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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND 
 BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
 
 GEORGE M. BOWERS, Com^Mtche* 
 
 OTTION AND EXTENT OF THE NATURAL 
 OYSTER BEDS AND BARREN BOTTOMS OF 
 MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALABAMA 
 
 By H* F. Moore 
 
 Assistant in Charge pf Scientific Inquiry 
 
 Bureau -of Fisheries Documeot No* 769 
 
 WASHINGTON 
 GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 
 
 1913 
 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND LABOR 
 
 BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
 
 GEORGE M. BOWERS, Commissioner 
 
 CONDITION AND EXTENT OF THE NATURAL 
 
 OYSTER BEDS AND BARREN BOTTOMS OF 
 
 MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALABAMA 
 
 By H. F. Moore 
 
 Assistant in Charge of Scientific Inquiry 
 
 Bureau of Fisheries Document No. 769 
 
 WASHINGTON 
 
 GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 
 
 1913 
 
<b 
 
 ^ 
 
 •\ 
 
 
 D. OF D, 
 IAR 18 1913 
 
CONDITION AND EXTENT OF THE NATURAL OYSTER 
 
 BEDS AND BARREN BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI 
 
 SOUND, ALABAMA 
 
 By H. F. Moore 
 
 Assistant in Charge of Scientific Inquiry 
 
 Bureau of Fisheries Document No. 769 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Page. 
 
 Introduction 5 
 
 Methods of the survey <5 
 
 Description of the natural beds : 
 
 King's Bayou Reef 12 
 
 Buoy Reef 13 
 
 Cedar Point Reef 15 
 
 Pass des Huitres 17 
 
 Pass des Huitres Flats _ IS 
 
 Dutch Gully 19 
 
 West side of Dutch Island .- 20 
 
 Big Gully '. . 21 
 
 Peter Billy's Gully 22 
 
 Grants Pass 23 
 
 Pass aux Herons 25 
 
 Redfish Gully. ! 27 
 
 Black Lumps 28 
 
 West side of Little Dauphin Island 29 
 
 Mussel Gully - 29 
 
 Sand Reef 30 
 
 Dauphin Island Bay 31 
 
 Sprinkels Bay ' 33 
 
 Collier Bay 34 
 
 Off East Base signal 34 
 
 Half-Moon Patches 35 
 
 Heron Bay; east side 35 
 
 Heron Bay, west side : 36 
 
 Heron Bay, northwest arm 37 
 
 Middle Ground, Fowl River Bay 38 
 
 Grassy Island 38 
 
 Goose Bayou 39 
 
 Southwest of Van signal '. 40 
 
 East side of Marsh Island 40 
 
 Portersville, State-planted bed 41 
 
 Portersville Bay, north end 41 
 
 West side of Coffee Island 42 
 
 The beds in summary 42 
 
 Barren bottoms 48 
 
 Near Half-Moon Patches 49 
 
 Heron Bay 50 
 
 Portersville Bay (including Fowl River Bay) 50 
 
 Mississippi Sound, south of Portersville Bay 50 
 
 West of Coffee Island - - - 50 
 
 North end of Coffee Island 50 
 
 Grand Bay 51 
 
 South of Grand Bay 51 
 
 3 
 
4 CONTENTS. 
 
 General physical and biological conditions: Page. 
 
 Tides and currents 51 
 
 Salinity of the water 52 
 
 Oyster food 53 
 
 Oyster enemies 54 
 
 Spawning 56 
 
 Oyster culture 57 
 
 Resume, conclusions, and recommendations 58 
 
 Description of chart 61 
 
CONDITION AND EXTENT OF THE NATURAL OYSTER BEDS AND 
 BARREN BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 
 By H. F. Moore, 
 
 Assistant in Charge of Scientific Inquiry. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 At the request of the Alabama Oyster Commission, through its 
 president, Mr. John Craft, and on the representations of the several 
 Senators and Representatives in Congress from that State, the Bureau 
 in February, 1910, made a preliminary examination of the oyster- 
 producing regions of Mobile Bay and Mississippi Sound. It ap- 
 peared from this examination that the oyster interests were of suffi- 
 cient present and prospective importance to warrant a survey and 
 report on the productive and barren bottoms of Mississippi Sound. 
 
