the lower end. The general conditions on the bed are shown in the following tables: Oyster Growth on Kellers Bed. Area. Oysters per acre. Estimated content of oysters. Character of oyster growth. Under 3 inches. Overs inches. Seed.' Market. Total. Dense « Acres. 1,275 12 Bushels. 312 65 Bushels. 426 Bushels. 397,800 780 Bushels. ,543,150 Bushels. 940,950 Depleted 780 Total 1,287 398,580 543,150 941, 730 a No stations were made on the shore skirting south of Rhodes Point. 18 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF LAVACA BAY, TEX. Details of Examination of Kellers Bed. star tion. Date of examinar tion. Depth of water. Area cov- ered. Oysters caught per square yard. Shells per square yard. Estimated quantity oysters per acre. Character of oyster Spat. Culls. Counts. Seed. Market. Total. growth. 6 7 8 39 30 53 65 68 69 125 126 134 136 137 148 149 152 424 425 426 427 151 45 1913. Mar. 5 ...do -..do Mar. 6 ...do Mar. 10 ...do ...do .-.do Mar. 14 ...do Mar. 17 ..-do ...do ...do ...do ...do May 7 ...do ...do ...do May 17 Mar. 6 Feet. 7.0 7.0 7.0 7.5 8.0 8.0 8.0 7.5 7.5 8.0 8.0 7.0 6.5 7.0 7.5 7.0 3.5 7.5 7.5 6.5 6.0 7.5 6.0 Sq. yds. 1.79 1.34 1.34 1.79 "'"i.'34' 1.34 1.34 1.34 1.79 "'i.'TO' 1.82 1.79 1.79 "'2.' 92' 1.79 1.79 1.82 1.85 "".'93' 23.5 10.4 17.2 5.6 .0 17.8 45.4 27.0 27.0 24.0 .0 15.1 14.3 17.9 16.2 .0 12.0 9.8 11.7 11.0 4.8 .0 5.4 10.6 8.9 11.9 6.1 .0 13.4 30.5 14.6 18.8 16.2 .0 10.0 14.3 9.5 12.9 .0 8.8 21.8 15.1 20.9 8.6 .0 .0 22.9 11.2 9.7 27.9 .0 32.7 64.6 24.8 28.4 26.8 .0 28.2 17.0 24.0 24.0 .0 15.4 19.0 19.5 12.6 10.2 .0 .0 26 13 11 22 12 28 16 15 26 11 19 19 18 6 33 33 27 9 18 Bush. 408 256 349 141 375 934 503 554 485 303 346 332 352 251 382 324 385 185 65 Bush. 553 272 234 674 847 1,672 643 734 646 683 410 577 579 372 458 471 305 246 Bush. 961 528 583 815 1,222 2,606 1,146 1,288 1,131 986 756 909 931 623 840 795 690 431 65 Dense. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Depleted. There is a fringe of oysters occurring more or less regularly along the shore from the outer part of Rhodes Point eastward for about a mile. No stations were made here. A similar skirting is found along the shore north of Cox Bay, and also to the west of Lavaca River. There is a small patch 90 by 300 yards to the southeast of the main bed with rather hard bottom and scattering clusters in about 6^ feet of water. The area of the patch is about 7 acres, and it is estimated to bear 4,018 bushels of small and 3,444 bushels of market oysters — an average of 574 and 492 bushels per acre, respectively. Some of the shells are more or less covered with a growth of yellow sponge. The oysters are about equal in quality to those of the main bed- RHODES POINT REEF. This is a sickle-shaped bed extending from the end of Rhodes Point to the middle of the bay, with a total length of about 3 miles and an average width of somewhat less than one-half mile. The bottom is generally hard with the exception of a few Hmited areas near the end. The extent and general character of the oyster growth is shown in the following table: OYSTER BOTTOMS OF LAVACA BAY, TEX. Oyster Growth on Rhodes Point Reef. 19 Area. Oysters per acre. Estimated content of oysters. Character of oyster growth. Under 3 inches. Overs inches. Seed. Market. Total. Dense "■ Acres. 1,093 121 3 Bushels. 366 103 12 Bushels. 565 87 53 Bushels. 400,038 12,463 36 Bushels. 617,545 10,527 159 Bushels. 1,017,583 Scattering 12,990 Very scattering 195 Total 1,217 412,537 628,231 1,030,768 a Including a 9-acre detached patch. With the exception of a scattering growth near the middle of the northern edge of the bed, and a very small patch of very scattering oysters, the entire bed is covered by a dense growth on which there is an average of over 500 bushels of large oysters per acre and a maxi- mum of over 1,200 bushels. There is an abundance of smaU oysters, but both large and small are in commingled clusters and of poor quality. Mussels were found on the southern part of the reef and there is an abundance of yellow sponge. The details of the examination of this reef are shown in the following table : Details op Examination op Rhodes Point Reef. Oysters caught per Shells per square yard. Estimated quantity Sta- tion. Date of Depth Area square yard. oysters per acre. Character examina- tion. of water. cov- ered. of oyster growth. Spat. Culls. Counts. Seed. Market. Total. 1913. Feet. Sq. yds. Bmh. Bush. Bush. 146 Mar. 17 6.0 1.86 15.7 19.4 40.0 11 425 965 1,390 Dense. 147 ...do 5.5 1.99 26.2 24.6 48.3 26 614 1,175. 1,789 Do. 153 ...do 5.5 1.99 17.6 27.6 40.0 10 546 966 1,512 Do. 154 ...do 6.5 1.82 29.6 36.8 50.5 17 803 1,228 2,031 Do. 155 ...do 8.0 1.79 4.5 17.9 20.8 8 272 503 775 Do. 160 ...do 8.0 1.79 13.4 16.8 35.8 20 365 865 1,230 Do. 161 ...do 8.0 1.79 21.8 15.1 25.2 6 506 609 1,115 Do. 163 ...do 8.0 1.79 7.8 14.5 41.8 15 269 1,010 1,279 Do. 168 Mar. 18 8.0 1.79 11.2 10.6 27.4 17 264 661 925 Do. 170 ...do 6.0 1.86 25.9 17.7 24.3 11 527 586 1,113 Do. 171 ...do 5.5 1.99 25.6 4.0 7.0 5 358 169 527 Do. 179 Mar. 27 6.0 1.85 30.2 19.9 15.6 12 606 376 982 Do. 211 Mar. 28 7.5 1.79 3.3 10.0 10.0 6 163 242 405 Do. 255 Apr. 1 8.0 1.79 11.2 6.1 15.1 8 204 364 568 Do. 256 ...do 7.5 1.79 12.3 14.5 12.3 18 323 297 620 Do. 257 ...do 7.5 1.79 12.8 5.6 9.5 7 222 247 469 Do. 260 ...do 8.0 1.79 14.5 15.0 16.8 9 356 405 761 Do. 261 ...do 8.0 1.79 14.5 12.3 24.5 7 323 592 915 Do. 262 ...do 8.0 1.79 22.3 13.4 11.2 30 431 270 701 Do. 263 ...do 8.0 1.79 9.5 11.2 10.6 9 250 258 508 Do. 264 ...do 8.0 1.79 12.3 12.8 20.6 7 304 496 800 Do. 428 May 7 4.5 1.79 21.8 34.6 40.7 13 680 986 1,666 Do. 460 May 10 8.0 1.79 7.2 4.4 8.9 1 140 214 354 Do. 461 ...do 7.5 1.79 2.8 11.2 24.6 9 169 594 763 Do. 464 ...do 6.5 1.82 16.5 16.5 25.8 21 399 624 1,023 Do. 176 Mar. 27 7.0 .0 .0 .0 Do. 462 May 10 8.0 1.79 9.5 10.6 10.0 7 142 142 284 Scattering. 463 ...do 8.5 1.79 5.6 8.3 5.0 9 168 121 289 Do. 162 Mar. 17 6.5 .0 .0 .0 Do. 20 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF LAVACA BAY, TEX. COX BED. Cox Bed lies in and ojff the entrance to Cox Bay, and, like Rhodes Point Reef and Kellers Bed, with which it is continuous, it begins at Rhodes Point, extending north for about a mile and a half, and has a width of approximately the same distance. On the southern part of the bed at Rhodes Point the depth is from 1 foot to 3i feet, but the remainder, with few exceptions, has a uniform depth of about 6 feet. The bottom is generally hard and covered by a dense growth of from about 250 to 550 bushels of market oysters per acre. These occur in scattered clusters and are of poor quality. The character of the oyster growth is shown in summary and detail in the following tables : Oyster Growth on Cox Bed. Area. Oysters per acre. Estimated content of oysters. Character of oyster growth. Under 3 inches. Overs inches. Seed. Market. Total. Dense. Acres. 1,177 Bushels. 364 Bushels. 358 Bushels. 428,428 Bushels. 421,366 Bushels. 849,794 Details of Examination op Cox Bed Sta- tion. Date of examiaa- tion. Depth of water. Area cov- ered. Oysters caught per square yard. Shells per square yard. Estimated quantity oysters per acre. Character of oyster Spat. Culls. Counts. Seed. Market. Total. growth. 184 185 186 214 215 216 217 1913. Mar. 27 ...do ...do Mar. 28 ...do ...do ...do Feet. 6.0 6.5 7.0 6.0 6.0 6.0 7.5 8q. yds. 1.85 1.82 1.79 1.85 1.85 1.85 1.79 9.7 26.9 26.8 22.6 21.2 6.5 10.6 16.3 15.1 19.0 28.5 18.9 7.5 12.8 10.2 14.5 19.0 22.6 19.9 11.8 20.9 31 6 24 20 8 8 10 Bush. 314 607 554 616 485 159 283 Bush. 246 350 458 545 480 285 505 Bush. 560 857 1,012 1,161 965 444 788 Dense. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Several small lumps east of this bed show oyster growths as follows : Oyster Growth on Lumps East op Cox Bed. Area. Oysters per acre. Estimated content of oysters. Character of oyster growth. Under 3 inches. Overs inches. Seed. Market. Total. Dense « Acres. 3 31 Bushels. 423 267 Bushels. 572 120 Bushels. 1,269 8,277 Bushels. 1,716 3,720 Bushels. 2,985 Scattering 11,997 Total .- 34 9,546 5,436 14, 982 a Including a 3-acre patch west of maia reef. OYSTEE BOTTOMS OP LAVACA BAY, TEX. 21 GALLINIPPER REEF. This lies immediately adjacent to Gallinipper Point, from which it extends northward to the dredged channel, marked by beacons no. 3 and no. 4. It is somewhat circular in outline, with a diameter of three- fourths of a mile. The eastern portion is covered by 4 feet or less of water, the reef rising rather abruptly 2 feet or more above the general level of the surrounding barren bottom. From the crest of this ridge it slopes westward to the general level of the bottom. The general conditions on the bed are shown in the following table: Oyster Growth on Gallinipper Reef. Area. Oysters per acre. Estimated content of oysters. Character of oyster growth. Under 3 inches. Overs inches. Seed. Market. Total. Dense "■ Acres. 329 32 Bushels. 766 231 Bushels. 586 145 Bushels. 252,014 7,392 Bushels. 192, 794 4,640 Bushels. 444, 808 Scattering 12, 032 Total... 