 The triangulation of the region was begun by the Coast and Geo- 
 detic Survey, under an arrangement for cooperation between the two 
 bureaus, during the summer of 1910, and was maintained so far in 
 advance of the requirements of the biological and hydrographic work 
 of the Bureau of Fisheries that the latter never suffered a moment's 
 delay for lack of triangulation points. 
 
 Although the work performed by the Coast and Geodetic Survey 
 in connection with this investigation is of a character not requiring 
 treatment in the text of this report, the State authorities charged 
 with the administration of the oyster laws should appreciate it as 
 that part of the results which has the most enduring value. The 
 accurately determined and substantially marked stations furnish to 
 the State an invaluable and permanent basis for the survey and 
 delimitation of leaseholds of barren bottom for purposes of oyster 
 culture, and if properly used will enable Alabama to avoid the em- 
 barrassment and litigation which elsewhere have been consequent on 
 faulty surveys and descriptions. No survey not properly based in 
 and referred to this triangulation should be countenanced in oyster 
 leases granted by the State. 
 
 The biological and hydrographic survey, which was conducted by 
 the Bureau of Fisheries, began about the middle of November, 1910, 
 when the steamer Fish Hawk arrived in Mobile Bay, and it was con- 
 cluded in May, 1911, part of the interim being employed in a similar 
 survey in Mississippi waters. The purpose of the survey was the 
 
 5 
 
6 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 
 accurate determination of the location, extent, and condition of the 
 natural oyster beds and the examination of the barren bottoms hi 
 relation to their adaptability to oyster culture. 
 
 No oyster survey of the region covered by this report had been 
 made previously, although the important beds adjacent to Grant's 
 Pass had been the subject of reconnoissance in 1894.° 
 
 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, 6 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 shore signals. These data were furnished 
 by the United 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 bot- 
 tom 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 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 sound- 
 ing — that is, whether they showed barren bottom or dense, scat- 
 tering, or very scattering growths of oysters. 
 
 With the boat running at 3 miles per hour the soundings were 
 between 80 and 90 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 Report of a reconnoissance of the oyster beds of Mobile Bay and Mississippi Sound, Ala., by Homer P. 
 Ritter, assistant, United States Coast and Geodetic Survey. Published in Bulletin United States Fish 
 Commission, vol. XV, 1895, p. 325-329, pi. 56-63. 
 
 '6 Moore, H. F. : Condition and extent of the oyster beds of James River, Va. Bureau of Fisheries Doc- 
 ument No. 729. 
 
OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 7 
 
 a continuous indication of the character of the bottom, but the record 
 was made at the regular 15-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 
 particulars. Whenever, in the opinion of the officer 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, sepa- 
 rated 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 Commerce and Labor, 
 bureau of fisheries. 
 
 Field record of examinations of oyster beds. 
 
 General locality, Mississippi Sound, Ala. 
 
 Local name of oyster ground, Pass des Huitres. 
 
 Date, December 29, 1910. Time, 1.05 p. m. 
 
 Angle, C 193-C 194. Buoy No. 2. 
 
 Depth, 3 feet. Bottom, Hard. 
 
 Condition of water, Clear. 
 
 Density, 1.015. Temperature, 58° F. 
 
 Current, Stage of tide, Flood. 
 
 Tongman, Bryant. 
 
 No. grabs made, 6. To'ngs, 10 feet. 
 
 Total area covered, 2.4 sq. yds. 
 
 M -. +1 (— 1 in., 6. 1 in.-3 in., 119. 
 
 No. oysters taken^ '. . ' 
 
 I3m.-4in., S3. 4 m., 0. 
 Quantity shells, 0. 
 
 I Spat per square yard, 2.5. 
 Culls per square yard, 45.4. 
 Counts per square yard, 13.7. 
 
8 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 
 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 estimate 
 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 
 775 observations were made at various places, principally on the nat- 
 ural rocks, but some on the barren bottoms also. 
 
 In estimating the productiveness of the bottoms it appeared desir- 
 able to use the method employed in Delaware Bay a 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 deep 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. 
 
 The classification adopted in this report is as follows: 
 
 Depleted bottom Less than 25 bushels per acre. 
 
 Very scattering growth Between 25 and 75 bushels per acre. 
 
 Scattering growth Between 75 and 150 bushels per acre. 
 
 Dense growth Over 150 bushels per acre. 
 
 In this classification no oysters less than 3 inches in length are 
 considered, as the rating is made solely in respect to what are assumed 
 to be marketable. It may therefore occur that bottom covered by 
 an enormous growth of small oysters may be regarded, both in the 
 text and on the chart, as depleted on account of the few large oysters 
 which it bears. A reference to the tables which accompany the 
 description of each bed will show cases of this kind. "Depleted 
 bottom" is in a measure an unfortunate term, as it implies that it 
 has retrograded in productiveness, whereas in reality in many cases 
 it may be barren bottom gradually changing to productive. The 
 term is employed to designate a definite present condition without 
 regard to the past, and is retained despite its false implication, 
 because no better has been suggested. 
 
 « 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 MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 9 
 
 Under the biological and economic conditions obtaining in Missis- 
 sippi Sound in 1910-11, the bottom rated as bearing a scattering 
 growth, on which there are more than 75 bushels of marketable 
 oysters per acre, is regarded as the least productive bottom capable 
 of furnishing a livelihood to the tongers. Some of the very scattering 
 growth may be capable of supporting a fishery for market, but most 
 of it is not. On the other hand, some of the dense growth is of a 
 character to make it practically worthless for market purposes, and 
 while the oysters are abundant enough, the economic conditions are 
 not such as to warrant tonging. 
 
 The barren bottom, which constitutes by far the greater part of 
 the area covered by the survey, was examined principally with respect 
 to the character, stability, and fixity of its constituent materials. 
 This part of the investigation was more thorough and accurate than 
 in any previously conducted, principally through the use of a mud- 
 sounding machine devised by the writer several years ago. In 
 previous surveys the character of the bottom has been determined 
 by the indications of the sounding lead and pole, which are largely 
 matters of opinion and will not correspond with any accuracy in the 
 hands of different persons. To overcome this difficulty the Bureau 
 now employs the instrument figured on next page. It consists of a 
 large annular bottom (P), from which rises a tripod (T, T) supporting 
 two castings (C and C). Passing freely through shaped orifices in 
 the castings is a steel rod (R) 46 ^ inches long, provided with a rack 
 and a plunger head (H) 3 inches long and £ inch in diameter. Linked 
 to the underside of the lower casting is a pawl (X) connected to the 
 sliding weight (W), which, when at rest, engages with the rack in 
 such manner as to prevent the fall of the rod. 
 
 To use the instrument, a pole of sufficient length is inserted in the 
 eyes at the side of the castings. The rod is raised as far as it will go 
 and is automatically locked in position by the rack and pawl. The 
 instrument is then lowered until it rests on the bottom and the rod is 
 released by pulling on a line attached to an eye at the upper end of 
 the weight. As the plunger always falls through the same distance, 
 it strikes the bottom with a uniform impact, and the depth of its 
 penetration is a comparative measure of the consistency of the 
 bottom. 
 
 In practice, the instrument is used from an anchored boat, and to 
 secure a representative reading from 6 to 10 tests are made close 
 together. Any markedly aberrant readings are eliminated, on the 
 assumption that the plunger has either come into contact with an 
 accidental obstruction, such as a shell, or has fallen into a crabhole 
 or other minor cavity. The average of the remaining depths of 
 penetration, read off in inches in a scale stamped on the rod, is 
 
10 
 
 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 
 SECTION A-A. 
 
 Mud sounding machine used to determine character of oyster bottom. 
 
OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOT7XD, ALA. 11 
 
 regarded as the index of the bottom consistency. The following 
 arbitrary scale is adopted in this report. 
 
 Hard bottom 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. 
 