361 259,406 197, 434 456,840 o Including a 3-aere patch west of main reef. The oysters occur generally in clusters and are of rather poor shape but fair flavor. The reef has not been fished for the market to any extent in recent years, although it produces oysters of fair quahty for shucking. Tongers can take but four or five barrels per day, owing to the time consumed in cuUing. It is understood that oysters from this bed have been used to some extent for seed. There are a few mussels and many barnacles and the yeUow sponge is rather common. The details of the examination of this bed are shown in the following table : Details op Examination op Gallinipper Reef. Oysters caught per SheUs Estimated quantity Sta- tion. Date of Depth Area square yard. oysters per acre. Character examm.a- tion. of water. cov- ered. square yard. of oyster growth. Spat. Culls. Counts. Seed. Market. Total. 1913. Feet. Sq. yds. Bush. Bush. Bush. 158 Mar. 17 7.5 1.79 7.8 15.9 26.8 8 286 646 932 Dense. 201 Mar. 23 6.5 1.82 30.1 , 24.1 24.6 9 654 593 1,247 Do. 202 ...do 6.5 1.99 34.1 21.6 34.1 10 673 821 1,494 Do. 203 ...dc 5.5 2.12 34.8 46.7 67.0 10 987 1,615 2,602 Do. 265 Apr. 5 7.0 1.79 20.6 39.7 10.6 18 729 258 987 Do. 266 ...do 7.0 1.79 28.1 34.1 15.1 15 750 364 1,114 Do. 267 ...do 5.0 2.12 28.3 36.8 20.7 6 784 500 1,284 Do. 268 ...do 5.0 2.12 32.1 38.7 20.8 15 856 500 1,356 Do. 269 ...do 5.0 1.59 59.8 82.4 42.1 24 1,719 1,016 2, 735 Do. 311 Apr. 14 5.5 1.99 28.6 35.2 31.6 13 580 762 1,342 Do. 312 ...^0 5.5 1.49 65.7 52.4 36.2 13 1,061 874 1,935 Do. 313 ...do 5.5 1.49 94.0 57.7 21.4 15 1,375 508 1,883 Do. 314 ...do 7.0 1.79 9.5 19.0 8.4 4 258 185 443 Do. 315 ...do 7.0 1.79 38.5 18.5 14.5 14 517 350 867 Do. 317 ...do 5.0 1.59 64.7 50.3 16.3 15 1,043 394 1,437 Do. 316 ...do 6.5 1.82 10.9 13.6 6.0 17 231 145 376 Scattering . 22 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF LAVACA BAY, TEX. To the east of Gallinipper Point there is a small lump which covers about 55 acres and is one-half mile long by 200 yards wide. It is but slightly raised above the general bottom level of the bay, except- ing the central and southern portions, which have about 1 foot ele- vation. Depth of water is 6 to 7 feet. The quality of the oysters is about equal to that of those found on the near-by reef, and there is an average of about 257 bushels per acre. There are in this immediate vicinity three small patches, which were located by the chain, but the character of the oyster growth was not determined. The area of these patches will total 34 acres. MITCHELL POINT REEF. This and Gallinipper Reef form practically one continuous body of oysters and extend almost the entire distance across the bay from Point Comfort to Gallinipper Point. The separation of the two reefs at the channel near beacons no. 3 and no. 4 is arbitrary, as there is no interruption of oyster growth and but little essential difference in the character of the oysters and of the bottom. The reef runs in a north and south direction and has a length of 3 miles with an average width of 500 yards. At the northern extremity the depth of water varies from 2 to 3^ feet, and on a narrow ridge a mile long, in the center, the depth is from 2 to 4 feet. The average depth for the remainder is about 6 feet. The entire reef is elevated approximately 1 foot above the level of the bay. The oysters consist largely of clusters, with some singles. It is fished more for planting purposes than for the market, excepting at the northern border, where some good marketable oysters were taken. The reef has never been depleted, excepting a small portion on the northeast side. At most of the stations from 1 to 6 mussels were found, and near the center of the reef from 25 to 55 barnacles were noted at the tong- ing stations. The general conditions on this bed are shown in the following tables: Oyster Growth on Mitchell Point Reef. Area. Oysters per acre. Estimated content of oysters. Character of oyster growth. Under 3 inches. Over 3 Inches. Seed. Market. Total. Dense . Acres. 532 39 19 Bushels. 998 84 205 Bushels. 737 127 48 Bushels. 520,956 3,276 3,895 Bushels. 392, 084 4,953 912 Bushels. 913, 040 8,229 Scattering Very scattering 4,807 Total . 590 528, 127 397,949 926,076 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF LAVACA BAY, TEX. 23 Details op Examination of Mitchell Point Reef, Oysters caught per Shells Estimated quantity Sta- tion. Date of Depth Area square yard. oysters per acre. Character examina- tion. of water. cov- ered. per square yard. of oyster growth. Spat. Culls. Counts. Seed. Market. Total. 1913. Feet. Sq. yds. Bush. Bush. Bush. 166 Mar. 18 5.5 1.99 55.2 42.2 49.7 12 1,177 1,204 2,381 Dense. 174 Mar. 27 5.0 2.12 50.9 41.5 28.3 11 163 684 847 Do. 175 ...do 5.0 2.12 109.8 66.1 35.8 18 2,120 864 2,984 Do. 190 ...do 5.0 1.59 81.6 48.4 34.6 19 1,565 836 2,401 Do. 210 Mar. 28 4.0 2.65 34.7 35.9 35.9 9 852 866 1,718 Do. 220 ...do 5.5 1.99 45.6 18.1 47.7 .8 772 1,151 1,923 Do. 232 Mar. 29 3.0 2.39 34.7 51.2 47.3 12 1,038 1,140 2,178 Do. 258 Apr. 1 6.0 1.85 38.1 25.4 32.8 8 751 791 1,542 Do. 306' Apr. 14 6.5 1.82 31.8 25.9 7.7 12 525 186 711 Do. 307 ...do 6.0 1.86 40.8 48.4 20.2 15 809 487 1,296 Do. 308 ...do 5.0 2.12 68.4 66.9 69.8 32 1,240 1,688 2,928 Do. 309 ...do 6.0 1.86 41.4 33.4 16.7 9 680 404 1,084 Do. 310 ...do 7.0 1.79 37.4 32.4 10.1 7 634 244 878 Do. 319 ...do 5.0 2.12 23.1 12.3 11.7 19 321 282 603 Do. 320 ...do 3.5 2.19 79.0 42.5 38.8 7 1,103 936 2,039 Do. 321 Apr. 15 6.0 1.86 10.2 12.9 8.6 6 279 208 487 Do. 322 ...do 4.0 2.65 93.2 34.6 29.3 13 1,544 708 2,252 Do. 323 ...do 4.5 2.39 87.1 74.1 40.5 25 1,958 979 2,937 Do. 324 ...do 5.0 2.12 49.5 18.9 25.5 14 826 616 1,442 Do. • 325 ...do 3.5 2.92 82.1 31.7 23.9 8 1,686 577 2,263 Do. 326 ...do 4.5 2.39 46.4 28.1 25.9 17 915 625 1,540 Do. 191 Mar. 27 7.0 1.79 6.1 5.6 6.1 2 137 147 284 Scattering. 228 Mar. 29 6.5 1.82 .0 2.7 4.4 8 32 107 139 Do. 318 Apr. 14 5.5 1.99 10.0 12.1 2.0 10 205 48 253 Very scat- tering. Between Mitchell Point Eeef and the entrance to Chocolate Bay lies a small lump, 150 yards by 300 yards in extent. The oysters of this Imnp are of poor quality, clustered, and of the snapper type; they are not fished for market. POINT COMFORT BEDS. Within the limits of these beds, which He one-half mile northwest of Point Comfort, there are six lumps, one large and five small ones. The largest is roughly heart-shaped and is about one-third mile by one-half mile in extent, while the others are small irregular patches. On the large lump two stations were made, both of which showed comparatively soft bottoms. At one station the oysters were scat- tering and on black shells in soft mud ; at the other there were large irregular clusters. A station made on the small lump north of the largest revealed a soft bottom and shells burrowed by the Httle bor- ing clam Martesia. There were many mussels and also some barna- cles and yellow sponge. The oysters of these beds are of new growth and have not been fished for the market. The remaining four lumps, comprising 24 acres, were located and have been plotted on the chart, but the character and quality of the oysters were undetermined. The following tables furnish further data of a general character. 24 OYSTEE BOTTOMS OF LAVACA BAY, TEX. Oyster Growth on Point Comfort Beds. Area. Oysters per acre. Estimated content of oysters. Character of oyster growth. Under 3 inches. Overs inches. Seed. Market. Total. Dense Acres. 116 10 Bushels. 358 302 Bushels. 184 127 Bushels. 41, 528 3,020 Bushels. 21, 344 1,270 Bushels. 62,872 4,290 Scattering o Total 126 44,548 22, 614 67, 162 a An adjacent lump. Details of Examination of Point Comfort Beds. Sta- Date of examina- tion. Depth of water. Area cov- ered. Oysters caught per square yard. SheUs per square yard. Estimated quantity oysters per acre. Character of oyster tion. Spat. Culls. Counts. Seed. - Market. Total. growth. 284 459 285 1913. Apr. 12 May 9 Apr. 12 Feet. 5.0 6.0 4.0 Sq. yds. 2.12 1.86 2.65 32.1 1.6 15.5 11.8 24.7 17.8 8.5 7.5 6.0 11 14 3 Bush. 398 318 302 Bush. 186 183 127 Bush. 584 501 429 Dense. Do. Scattering. LAP REEF. , Lap and Chicken Reefs together stretch almost entirely across the constricted portion of the upper bay, off Nobles Point, and form practically a Hne of demarcation in the character and quahty of the oysters of the lower and upper parts of the bay. The two reefs are separated by a narrow channel from 7 to 9 feet deep, bearing the local name of ''Hole in the Wall." Lap Reef begins 200 yards off Nobles Point and reaches to the north- ward for a mile and a quarter. It reaches its maximum width of about 800 yards at the northern extremity and gradually tapers to a point at the southern end. On the eastern half of the reef the depth of water ranges from IJ to 4 feet, several feet less than the adjacent barren bottom. The depth on the southern and western parts ranges from 3^ to 6 feet, being about equal to that of the surrounding bottom of the bay. The oysters occur as singles and in small clusters and generally are of excellent flavor ; some were used as shell stock in 1912. This reef has been fished for the last seven or eight years, and will now yield about 4 barrels per day. It has never been depleted. There are many mussels and some barnacles on this reef. The general extent and condition of the bed are shown in the following table : OYSTER BOTTOMS OF LAVACA BAY, TEX. Oyster Growth on Lap Reef. 25 Area. Oysters per acre. Estimated content of oysters. Character of oyster growth. Under 3 inches. Overs inches. Seed. Market. Total. Dense Acres. 