 On the accompanying chart the consistency of the bottom is indi- 
 cated by symbols which are more readily read than lettering — a 
 black circle indicating hard bottom; a black semicircle, stiff mud; a 
 black quadrant, soft mud; a circle containing two crossing diameters, 
 very soft mud; and a circle with one diameter, ooze. Bottom falling 
 within the first two classes, provided it be not shifting sand, is firm 
 enough for oyster planting; the harder the bottom the more thickly 
 the oysters may be planted without danger of becoming engulfed. 
 Soft bottom should be used with care, and toward its upper limits 
 may reouire preliminary hardening with sand or shells. Very soft 
 bottom and ooze should not be considered. The instrument described 
 has been given a thorough test and has shown itself to be satisfactory 
 for the purpose of oyster surveys. Its readings are reliable where 
 the consistency of the bottom is fairly uniform in the stratum pene- 
 trated, but there is likely to be an error of interpretation in the case 
 of a hard sand or shell bottom overlaid by several inches of soft mud. 
 Such cases are readily detectable, however, by probing with a pole, 
 as is always done where the instrument is used. 
 
 In the prosecution of the work previously described, 357.1 miles of 
 soundings were run and the chain was dragged over the bottom for 
 the same distance, 16,960 soundings were made, and 3,340 angles for 
 position of the boat were taken. Oysters were tonged, counted, and 
 measured, and other biological observations made at 464 stations, 
 and the consistency of the bottom was tested at 311 places exclusive 
 of those on the oyster beds, a total of 775 places at which the bottom 
 was examined. The survey covered a total area of 93,000 acres, of 
 which 4,000 acres were oyster beds in which the sounding lines were 
 closer together and the examinations made in more detail than on 
 the barren bottoms. 
 
 The account of the oyster beds which follows proceeds from a 
 detailed description of the several beds, with the data of all productive 
 observations, to a consideration of the region as a whole and the 
 requirements for its economic development. 
 
12 
 
 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE NATURAL BEDS. 
 
 KINGS BAYOU REEF. 
 
 The name Kings Bayou Reef was somewhat doubtfully applied 
 by the pilot to an oyster bed lying about 5 miles northeast of the end of 
 Cedar Point. It is about lj miles long and \ mile wide, its greater 
 dimension being east and west, beginning 1 mile offshore in about 3 
 feet of water. This is an old reef, and, like the others in this part of 
 Mobile Bay, it is built up in places several feet above the general 
 level of the bottom. At its outer or offshore end the water shoals 
 abruptly from 10 feet on the mud bottom to 6| feet on the reef. 
 
 The extent and character of the oyster growth on this bed are 
 shown in the following table: 
 
 Oyster Growth on Kings Bayou Reef. 
 
 
 Area. 
 
 Oysters per acre. 
 
 Estimated content of oysters. 
 
 Character of oyster growth. 
 
 Under 3 
 inches. 
 
 Over 3 
 inches. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Dense 
 
 Acres. 
 39 
 40 
 3 
 
 Bushels. 
 296 
 205 
 
 108 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 234 
 
 91 
 
 6 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 11,544 
 
 8,200 
 
 324 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 9,126 
 
 3,640 
 
 18 
 
 Bushels. 
 20, 670 
 11,840 
 
 Depleted 
 
 342 
 
 Total 
 
 82 
 
 
 
 20, 068 
 
 12, 784 
 
 32,852 
 
 
 
 
 The dense area is hook-shaped in outline and extends along the 
 entire 'northern and western edges of the reef, with a brief gap near 
 its middle, and it is probable that the reef consisted formerly of two 
 dense areas separated by soft mud. The oysters are mostly in 
 clusters of 8 or 9, often with very many small spat. The large oysters 
 are long, oval, and thin edged. Very little debris was taken in the 
 tongings. 
 
 The very scattering growths cover a compact area on the south side 
 of the bed and extending between the two limbs of the dense area. 
 On this part of the bed the depth varies from about 7£ to 10 feet, 
 indicating that it is of more recent development than the denser parts. 
 There is yet no considerable accumulation of shells. While the 
 quantity of large oysters per acre is but about 40 per cent of the 
 number found on the area of dense growth, small oysters are nearly as 
 abundant, ranging in places between 91 and 496 bushels per acre. 
 
 The depleted area is a small patch separating the two areas of 
 dense growth above alluded to. While large oysters are scarce, there 
 is a considerable quantity of young growth. 
 
 The details of examination of Kings Bayou Reef follows. 
 
OYSTEE BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 Details of Examination of Kings Bayou Reef. 
 
 13 
 
 Angle 
 No. 
 
 Date of 
 examination. 
 
 Depth 
 of 
 
 water. 
 
 Character of growth 
 
 Oysters caught per 
 square yard. 
 
 Estimated quantity oys- 
 ters per acre. 
 
 
 Spat. 
 
 Culls. 
 
 Counts. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 1 
 
 Nov. 21, 1910 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 Nov. 22,1910 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 Nov. 21,1910 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 Feet. 
 9.00 
 9.00 
 9.00 
 
 10.00 
 7.00 
 6.50 
 5.50 
 3.50 
 6.00 
 
 10.00 
 7.00 
 8.00 
 6.50 
 6.00 
 6.00 
 7.00 
 8.50 
 
 
 6.5 
 2.5 
 4.5 
 31.2 
 22.3 
 9.5 
 10.0 
 14.7 
 11.1 
 7.4 
 9.1 
 4.7 
 21.1 
 14.0 
 6.7 
 8.4 
 8.1 
 
 35.5 
 12.5 
 17.5 
 64.2 
 38.0 
 24.5 
 11.1 
 32.2 
 32.7 
 9.0 
 19.8 
 18.1 
 49.8 
 11.5 
 6.3 
 1.4 
 12.9 
 
 11.0 
 
 12.0 
 
 6.0 
 
 43.2 
 
 13.1 
 
 18.0 
 
 9.0 
 
 9.1 
 
 10.0 
 
 4.5 
 
 3.3 
 
 3.4 
 
 18.0 
 
 1.6 
 
 3.5 
 
 .0 
 
 .8 
 
 Bush. 
 294 
 105 
 154 
 672 
 422 
 238 
 148 
 328 
 307 
 115 
 202 
 151 
 496 
 178 
 91 
 69 
 147 
 
 Bush. 
 
 176 
 
 192 
 
 96 
 
 691 
 
 209 
 
 288 
 
 144 
 
 146 
 
 160 
 
 72 
 
 53 
 
 54 
 
 288 
 
 26 
 
 56 
 
 
 
 13 
 
 Bush. 
 470 
 
 2 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 
 14 
 
 5 
 
 63 
 
 64 
 
 65 
 
 3 
 
 6 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 11 
 
 12 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 Very scattering 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 ....do 
 
 
 297 
 250 
 1,363 
 631 
 526 
 292 
 474 
 467 
 187 
 255 
 205 
 784 
 204 
 147 
 
 13 
 
 
 
 €9 
 
 4 
 
 do 
 
 
 160 
 
 BUOY REEF. 
 
 This reef, as defined in the present report, consists of a number 
 of detached bodies of oysters varying from 1 to upward of 100 acres 
 each. The name is apparently somewhat indefinitely applied, but 
 is used here to designate the series of beds beginning with that lying 
 south of the wreck buoy off Cedar Point and stretching northward 
 for a distance of about If miles. This apparently includes all or part 
 of what Ritter describes as Birmingham Reef. The large area lying 
 south of the buoy is connected with Cedar Point Reef by an area of 
 very scattering growth which doubtless marks an original line of 
 separation between the two, over which oysters have been spread by 
 the operation of dredges. In general all of these beds have sharply 
 defined borders, rising abruptly a foot or two above the surrounding 
 muddy bottom. They are resorted to principally by dredgers to 
 whose use they are set apart by law. The oysters are in clusters. 
 
 The distribution of« oysters according to density of growth is 
 shown in the following table : 
 
 Oyster Growth on Buoy Reef. 
 
 
 Area. 
 
 Oysters per acre. 
 