194 Bushels. 576 Bixshels. 333 Bushels. 111,744 Bushels. 64, 602 Bushels. 176, 346 Very scattering 14 33 376 99 73 3 5,164 3,267 1,022 99 6,186 Depleted 3,366 Total 241 • 120, 175 65,723 185, 898 1 Counted in with dense. Details of Examination of Lap Reef. Sta- tion. Date of examina- tion. Depth of water. Area cov- ered. Oysters caught per square yard. Shells per square yard. Estimated quantity oysters per acre. Character of oyster Spat. Culls. Counts. Seed. Market. Total. growth. 292 327 417 419 420 421 422 297 296 418 423 293 1913. Apr. 12 Apr. 15 May 6 ...do ...do ...do ...do Apr. 12 ...do May 6 ...do Apr. 12 Feet. ' 4.0 5.5 6.5 5.5 5.0 4.5 4.5 3.5 3.5 6.5 4.5 6.0 Sq. yds. 2.65 1.99 1.82 1.99 2.12 2.39 2.39 2.92 2.92 1.82 2.39 63.7 28.1 30.9 6.5 15.6 34.8 16.3 45.5 32.9 .5 .0 .0 12.1 25.1 42.7 12.6 24.5 23.4 9.6 25.0 8.5 14.6 9.6 .0 16.5 8.0 14.8 19.1 12.7 23.0 10.8 6.5 3.4 .0 .4 .0 6 2 12 3 16 18 4 3 10 20 4 Bush. 688 642 891 253 484 702 312 640 376 182 116 Bush. 352 231 357 462 307 556 261 138 73 io' Bush. 1,040 873 1,248 715 791 1,258 573 778 449 182 126 Dense. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Scattering. Very scat- tering. Depleted. Do. Do. CHICKEN REEF. This begins at the channel — the "Hole in the Wall" — ^from which' it extends in an easterly direction to the shoal water of a projecting point of the east shore. The reef is long, narrow, and with a slight dip southward near the center. The length is approximately 1^ miles, while the average width is about 200 yards. The depth of water varies from 1 foot to 5 feet, averaging about 3 feet; there are two narrow ridges, one at the western and the other at the eastern extremity, which are awash at low tide. Other than at the eastern limit, where the depths on and near the bed are prac- tically the same and do not exceed 3| or 4 feet, this reef is markedly shoaler than the surrounding parts of the bay. Like all such ele- vated reefs, its mass is composed of compacted shells and debris, the accumulation of many years of existence. The character of these oysters is about the same as those of Lap Keef. On the top of the reef there were fine white shells, and some excellent oysters in the guts near shore, but they have been prac- tically fished out. 26 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF LAVACA BAY, TEX. Oyster Growth on Chicken Keep. Area. Oysters per acre. Estimated content of oysters. Character of oyster growth. Under 3 inches. Overs inches. Seed. Market. Total. Dense Acres. 88 40 20 12 Bushels. 305 252 82 22 Bushels. 252 110 49 5 Bu;Shels. 26,840 10,080 1,640 264 Bushels. 22, 176 4,400 980 60 Bushels. 49, 016 Scattering . 14,480 Very scattering 2,620 Depleted 324 Total 160 38,824 27,616 66,440 Details op Examination of Chicken Reef. Sta- tion. Date of examiaa- tion. Depth of water. Area cov- ered. Oysters caught per square yard. SheUs per square yard. Estimated quantity oysters per acre. Character of oyster Spat. Culls. Counts. Seed. Market. Total. growth. 449 450 451 452 453 457 448 454 455 456 1913. May 9 ...do ...do ...do ...do ...do ...do ...do ...do ...do Feet. 3.5 4.5 6.0 4.0 3.5 3.5 4.5 4.5 4.0 3.5 Sq. yds. 2.92 2.39 1.86 2.66 2.92 2.92 2.39 2.39 2.66 2.92 18.3 15.1 4.8 7.2 10.3 .0 2.9 1.6 .0 .0 16.8 13.4 7.5 23.7 15.4 6.2 5.4 3.8 3.8 .0 6.5 12.5 12.4 3.8 5.8 4.1 2.5 1.6 .4 .0 10 4 11 6 13 3 10 2 9 Bush. 424 344. 148 373 310 75 100 65 44 Bush. 154 302 300 91 140 99 61 38 10 Bush. 578 646 448 464 450 174 161 103 Dense. Do. Do. Scattering. Do. Do. Very scat- tering. Do. Depleted. Do. Nortli of the barrier of these cross reefs the salinity of the water is reduced and the mussels become more numerous and, contrary to' the accepted view that barnacles occur more frequently in waters of higher salinity, the reverse was found to be true in Lavaca Bay. There is a small patch one-half mile north of the western extremity of Chicken Reef. It is practically circular in outhne, having a diame- ter of 175 yards. Depth of water 5 feet. An examination showed an average of about 323 bushels of market oysters and 253 bushels of small ones per acre, the area of the patch being about 8 acres. BEDS NORTHWEST OF LAP REEF. About three-quarters of a mile northwest of Lap Reef there are three beds, two of which are small, varjdng from 250 to 350 yards in length, while the third is about three-fourths of a mile long, and narrow, excepting near the northern margin, where it broadens to a width of 500 yards. The depth of water ranges from 4 to 5^ feet and the beds are but little elevated above the adjacent bottom. The patch nearest to the west shore bears scattering clusters of large oysters of the snapper type, with some mussels and barnacles, and the second lump showed OYSTER BOTTOMS OF LAVACA BAY, TEX. 27 a better growth of oysters, but twice the number of mussels and barnacles. On the large patch five stations were made, showing oysters, together with a large number of mussels and barnacles. At two of these stations on the widest part of the patch the bottom was rather soft, and some of the shells were black, having been taken from below the surface. This bed is fished but little and consequently not much is known about it. It wiU probably not yield more than 4 or 5 barrels per man per day. Three additional beds of 44 acres were located in the vicinity of the large patch, but no investigations were made on them. The following tables exhibit the results of the examination of these beds: Oyster Growth on Beds Northwest of Lap Keef. Area. Oysters per acre. Estimated content of oysters. Character of oyster growth. Under 3 inches. Over 3 inches. Seed. Market. Total. Dense i Acres. 79 Bvishels. 328 Bushels. 295 Bushels. 25,912 Bushels. 23, 305 Bushels. 49,217 Details op Examination of Beds Northwest of Lap Keef. Sta- tion. Date of examina- tion. Depth of water. Area cov- ered. Oysters caught per square yard. Shells per square yard. Estimated quantity oysters per acre. Character of oyster Spat. Culls. Counts. Seed. Market. Total. growth. 298 411 412 413 414 415 1913 Apr. 12 Apr. 29 ...do ...do ...do ...do Feet. 5.0 6.0 5.5 6.5 6.5 6.0 Sq. yds. 2.12 1.86 1.99 1.82 1.82 1.86 5.2 23.6 4.0 18.1 18.7 16.6 8.0 31.7 3.0 12.1 20.9 30.0 7.1 22.6 12.6 9.3 14.3 20.2 7 25 9 5 21 8 Bush. 129 668 85 374 478 563 Bush. 152 546 305 224 344 486 Bush. 281 1,214 390 598 822 1,049 Dense. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. CHAIN BEDS. These beds, 12 in number, lie off Signal Bay and, with one excep- tion, are smaU. isolated patches, none of which have a local name. The depth varies from 3^ to 5 feet with an elevation of from one-half to 1 foot above the surrounding bottom. Four beds were examined. The largest of the series has a length of 1 mile and a width of 350 yards, and on this five stations were made. The southern end showed about 24 counts, 14 cuUs, 41 spat, and 90 mussels per square yard; near the center of the bed the bottom was rather soft, with some mussels, barnacles, and buried shells along with the oysters; at the northern end there were about 7 counts, 8 cuUs, and 4 spat per square yard, also some buried shells. This bed is fished but Httle, although the oysters are of fair flavor. The first small lump of 6 acres north of 28 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF LAVACA BAY, TEX. the large patch produced mostly singles, rather small, but of extra fine shape and good quality, probably the best of the entire bay. This lump yielded 18 counts, 17 culls, and 20 spat per square yard. The second lump north of the large patch yielded scattering clusters, mussels, barnacles, and dead shells in black mud, and another lump south of Benado Creek Reef produced 34 counts, 56 culls, and 37 spat, with some mussels and barnacles per square yard. These small patches are aU fished for the market. The remaining lumps, containing 31 acres, were located, but the character of the oyster growth was not determined. Oyster Growth on Chain Beds. Area. Oysters per acre. Estimated content of oysters. Character of oyster growth. Under 3 inches. Over 3 inches. Seed. Market. Total. Dense Acres. 94 29 Bushels. 483 27 Bushels. 496 105 Bushels. 45, 402 783 Bushels. 46, 624 3,045 Bushels. 92, 026 Scattering 3,828 Total 123 46, 185 49, 669 95,854 Details op Examination op Chain Beds. Oysters caught per SheUs per square yard. Estimated quantity sta- tion. Date of Depth Area square yard. oysters per acre. Character examina- tion. of water. cov- ered. of oyster growth. Spat. CuUs. Counts. Seed. Market. Total. 