 Estimated content of oysters. 
 
 Character of oyster growth. 
 
 Under 3 
 inches. 
 
 Over o 
 inches. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 
 Acres. 
 
 202 
 
 34 
 
 19 
 
 12 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 209 
 
 165 
 
 76 
 
 29 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 324 
 
 108 
 
 62 
 
 4 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 42, 218 
 
 5,610 
 
 1,444 
 
 348 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 65,448 
 
 3,672 
 
 1,178 
 
 48 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 107, 666 
 
 9,282 
 
 2,622 
 
 
 
 Depleted 
 
 396 
 
 Total 
 
 267 
 
 
 
 49, 620 
 
 70,346 
 
 119,966 
 
 
 
 
 
14 
 
 OYSTEE BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 
 The dense growth covers about 75 per cent of the total area, and 
 either constitutes the entirety of the several beds or forms a center 
 fringed by less dense areas, as shown in the chart. 
 
 The oysters are in clusters containing a fair proportion of large 
 individuals. In the areas of dense growth, the market oysters exceed, 
 numerically and in volume, the young under 3 inches in length, but 
 on the less densely populated parts of the beds young oysters prepon- 
 derate over the old ones. The depth of water over the areas of dense 
 growth varies from 6 to 8 J feet and on the adjacent less dense parts 
 of the beds it is usually a foot or two deeper. 
 
 A few drills were found here and some dead oysters, but in general 
 the beds seem to be in good condition and capable of producing a 
 good supply of oysters of indifferent quality. The market oysters 
 on this and Kings Bayou and Cedar Point Reefs ran about 300 to 
 the bushel, and it required over 700 of the small oysters under 3 
 inches in length to fill the same measure. 
 
 The following examinations were made : 
 
 Details of Examination of Buoy Reef. 
 
 Angle 
 No. 
 
 27 
 29 
 30 
 31 
 51 
 57 
 58 
 62 
 90 
 91 
 92 
 94 
 95 
 100 
 101 
 102 
 106 
 24 
 25 
 26 
 105 
 21 
 22 
 23 
 104 
 103 
 20 
 18 
 
 Date of 
 
 
 Depth 
 of 
 
 water. 
 
 examination. 
 
 
 Feet. 
 
 Nov. 21,1910 
 
 9.50 
 
 do 
 
 9.00 
 
 do 
 
 
 8.00 
 
 .....do 
 
 
 8.00 
 
 do 
 
 
 7.00 
 
 do 
 
 
 10.50 
 
 do 
 
 
 10.00 
 
 do 
 
 
 10.00 
 
 do 
 
 
 10.00 
 
 do 
 
 
 8.00 
 
 Nov. 22,1910 
 
 8.50 
 
 Nov. 21, 1910 
 
 8.00 
 
 do 
 
 7.00 
 
 Nov. 22,1910 
 
 9.50 
 
 do 
 
 8.00 
 
 do 
 
 8.00 
 
 Nov. 21, 1910 
 
 7.50 
 
 do 
 
 8.00 
 
 do 
 
 8.00 
 
 do 
 
 9.00 
 
 do 
 
 7.00 
 
 do 
 
 10.00 
 
 do 
 
 8.00 
 
 do 
 
 9.00 
 
 Nov. 22,1910 
 
 8.00 
 
 do 
 
 9.50 
 
 do 
 
 8.00 
 
 do 
 
 9.00 
 
 do 
 
 10.00 
 
 do 
 
 9.50 
 
 do 
 
 8.50 
 
 do 
 
 9.50 
 
 do 
 
 7.50 
 
 Nov. 21,1910 
 
 6.50 
 
 do 
 
 6.00 
 
 do 
 
 9.00 
 
 Nov. 22, 1910 
 
 6.50 
 
 Nov. 21,1910 
 
 9.00 
 
 do 
 
 8.00 
 
 do 
 
 9.00 
 
 Nov. 22, 1910 
 
 8.00 
 
 do 
 
 8.50 
 
 Nov. 21,1910 
 
 8.00 
 
 do 
 
 
 9.00 
 
 Character of growth 
 
 Dense. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 ....do. 
 ....do. 
 ....do. 
 ....do. 
 ....do. 
 ....do. 
 ....do. 
 ....do. 
 ....do. 
 
 do. 
 