1913. Feet. Sq. yds. Bush. Bush. Bush. 352 Apr. 16 5.0 2.12 41.0 13.8 24.1 17 662 583 1,245 Dense. 354 ...do.... 5.5 1.99 12.6 23.6 20.1 9 437 485 922 Do. 361 Apr. 17 4.0 2.65 19.9 16.9 18.0 6 334 435 769 Do. 367 ...do.... 2.5 2.64 37.1 55.7 34.1 12 845 822 1,667 Do. 430 May 8 6.5 1.82 3.8 7.7 6.6 11 139 159 298 Do. 355 Apr. 16 6.0 1.86 .0 .5 4.8 27 6 116 122 Scattering. 369 Apr. 17 5.0 2.12 .0 .0 3.3 79 79 Do. 429 May 8 6.0 1.85 .5 5.9 5.0 8 77 121 198 Do. HOPPE LUMP. Hoppe lump lies three-quarters of a mile north of Signal Bay, and about 175 yards off the west shore. The lump is approximately 500 yards wide and 700 yards long and is somewhat quadrate in out- line. The depth of water varies from 3 to 5 feet and the northern- most part of the lump rises from one-haK to 1 foot above the general level of the neighboring bottoms. Three stations were made. One near the west-central margin re- vealed a soft bottom, some buried shells, but no oysters; another near the center of the lump showed a rather soft bottom, but 21 counts, 54 mussels, and 35 barnacles per square yard; while the third station, near the southern margin, showed a hard bottom with 3 counts and 3 mussels per square yard. OYSTER BOTTOMS OF LAVACA BAY^ TEX. 29 The oysters of this lump are in clusters and singles, long, flat, and with sharp edges but of fair flavor. It is fished but little. Oyster Growth on Hoppe Lump. Area. Oysters per acre. Estimated content of oysters. Character of oyster growth. Under 3 inches. Overs inches. Seed. Market. Total. Dense Acres. 41 Bushels. 75 Bushels. 198 Bushels. 3,075 Bushels. 8,118 Bushels. 11, 193 Details of Examination of Hoppe Lump. Sta- tion. Date of examinar tion. Depth- of water. Area cov- ered. Oysters caught per square yard. Shells per square yard. Estimated quantity oysters per acre. Character of oyster Spat. Culls. Counts. Seed. Market. Total. growth. 445 444 372 1913. May 8 ...do Apr. 17 Feet. 6.5 6.5 6.5 Sq. yds. 1.82 1.82 2.12 4.3 .0 .0 13.7 .0 .9 21.4 .0 3.3 22 1 Bush. 218 8 Bush. 516 79 Bush. 734 Dense. Do. Scattering. HALF MOON REEF. This hes one-half mile south of Long Reef and a quarter of a mile north of Hoppe Lump. Its length is one-half mile, and its greatest width, 300 yards, is near the southern half, whence it contracts sud- denly to the northward to a width of 50 yards. The depth of water ranges from 3 to 5 feet, and the reef is approx- imately on the general level of the surrounding bottoms, excepting along the western margin, where there is an elevation of about 1 foot. Three stations were made, one on the 50-yard projection, which gave the best returns — about 11 counts, 3 culls, and 6 spat per square yard. An average of the other stations near the center of the reef showed 4 counts, 3 culls, and 4 spat. Mussels and barnacles were found at all stations. The oysters of this reef resemble those of Hoppe Lump. They are of fair flavor, of good shape, but generally too small for market, excepting on the edges, where they occur in clusters. They sell for 98 cents per barrel, 2 cents tax. The reef was first fished in 1910, and the work has been carried on during most of the present season (1912-13). One man can tong seven barrels per day. During "northers" the reef is Hable to become dry. As a rule, fishing does not begin in the upper bay until October. However, if freshets are early and the weather becomes cool, fishing is pursued earlier. 30 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF LAVACA BAY^ TEX. Oyster Growth on Half Moon Reef. Area. Oysters per acre. Estimated content of oysters. Character of oyster growth. Under 3 inches. Over 3 inches. Seed. Market. Total. Dense Acres. 33 Bushels. 78 Bushels. 151 Bu,shels. 2,574 Bushels. 4,983 Bushels. 7,557 Details op Examination, of Half Moon Reef. sta- tion. Date of examina- tion. Depth of water. Area cov- ered. Oysters caught per square yard. Shells per square yard. Estimated quantity oysters per acre. Character of oyster Spat. Culls. Counts. Seed. Market. Total. growth. 441 377 442 1913. May 8 Apr. 17 May 8 Feet. 6.0 4.5 5.5 Sq. yds. 1.39 2.39 1.49 5.7 7.5 .0 2.9 3.3 2.7 10.8 4.6 3.4 25 5 9 Bush. 104 98 33 Bush. 261 111 82 Bush. 365 209 115 Dense. Scattering. Do. LONG REEF. This long, narrow, crescent-shaped reef of 64 acres lies a few hun- dred yards southeast of the mouth of Garcitas Bay and has a length of 1 nule, with an average width of about 150 yards. It is practically at the level of the general bottom, excepting at the western extremity, where there is a rise of about 6 inches. The depth of water varies from 3i to 4 feet. Along the edge of the reef there are large oysters in clusters resem- bhng those on Half Moon Reef, while on top there are small ones. Considerable fishing is done here for seed, which are worth as much as marketable oysters. Permits are obtained to take whatever is on the bottom without the payment of any tax. This reef was first fished about two years ago, and, with the exception of Chicken Reef, this is true for the upper bay generally. One man can take seven barrels per day. A small patch of 3 acres, 100 by 200 yards in extent, lies just east of Long Reef and has dense oysters of about the same character and quahty as those of the main reef. The depth of water varies from 3i to 4 feet. A station on the patch showed 705 bushels of seed and 1,122 bushels of marketable oysters per acre, making, all told, for the patch 2,115 bushels of seed and 3,366 bushels of marketable oysters. The following tables show the data obtained from this bed : OYSTER BOTTOMS OF LAVACA BAY^ TEX. Oyster Growth on Long Reef. 31 Area. Oysters per acre. Estimated content of oysters. Character of oyster growth. Under 3 inches. Overs laches. Seed. Market. Total. Dense Acres. 64 Bushels. 340 Bushels. 332 Bushels. 21, 760 Bushels. 21, 248 Bushels. 43,008 Details of Examination of Long Reef. Sta- tion. Date of examina- tion. Depth of ■water. Area cov- ered. Oysters caught per square yard. Shells per square yard. Estimated quantity oysters per acre. Character of oyster Spat. Culls. Counts. Seed. Market. Total. growth. 382 396 437 440 438 1913. Apr. 17 Apr. 25 May 8 ...do ...do Feet. 4.5 2.5 3.0 5.5 5.5 Sq. yds. 2.39 3.52 2.39 1.49 1.99 15.1 4.0 19.3 47.8 .0 13.8 5.7 22.2 16.3 4.0 18.8 14.9 9.6 19.5 6.0 3 6 15 41 1 Bush. 262 117 501 774 48 Bush. 454 360 232 471 145 Bush. 716 477 733 1,245 193 Dense. Do. Do. Do. Scattering. PATCHES NEAR SIGNAL GAR. There are two small patches in the vicmity of Signal Gar, about 250 yards offshore and three-quarters of a mile off Long Reef. They are each about 150 yards in length by 100 yards in width. Depth 2i feet. The patch to the west, containing 3 acres, was discovered in 1911, but first fished the year following. The oysters on top are very dense and are of the snapper type. On the southeast edge there are large oysters in mud; the other edges do not bear such good stock, but better than is found on top. As many as 18 barrels have been fished in one day and at least 200 barrels of oysters have been taken in one week. The oysters are of good quality and fair flavor, but too large for raw stock. The patch to the east, containing 2 acres, is fished but Httle, and not at all last season. The oysters are dense and in clusters, but scattering on the edges, and are not up to the standard, being of poor shape, watery, and poor in flavor and meat. Oyster Growth on Patches near Signal Gar. Area. Oysters per acre. Estimated content of oysters. - Character of oyster growth. Under 3 inches. Overs inches. Seed. Market. Total. Dense Acres. 5 Bushels. - 1,027 Bushels. 1,088 Bushels. 5,135 Bushels. 5,440 Bushels. 10, 575 32 OYSTEE BOTTOMS OF LAVACA BAY, TEX. Details op Examination op Patches near Signal Gar. sta- tion. Date of examina- tion. Depth of vater. Area cov- ered. Oysters caught per square yard. SheUs per square yard. Estimated quantity oysters per acre. Character of oyster Spat. Culls. Counts. Seed. Market. Total. growth. 435 43G 399 1913. Mav 8... ...do.... Apr. 25.. Feet. 4.0 4.0 3.5 So. yds. 2.61 1.99 21.1 70.7 .0 26.3 53.2 .0 29.3 60.8 .0 21 36 Bush. 572 1,483 Bush. 708 1,468 Bush. 1,280 2,951 Dense. Do. BENADO CREEK REEF. Benado Creek Reef lies approximately 1 mile southwest of the mouth of Benado Creek, and one-half mile off the north shore of the bay. The reef is 1 mile in length and about 300 yards in width at the central section, narrowing to both the north and south. The depth of water on and adjacent to the reef ranges from 3^ to 5 feet. This reef was first fished in 1910-11, but has never been given a fair test because oysters are more plentiful elsewhere. Three or four barrels is considered a good day's yield per man. The oysters are of fair shape, occurring mostly in clusters, and are of fair flavor. The reef never ebbs dry. The following tables show its area and distribution of oyster growth : Oyster Growth on Benado Creek Reef. Area. Oysters per acre. Estimated content of oysters. Character of oyster growth. Under 3 inches. Overs inches. Seed. Market. Total. Dense Acres. 39 15 20 Bmhels. 257 17 Bushels. 333 92 24 Bushels. 10, 023 255 Bushels. 12,987 1,380 480 Bushels. 23,010 1,635 480 Scattering Very scattering Total 74 10,278 14, 847 25,125 Details op Examination of Benado Creek Reef. sta- tion. Date of examina- tion. Depth of water. Area cov- ered. Oysters caught per square yard. Shells per square yard. Estimated quantity oysters per acre. Character of oyster Spat. Culls. Counts. Seed. Market. Total. growth. 384 416 432 433 431 1913. Apr. 17 Apr. 30 May 8 ...do ...do.... Feet. 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.0 6.0 Sq. yds. 2.66 2.39 2.12 2.12 1.85 20.2 7.9 6.6 .0 .0 13.9 10.9 10.4 1.4 .0 12.0 17.2 12.7 3.8 1.0 3 5 5 6 2 Bush. 315 243 205 17 Bush. 289 415 306 92 24 Bush. 604 658 511 109 24 Dense. Do. Do. Scattering. Verj'- scat- tering. OYSTEE BOTTOMS OF LAVACA BAY; TEX. 33 PATCHES BETWEEN BENADO CREEK AND LAVACA RIVER. Between Benado Creek and Lavaca River there are seven rather small patches which were located during the survey, but only two of these were examined in detail. The first patch, about IJ miles southeast of the mouth of Benado Creek and 700 yards off the east shore, is 100 yards wide by 200 yards long. A station made on this patch revealed a hard bottom and about 425 bushels of seed and 754 bushels of market oysters per acre, the depth of the water being 3 feet. The second patch examined lies one-third of a mile south of the first, and about 400 yards off the east shore. It is somewhat circu- lar in outline, but with a projecting arm and a slight indentation on the eastern margin. The diameter is approximately 300 yards and the depth of water 3 feet. An examination of this patch showed about 443 bushels of small oysters and 578 bushels of large ones per acre. On both patches the oysters are larger than on the lumps to the westward, but they are fished but little. There is a fringe of oysters covering upward of 100 acres along shore north of the mouth of Lavaca River, but no detailed examina- tion was made. Oyster Growth on Patches between Benado Creek and Lavaca River. Area. Oysters per acre. Estimated content of oysters. Character of oyster growth. Under 3 inches. Over 3 inches. Seed. Market. Total. Dense Acres. 22 Bushels. 443 Bushels. 578 Bushels. 9,746 Bushels. 12,716 Bushels. 22,462 Details or Examination op Patches between Benado Creek and Lavaca River. Sta- tion. Date of examina- tion. Depth of water. Area cov- ered. Oysters caught per square yard. Shells per square yard. Estimated quantity oysters per acre. Character of oyster Spat. CuUs. Counts. Seed. Market. Total. growth. 446 447 1913. May 8 ...do Feet. 5.0 4.0 Sq. yds. 1.59 1.99 13.2 13.6 22.0 24.6 31.2 16.6 i Bush. 425 461 Bush. 754 402 Bush. 1,179 863 Dense. Do. REVIEW OF THE NATURAL OYSTER BEDS. Of the total area of Lavaca Bay, about one-sixth, 6,853 acres, or 10.7 square miles, is covered with oyster growth. In the lower half of the bay the beds, with the exception of some insignificant patches,, are all east of a line joining Gallinipper Point and Point Comfort. 34 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF LAVACA BAY, TEX. Why the western third of this region should be barren while the remainder is covered by extensive and prolific beds was not deter- mined by the survey. The beds are practically continuous and in many cases the lines of demarcation between them are arbitrarily assumed for the purposes of this report. In the upper part of the bay, above the line between Noble Point and Point Comfort, the beds are smaller and more generally distribu- ted, although somewhat more numerous in the western half. So far as the quality of the oysters is concerned, their flavor, condition, and to some extent their shape, those of the upper bay were the better during the time of the survey and it is probable that this is true at most times. In respect to the uniform prolificness of the beds as a whole, Lavaca Bay is the most remarkable region which has been surveyed by the Bureau. Not less than 91 per cent of the total area of oyster bottom is classed as dense growth, 5 per cent as scattering, a little over 2 per cent as very scattering, and a little less than 2 per cent as so-called depleted bottom. It appears as if the bottom must spring into great productivity very soon after it begins to bear oysters at all, and the large areas of sparsely productive bottom usually found in oyster-producing regions are lacking. A glance at the chart accompanying this report will show this, and it is also exhibited in the following table which shows the acreage of each class of growth for each of the large beds and for groups of the smaller patches. Summarized Statement op Areas op Market Oysters on Public Beds. Name of bed. Character of oyster growth. Dense. Scatter- ing. Very scatter- ing. De- pleted. Total. Sand Point Reef Lumps northeast of Sand Point Reef Middle Ground Reef Old Town Bed Lumps south of Old Town Bed Bed north of Middle Ground Kellers Bed Rhodes Point Reef Cox Bed Lumps east of Cox Bed GaUinipper Reef Mitchell Point Reef Point Comfort Beds Lap Reef , Chicken Reef Northwest of Lap Reef Chain Beds Hoppe Lump Half Moon Reef Long Reef Patches near Gar Signal Benado Creek Reef Between Benado Creek and Lavaca River Total Acres. 78 5 444 828 14 173 1,275 1,093 1,177 3 329 532 116 194 88 79 94 41 33 64 5 39 22 6,226 Acres. 28 121 40 29 15 Acres. 20 67 345 19 20 Acres. 62 163 12 119 Acres. 160 72 472 328 14 173 1,287 1,217 1,177 34 361 590 126 241 160 79 123 41 33 64 5 74 22 6,853 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF LAVACA BAY, TEX. 35 As is explained in the introductory part of the report, the classi- fication is based on the relative abundance of oysters over 3 inches long, which is assumed to be the minimum size which could be used for market purposes. The smaller oysters, while recorded and else- where discussed, do not enter in any way into the classification. Neither does the term dense mean a continuous cover of massed oysters. It is used to express the condition where oysters in excess of 150 bushels per acre are found on the bottom, either as a con- tinuous growth or in separated clusters, lying on the mud or sand. The following table gives the estimated total content of each class of growth of each bed: Summarized Content op Market Oysters on Public Beds. Name of bed. Sand Point Reef Lumps northeast of Sand Point Reef Middle Ground Reef Old Town Bed Lumps south of Old Town Bed Bed north of Middle Ground KeUersBed Rhodes Point Reel Cox Bed Lumps east of Cox Bed GaUinippcr Reef Mitchell Point Reef Point Comfort Beds Lap Reef Chicken Reef Northwest of Lap Reef Chain Beds - Hoppe Lump , Half Moon Reef , Long Reel Patches near Gar Signal , Benado Creek Reef Between Benado Creek and Lavaca River Total Character of oyster growth. Dense. Bushels. 16, 3, 426, 309, 9, 74, 543, 617, 421, 1, 192, 392, 21, 64, 22, 23, 46, 8, 4, 21, 5, 12, 12, 536 055 240 304 310 663 150 545 366 716 794 084 344 602 176 305 624 118 983 248 440 987 716 3,251,206 Scatter- ing. Bushels. 3, 830 10, 627 3,720 4, 640 4,953 1,270 4,400 1,380 37, 771 Very scatter- ing. Bushels. 1,140 2,080 159 912 1,022 980 480 De- pleted. Bushels. 372 7,373 531 Total. Bushels. 18, 018 5,735 430, 076 309, 304 9,310 74,563 543, 150 628,231 421,366 5,436 197, 434 397,949 22, 614 65, 723 27, 616 23,305 49, 669 8,118 4,983 21,248 5.440 14:847 12, 716 3,296,881 This table shows an extraordinary average of 525 bushels of large oysters per acre of the areas classed as bearing a dense growth and of nearly 500 bushels per acre for the entire area of oyster beds in the bay. Therefore, not only is the ratio of dense growth to the whole greater, but the density of growth on that area and on the beds as a whole is much greater than in any other region of approximately equal extent which has been examined by the Bureau. Middle Ground and Old Town Beds are the most productive, each producing over their extensive areas an average of about 950 bushels of large oysters per acre. This is exceeded sMghtly by some of the small lumps in the upper part of the bay. This, however, constitutes but part of the oyster content, for the smaller oysters are numerically 36 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF LAVACA BAY, TEX. more numerous than the larger ones and as a whole approximately- equal them in bulk, as is shown in the following table : Summarized Content op Young Oysters on Public Beds. Character of oyster growth. Name of bed. Dense. Scatter- ing. Very scatter- ing. De- pleted. Total. Sand Point Reof Bushels. 26,208 3,310 359, 196 224, 024 6,986 70, 930 397, 800 400, 038 428, 428 1,269 252, 014 520, 956 41,528 111, 744 26, 840 25,912 45, 402 3, 075 2,574 21, 760 5,135 10, 023 9,746 Bushels. Bushels. 12, 080 28,542 Bushels. 8,432 Bushels. 