 ....do. 
 ....do. 
 ....do. 
 ....do. 
 ....do. 
 ....do. 
 
 Oysters caught per 
 square yard. 
 
 Spat. 
 
 14.2 
 
 10.5 
 
 21 5 
 
 5.2 
 
 11.5 
 
 11.7 
 
 2.8 
 
 7.2 
 
 25.0 
 
 7.4 
 
 7.7 
 
 12.6 
 
 8.1 
 
 .0 
 
 .8 
 
 8.3 
 
 2.8 
 
 10.0 
 
 10.9 
 
 6.5 
 
 1.1 
 
 7.8 
 
 8.2 
 
 12.0 
 
 2.6 
 
 10.0 
 
 18.3 
 
 .0 
 
 4.5 
 
 1.0 
 
 10.0 
 
 14.7 
 
 15.6 
 
 15.0 
 
 5.1 
 
 5.0 
 
 5.5 
 
 .0 
 
 3.0 
 
 4.0 
 
 .0 
 
 5.9 
 
 .4 
 
 7.5 
 
 Culls. 
 
 11.5 
 66.5 
 19.0 
 21.7 
 37.8 
 31.0 
 27.8 
 21.1 
 19.4 
 20.0 
 16.3 
 24.0 
 42.3 
 15.2 
 13.5 
 24.3 
 28.5 
 32.5 
 10.9 
 13.0 
 14.5 
 20.4 
 19.6 
 22.5 
 27.8 
 11.6 
 16.1 
 24.5 
 8.9 
 3.2 
 17.7 
 18.4 
 22.8 
 61.0 
 29.0 
 47.5 
 14.2 
 7.5 
 45.0 
 8.0 
 9.6 
 11.8 
 17.0 
 30.5 
 
 Counts. 
 
 13.0 
 34.5 
 11.7 
 17.4 
 19.2 
 22.8 
 15.0 
 13.9 
 27.3 
 13.5 
 39.0 
 24.0 
 36.7 
 22.6 
 16.1 
 20.4 
 25.0 
 17.5 
 
 7.8 
 18.0 
 13.7 
 11.1 
 
 8.2 
 13.0 
 35.7 
 19.5 
 34.8 
 
 6.5 
 12.8 
 17.9 
 30.4 
 15.2 
 22.8 
 27.0 
 31.0 
 22.0 
 33.4 
 12.0 
 29.5 
 12.5 
 32.6 
 12.7 
 14.0 
 34.0 
 
 Estimated quantity oys- 
 ters per acre. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Bush. 
 180 
 540 
 284 
 188 
 345 
 299 
 214 
 198 
 311 
 192 
 168 
 256 
 354 
 106 
 100 
 228 
 219 
 298 
 153 
 136 
 109 
 197 
 195 
 242 
 213 
 151 
 241 
 172 
 94 
 29 
 194 
 232 
 269 
 533 
 238 
 307 
 138 
 52 
 336 
 84 
 67 
 124 
 123 
 266 
 
 Market. 
 
 Bush. 
 208 
 554 
 187 
 278 
 307 
 365 
 240 
 222 
 437 
 216- 
 625 
 384 
 586 
 362 
 257 
 327 
 400 
 280 
 125 
 288 
 219 
 178 
 131 
 208 
 571 
 312 
 556 
 104 
 205 
 286 
 487 
 243 
 365 
 432 
 495 
 352 
 535 
 192 
 474 
 200 
 522 
 203 
 224 
 542 
 
 Total. 
 
 Bush. 
 388 
 1,094 
 471 
 466 
 652 
 664 
 454 
 420 
 748 
 408 
 793 
 640 
 948 
 468 
 357 
 555 
 619 
 578 
 278 
 424 
 328 
 375 
 32t» 
 450 
 784 
 463 
 797 
 276 
 299 
 315 
 681 
 475 
 634 
 965 
 733 
 719 
 673 
 244 
 810 
 284 
 589 
 327 
 347 
 
OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 Details of Examination of Buoy Reef — Continued. 
 