46 720 Lumps northeast of Sand Point Reef 31,852 Middle Ground Reef 21,308 380, 504 224,024 6 986 Old Town Bed 1 Lumps south of Old Town Bed Bed north of Middle Ground 70,930 398,580 412, 537 Kellers Bed 780 Rhodes Point Reef , 12, 463 36 Cox Bed 428,428 9,546 259, 406 528 127 Lumps east of Cox Bed 8,277 7,392 3,270 3,020 Gallinipper Reef Mitchell Point Reef 3,895 Point Comfort Beds 44, 548 Lap Reef 5, 164 1,640 3,267 264 120 175 Chicken Reef 10,080 38 824 Northwest of I-ap Reef 25,912 46, 185 3,075 Chain Beds 783 Hoppe Lump Half Moon Reef 2,574 Long Reef 21,760 Patches near Gar Signal 5, 135 Benado Creek Reef 1 255 10,278 9,746 Between Benado Creek and Lavaca River Total 2,994,898 66,854 51,357 12,743 3, 125, 852 Although in a sense the young oysters are the most important elements of the reef contents, they have no immediate commercial value except as seed. It is not until they grow to market size that they can be used, and as they grow it is self-evident that the number per bushel will decrease. A comparison of their quantity with that of 'the market oysters is therefore less important as an index of the probable future of a reef than an examination of their relative num- bers, and for the purpose of making this numerical comparison the following table has been prepared from the data collected by the survey. Number op Oysters Under Three Inches Long for Each One Over that Length on the Several Beds. Character of oyster growth. Name of bed. Dense. Scat- tering. Very scatter- ing. De- pleted. Sand Point Reef 7.6 2.3 1.7 L6 1.5 2.0 L3 2.3 26.7 45.0 Lumps northeast of Sand Point Reef , Middle Ground Reef ii.2 Old Town Bed Lumps south of Old Town Bed Bed north of Middle Ground KeUers B ed No large. OYSTER BOTTOMS OP LAVACA BAY, TEX. 37 Number of Oysters Under Three Inches Long for Each One Over that Length on the Several Beds — Continued. Character of oyster growth. Name of bed. Dense. Scat- tering. Very scatter- ing. De- pleted. Rhodes Point Reef 1.3 2.6 L5 2.9 3.0 4.4 3.7 2.4 2.2 2.2 .8 .8 2.3 L9 1.7 1.5 2.3 Cox Bed Lumps east of Cox Bed 4.4 4.1 1.4 5.6 Gallinipper Reef Mitchell Point Reef ILO Point Comfort Beds Lap Reef 12.1 3.3 61.8 Chicken Reef 4.6 9.5 Northwest of Lap Reef Chain Beds . 5 Hoppe Lump Half Moon Reef ... Long Reef .6 Patches near Gar Signal Benado Creek Reef .4 Between Benado Creek and Lavaca River On all beds except Hoppe Lump and Half Moon Reef there is a considerable numerical preponderance of small oysters, and in con- sideration of the rapidity of oyster growth on the Gulf coast there is no probability that any of the beds will fail to perpetuate themselves under present conditions, unless as the result of physical accident or the attacks of some enemy which has not yet appeared. BARREN BOTTOMS. The area of barren bottoms — that is, those which are not naturally productive of oysters even in small quantities — vastly exceeds that of the natural beds, including in the latter those so-called depleted areas which bear practically nothing. These bottoms are barren, mainly because of one character in which they differ from the productive areas — namely, that they are devoid of shells or other objects lying on the surface. They consist of sand and mud of varying degrees of stabihty and consistency. Oysters, immediately after they develop from the egg, for a brief period swim or float freely in the water, settling to a fixed condition only after they reach a stage of consider- able development.^ It is not necessary to give more detail to this subject other than to say that at the time at which they are undergoing fixation the oysters are very minute, and a sHght film of mud or slime is sufficient to stifie them. During the spawning season these little organisms are present in the water in untold myriads and are precipitated to the bottom in a continuous gentle drizzle of tiny specks. If they fall on an oyster bed they find firm supports on the sheUs and oysters, attach them- selves and grow, but if they fall on the mud or bare sand they die. a For a more extended aecoimt see " Oysters and methods of oyster culture," by H . F. Moore, Bureau of Fisheries Document no. 349, which may be obtained by application to the Bureau at Washington, D. C, 38 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF LAVACA BAY, TEX. The natural beds have been slowly developed on bottom sunilar to that which surrounds them solely because through some agency there originally lodged on the mud or sand some hard objects to which the young oysters could safely cHng. Oysters developing there and their shells scattered about by the waves furnished additional places for fixation of new generations of young, with the result that the original growth extended in area and its bed became a compact mass of shells and fragments, beneath which can still be found by excavation or probing the original bottom differing in no essential particular from the adjacent barren areas. All that is required by the barren bottom in order that it may become productive is that its surface should be supplied with hard objects or cultch, either through natural agencies or by the hand of man. The capacity of the bottom to sustain material deposited on it and to maintain it in proper condition to serve as cultch depends largely on its stabihty and consistency. Moving sands gradually cover objects deposited on their surface and soft mud permits them to sink. It is therefore of prime importance for the oyster culturist to have information concerning the character of the bottom, and it was one of the purposes of the survey to supply it. The methods and the instrument employed have been described in the introductory part of this report and the results attained are shown graphically on the chart. The symbols on the chart designating the character of the bottom do not show all of the places at which examinations were made, but only those which have been selected as representative of the general conditions obtaining in the vicinity. It may be assumed that between any two adjacent symbols of different significance the change in the character of the bottom is more or less gradual. While practically none of the bottom of Lavaca Bay is composed of ooze, practically all of it, except in places alongshore and in the immediate vicinity of the reefs, is composed of soft or very soft mud, which under the economic conditions of the locahty are hardly worthy of serious consideration for purposes of oyster culture. The bottoms which are classed in this report as hard and stiff mud are more or less scattered along the margins of the bay, usually within one-half mile of shore. The largest body of bottom naturally firm enough for planting oysters without danger of having them engulfed and smothered is in the southeastern part of the bay between Sand Point and the mouth of Kellers Bay. The location of other areas may be most readily determined from the chart. OYSTEK BOTTOMS OF LAVACA BAY, TEX. 39 GENERAL PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL CONDITIONS. TIDES AND CURRENTS. Primarily for the reduction of the soundings to approximate mean low-water level, a tide gauge, a plain staff graduated in feet and tenths, was estabhshed at Port Lavaca, the most convenient and central point on the bay. During the entire period of the survey readings were made every two hours during daylight. The highest tide recorded was on April 23, when the water stood at 4.7 feet on the gauge and the lowest was on March 16, when it fell to 1.2 feet on the staff, a maximum range of 3.5 feet. The daily range was usually from 0.4 to 0.8 feet, and was to a great degree affected by the winds, which in many cases obscured or obliterated the apparent lunar influences. Although the normal tidal range is small, the currents are suffi- ciently strong to insure ample circulation for the conveyance of oyster food and the renewal of water for respiratory purposes. SALINITY AND TEMPERATURE OF THE WATER. As the amount of salt carried by the waters is a factor important to oyster growth and flavor, as well as conditioning the presence or absence of destructive enemies, a series of observations relating to the salinity and water temperature were continued throughout the survey. It is well known that oysters reach their maximum development and finest quality in waters of brackish character, having a specific gravity of 1.012 to 1.018, about midway between fresh water (specific gravity 1.000) and open-sea water (specific gravity 1.025). Water nearly fresh, on the one hand, or very salt, on the other, if present for any length of time over the oyster beds, is extremely detrimental, if not absolutely prohibitive, to the mollusks. Certain enemies of the oysters are also greatly influenced by the amount of salt in solution, the drill, for example, avoiding waters of low salinity, while the com- mon black sea mussel thrives in them. In order to obtain a reasonably accurate or reliable estimate of the proportion of salt in Lavaca Bay, two separate but simultaneous series of observations of salinity and water temperature were made. From the Fish Hawk, anchored in the vicinity of the Middle Ground and Sand Point Reefs, observations were made at 8 a. m., noon, and 6 p. m. The depth of water varied from 8 to 10 feet. The other series was made by the biological party, and extended over the greater part of the bay, including points both on the reefs and barren grounds. The water samples in both series of observations were taken a few inches from the bottom of the bay, regardless of depth. The instru- ment or apparatus used for collecting the samples is illustrated and 40 OYSTEH BOTTOMS OF LAVACA BAY, TEX. described in "Volumetric Studies of the Food and Feeding of Oysters," by H. F. Moore (Bulletin Bureau of Fisheries, vol. xxviii, p. 1297-1308). For purposes of comparison the bay was divided into three areas of approximately equal extent, the first of which was that section of the lower bay extending northward to a line connecting Rhodes and Gallinipper Points; the second from this line to Chicken and Lap Reefs; the third from these reefs to the head of the bay. The follow- ing table summarizes the results of the observations, the boldface type showing the data obtained by the Fish Hawk at the mouth of the bay, coincidently with the conditions observed in the several regions by the survey party. Salinity and Temperature Observations in Lavaca Bay. Locality. Date. Water tempera- ture. Specific gravity. - Max. Min. Av. Max. Min. Av. Fish Hawk 1913. Feb. 24-28 Mar. 1-5 66 66 °F. 59 59 °F. 63 61 64 64 64 61 60 65 61 71 69 66 67 70 73 1.0176 1.0172 1.0166 1.0160 1.0172 Fish Hawk 1.0168 Area 1, vicinity of Kellers Bed Mar. 5 1.0166 Fish Hawk Mar. 6-10 66 66 68 68 72 64 73 70 70 72 75 75 57 63 54 57 57 57 68 66 61 63 61 66 1.0184 1.0178 1.0176 1. 0178 1.0208 1.0164 1.0185 1.0152 1.0178 1.0138 1.0187 1.0137 1.0156 1.0152 1.0142 1.0147 1.0154 1.0112 1.0160 1.0134 1.0154 1.0063 1.0152 0.0110 1.0173 Area 1, vicinity of Old Town, Middle Ground, Kellers Beds. Fish Hawk do 1.0160 Mar. 11-17 do 1.0164 Area 1, southeast Gallinipper Point, entrance Kellers Bay; southeast Old Town Bed, east of Kellers Bed. Fish Hawk 1.0153 Mar. 18-31 ..do 1.0176 Area 2, vicinity of Cox Bed, Mitchell Point Reef, off Chocolate Bay, ofl Port Lavaca. Fish Hawk 1.0130 Apr. 1-9 1.0173 Area 2, vicinity of Rhodes Point Reef, off Port Lavaca, entrance Chocolate Bay. Fish Hawk do 1. 0140 Apr. 10-15 . do 1.0168 Area 2, vicinity of Mitchell Point Reef, south of Chicken Reef, Lap Reef. Fish Hawk 1.0116 Apr. 16-May 2 do 1.0169 Areas, off Lavaca River, Hoppe Lump, Benado Creek. 1.0120 From this table it will be observed that while there was the usual seasonal increase in the temperature during the progress of the investigation, there was no material change in the saltness of the water at the mouth of the bay, nor, probably, in the other regions. There was, however, a progressive decrease in the salinity of the water from the mouth of the bay to its head, a condition to be ex- pected from the fact that the fresh water is all discharged in the upper part of the bay. At no time during the survey did the saltness fall below that which oysters will tolerate indefinitely, and at no time was it below the most desirable degree of salinity, with the exception of a short period in the first half of April. It is probable, however, that during times of prolonged rainfall some of the oysters in the upper part of the bay may be kUled or injured by excessively fresh water. OYSTllE BOTTOMS OF LAVACA BAY, TEX. 41 OYSTER ENEMIES. Comparatively few oyster enemies were observed during the sur- vey and there was but little evidence of any considerable destruction of oysters through their agency. Probably more oysters are de- stroyed by mud, or through being overgrown and smothered by their own kind, than are killed by other marine animals. - Drills or conchs. — There occur in Lavaca Bay two species of these marine snails, known to zoologists as Thais Jisemastoma yqi. jioridana and Busy con perversum, the former being the more common • and larger species, one specimen taken measuring over 4 inches in length. Not over two or three dozen of both kinds were found during the survey and practically no oysters killed by them were found. These drills are essentially salt-water animals and are confined to the lower part of the bay. It is commonly supposed by oystermen that they secrete an acid by which they perforate the oyster shells by solution, but in reahty the holes are made mechanically by means of a rasp-hke tongue which can be protuded from the mouth. Mussels (Mytilus Tiamalus). — The mussels found on the oyster beds must not be confused with either the large edible sea mussel of the Atlantic coast or the fresh-water mussel, which is used for button making. So far as is known this species has no present economic use, although doubtless it would make a good fertilizer. Mussels were found very sparingly on the beds of the lower half of the bay and none at all were observed below a line uniting Gallinipper and Rhodes Points. From Chicken and Lap Reefs northward they became more abundant, and on some beds 100 or more were found within an area of 2 or 3 square yards. This increased abundance is correlated with the lowered salinity of the water, this mussel being an inhabitant of brackish waters. Although this moUusk is classed as an oyster enemy, it is not one in the sense of preying on the more valu- able shellfish. It is injurious in that it eats the same kind of food as the oyster, and therefore lessens the supply for the latter, while at the same time its more prohfic growth enables it to cover the latter, inter- fere with its growth and eventually to stifle and starve it. DrumfisTi {Pogonias cromis). — The black drum was not observed during the survey, nor was it learned that it had ever caused destruc- tion in LaVaca Bay. It is mentioned here because it is likely to appear suddenly on any part of the coast and at such times it is often very destructive, particularly to the planted oysters of better quahty. Owing to the clustered growth and sharp edges of the oysters the natural beds of Lavaca Bay are not likely to be seriouslj^ injured by this fish. Minor enemies and pests. — The yellow sponge, which overgrows the oysters and produces the ''worm-eaten" condition of the shells, barnacles which crowd the oysters and roughen the shells, and the 42 OYSTER BOTTOMS OP LAVACA BAY^ TEX. little boring clam, Martesia, which burrows its oval chamber in the shells, are all more or less nuisances, and therefore objectionable, but they do comparatively little harm in Lavaca Bay. SPAWNING. The conditions of spawning probably do not differ from those generally obtaining on the Gulf coast, and it is, therefore, not nec- essary to discuss the subject at any length. It will suffice to repeat what has been said in a previous report.*^ The spawning of oysters consists, in brief, of the discharge of eggs from the female and spermatozoa from the male to meet and fuse in the surrounding water. The fertilized eggs develop into minute embryos, each furnished with a little brush of cilia or hairhke pro- cesses which vibrate in rhythm and propel it feebly through the water. After a time Varying with the temperature of the water the embryos develop a tiny shell, which by its weight eventually precipitates them to the bottom, where, if they fall upon a suitable, clean, firm, support, they attach and grow into spat, but if not they speedily die. As their own powers of locomotion are inconsiderable, the wide dis- tribution of the young oysters in their swimming stage is dependent upon the currents. Oysters in the spawning condition are of a peculiar creamy color, with branching lines traced over the surfaces of the body. When they are cut the ripe genital products at once exude from the wound, but if the shell be opened carefully and a gentle pressure exerted upon the body they will be discharged from a definite opening Ij'ing below the muscle (usually called by the oystermen the ''eye" or ''heart") which extends between the two valves. This is the pore from which they flow in the normal process. Ripe oysters in the language of the oystermen are aptly described as "milky." Spawning takes place, in the main, during spring and summer, in any given region extending over a period of some months, depending upon the latitude and the chmate. On the Gulf coast I have found during almost every month oysters which were apparently ripe, and from which there were obtained eggs which readily separated in the water and had every appearance of maturity. Whether such eggs would be extruded during the winter under natural conditions is doubtful, and if they were it is practicallj' certain that they would not develop, as the experience of all investigators has shown that development is inhibited if the temperature of the water drops materially below 70°. In Lavaca Bay the critical temperature is not permanently passed until about May, and the major part of the spawning undoubtedly takes place between May 1 and October 1. a Oyster bottoms in Matagorda Bay. By H.F.Moore. Bureau of Fisheries Document no. 610. 1905. OYSTEB BOTTOMS OF LAVACA BAY, TEX. 43 OYSTER CULTURE. One of the primary purposes of the survey was to determine the reasons for the unsatisfactory results heretofore attained in oyster culture in the bay and to suggest measures to alleviate the difficulties enumerated. The reasons are apparent, the principal if not the sole difficulty being that the bay is already much overstocked with oysters on the natural reefs. In summarizing the conditions on the oyster beds it has been shown that they bear, as a whole, an average of nearly 1,000 bushels of oysters per acre, about equally divided between small and market stock. The beds are also unusually extensive as compared with the barren bottoms, and this, in connection with their productiveness, produces a condition of overpopulation such as the Bureau has not encountered in any other region of even approximately such large extent. The survey showed that for each acre of Lavaca Bay's area of about 60 square miles there were upward of 165 bushels of oysters, large and small. In some localities this would be regarded as a good average productiveness of the beds themselves, which would be surrounded by large areas of barren bottom serving as food reservoirs. The important effects of this overpopulation of the waters are two- fold. In the first place any circumscribed bay or estuary can produce but a more or less definite maximum quantity of oyster food, and, theoretically at least, there will be a definite limited quantity available for each oyster living therein. As a fact, some of the oysters, by virtue of their more favorable location on the bottom, will probably get much more than their fellows, but if there be four or five times as many oysters as there should be, few or none will get enough to eat and all, or practically all, will be poor and of little value in the markets. Under the conditions prevailing in Lavaca Bay this will obtain not only with the oysters on the densely crowded beds, but also to a slightly reduced extent with such oysters as may be laid down on the barren bottoms. The food of the oyster consists of minute plants and finely divided organic matter generally, and as it is water-borne, carried from place to place by the currents, the ex- cessive consumption of food in one place must make itself felt in other places more or less remote. The second effect of the prodigious population of the natural beds on planted oysters is that the latter become overburdened and even- tually overgrown with young oysters; 6,500,000 bushels of oysters in the circumscribed limits of Lavaca Bay must produce spawn in such volume that at the height of the season there are hundreds of oyster embryos in each quart of water. As the region is not subject to the cold rains and sudden chUling of the water which is so destructive to 44 OYSTEE BOTTOMS OF LAVACA BAY, TEX. fry near the northern Hmit of the oyster's range, and as there are no unusual enemies to the tiny free-swimming embryos, they pass through their development in vast numbers and set on every available suitable body exposed to the water, the shells of the planted stock being no exception. Under such conditions, however carefully the seed may have been culled into singles and small clusters, each becomes a center of attach- ment for new growth, and there is soon produced a bunch of oysters, none of which has room to grow into good shape, as a planted oyster should in order to bring the price necessary to pay for the expense of planting. Not only are the oysters so produced inferior in shape, but they are invariably poor in quality, as the conditions under which they grow are such that they are unable to get the proper amount of nutriment for the same reasons causing the impoverishment of the food supply of oysters on the natural beds. The difficulties recounted appear to be insuperable under the con- ditions at present obtaining. In places where currents slacken and silt deposits the difficulty with the set on the old oysters would be somewhat reduced but not overcome, for the rapid production of new shell characteristic of the region would continually supply clean ma- terial on which the spat could settle. Moreover, in such locations the poverty of food would almost invariably be accentuated. Under the circumstances the best thing which could happen to the oyster fishery would be the very material or even drastic depletion of every oyster bed in the bay. If they contained one-fifth or, perhaps better, one-tenth of their present content, they would produce more marketable oysters than they do at present. According to the data adduced in this report, they contained in the season 1912-13 about eight times the quantity of large oysters which were marketed from the beds of the entire State in the preceding year and a corresponding surplus of young oysters. Here is a case in which the principles of true conservation demand destruction rather than preservation, and cull laws and other measures designed to protect the natural beds would work harm rather than good. Some efficient oyster enemies would be a blessing, provided, of course, that their ravages could be repressed at the critical time when their work had progressed to the proper point. As has been pointed out in several places in this report, the con- ditions are unusual and the only practical suggestion which the authors have to ojffer is that those desiring to engage in oyster culture take the oysters from the reefs without regard to size, break up the clusters and plant them in some other region where oysters are not abundant. Possibly the more open waters of Matagorda Bay might be utilized for this purpose, but we are not informed as to the suita- OYSTER BOTTOMS OF LAVACA BAY, TEX. 45 biJity of the bottoms there, and there may be difficulties due to other conditions. In any event, we do not recommend oyster culture in Lavaca Bay so long as the present dense oyster population is maintained. RESUME, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS. The following is a synopsis of the results of the survey detailed in the foregoing report, with the conclusions and recommendations based on them : 1. The survey covered the entire area of Lavaca Bay, approxi- mately 38,103 acres, or nearly 60 square miles. 2. The area covered by oyster beds was found to be 6,853 acres, about 18 per cent of the entire bay. Of this, about 6,571 acres, or 96 per cent, bore oysters in sufficient quantity to make tonging profit- able, provided a market could be found for the product. 3. It is estimated that during the winter 1912-13 the content of these beds was 3,296,881 bushels of oysters over 3 inches long and 3,125,852 bushels of smaller ones. .4. Although the quantities of the two classes of oysters were ap- proximately equal, the small oysters were in considerable numerical preponderance. There is, therefore, no reason to believe that there is imminent any decrease in the present population of the beds ex- cept as the result of the operation of wholly unforeseen agencies, such as extraordinary freshets or the inroads of hosts of oyster enemies. 5, The beds are, at present, greatly overpopulated, and this, in connection with their great extent in comparison with the area of the bay, mihtates against the production of high-grade oysters in any considerable quantities. The oyster industry would be bene- fited if the oyster population in the bay could be reduced from one- fifth to one-tenth of its present size. For this reason it is recom- mended that cuU laws and other usual measures to preserve the oysters on the natural beds be repealed or otherwise suspended until such time as the content of the beds shall be materially reduced. 6. While there is considerable bottom in Lavaca Bay suitable for oyster culture, it is not believed that the industry can be profitably pursued until the content of the natural beds is greatly reduced. Under present conditions the supply of food is insufficient for the proper feeding of the oyster population, and the purposes of oyster culture, the production of a superior oyster, can not be achieved. The enormous fecundity of the beds, furthermore, makes it difficult or impossible to grow oysters of fine shape. Possibly seed oysters taken from the reefs could be planted to advantage in Matagorda Bay, but lack of information as to the general conditions of that body of water causes the suggestion to be made with some hesitancy, O U. S. B. F.— Doc. 809. Plate I. PLANTED OYSTERS, UPPER BAY, WITH MUSSELS AND BARNACLES. (Natural size.) U.S. B. F.-Doc. 809. Plate II. CLUSTER OF NINE MARKETABLE OYSTERS FROM OLD TOWN BED. (Three-fifths natural size.) U. S. B. F.— Doc. 809. Plate III. i>. *^ 1. YOUNG DRILL (THAIS H/EMASTOMA VAR. FLORIDANA). (Natural size.) 2. ADULT DRILL (THAIS H/EMASTOMA VAR. FLORIDANA) (Natural size.) U. S. B. F.— Doc. 809. Plate iV. OYSTER FROM CHAIN BEDS. (Natural size.) U. S. B, F — Doc. 809. Plate V. ■SNAPPER" FROM LAP REEF. (Natural size.)