 15 
 
 Angle 
 
 No. 
 
 Date of 
 examination. 
 
 Depth 
 of 
 
 water. 
 
 Character of grow 
 
 th. 
 
 Oysters caught per 
 square yard. 
 
 Estimated quantity oys- 
 ters per acre. 
 
 
 Spat. 
 
 Culls. 
 
 Counts. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 16 
 
 Nov. 21,1910 
 do 
 
 Nov. 22,1910 
 do 
 
 Nov. 21,1910 
 
 :....do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 Nov. 22,1910 
 
 do 
 
 Nov. 21,1910 
 
 do 
 
 Nov. 22, 1910 
 Nov. 21,1910 
 Nov. 22, 1910 
 Nov. 21,1910 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 Nov. 22,1910 
 Nov. 21,1910 
 
 Feet. 
 8.00 
 8.00 
 8.00 
 8.00 
 10.00 
 9.00 
 8.00 
 10.00 
 8.00 
 7.50 
 7.00 
 9.00 
 9.00 
 9.00 
 10.00 
 10.00 
 10.00 
 11.00 
 11.00 
 10.00 
 10.00 
 12.00 
 
 Dense 
 
 3.4 
 
 2.5 
 
 1.3 
 
 4.4 
 
 4.5 
 
 5.0 
 
 13.5 
 
 2.8 
 
 14.8 
 
 5.6 
 
 8.9 
 
 6.0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 6.7 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 7.3 
 
 7.8 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 29.7 
 
 9.0 
 
 13.0 
 
 21.8 
 
 15.0 
 
 14.0 
 
 9.1 
 
 6.1 
 
 33.0 
 
 3.6 
 
 10.0 
 
 13.0 
 
 .0 
 
 2.5 
 
 8.9 
 
 1.2 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 6.0 
 
 7.2 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 9.4 
 
 9.9 
 
 8.7 
 
 27.4 
 
 8.9 
 
 5.0 
 
 5.7 
 
 5.0 
 
 9.1 
 
 2.8 
 
 6.3 
 
 3.5 
 
 4.0 
 
 2.0 
 
 4.5 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 1.1 
 
 .0 
 
 .7 
 
 Bush. 
 
 232 
 
 81 
 
 100 
 
 183 
 
 136 
 
 133 
 
 158 
 
 62 
 
 335 
 
 64 
 
 132 
 
 133 
 
 
 
 17 
 
 109 
 
 8 
 
 
 
 
 
 93 
 
 105 
 
 
 
 
 
 Bush. 
 
 150 
 
 158 
 
 139 
 
 438 
 
 142 
 
 80 
 
 91 
 
 80 
 
 145 
 
 45 
 
 101 
 
 50 
 
 64 
 
 32 
 
 72 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 IS 
 
 
 
 11 
 
 Bush. 
 
 17 
 66 
 
 67 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 
 239 
 239 
 
 47 
 
 
 
 
 48 
 54 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 
 213 
 
 49 
 
 do 
 
 
 
 50 
 
 do 
 
 
 
 37 
 99 
 93 
 
 Very scattering. 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 
 109 
 233 
 189 
 
 15 
 19 
 
 78 
 28 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 
 64 
 49 
 181 
 
 S9 
 59 
 60 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 93 
 
 61 
 
 do 
 
 
 123 
 
 107 
 44 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 
 
 11 
 
 
 
 
 CEDAR POINT REEF. 
 
 This is a long, narrow bed extending from the end of Cedar Point 
 for a distance of about 1^ miles toward the wreck buoy. It is now 
 connected with the southernmost bed of Buoy Reef by a very scat- 
 tering growth lying on what was comparatively recently barren 
 bottom, the original zone of separation being indicated by a narrow 
 gully carrying 8 J feet of water lying between depths of about 6 feet 
 on the adjacent parts of the two reefs. It is probable that this very 
 scattering growth is the artificial product of dredging operations. 
 
 The area, density of growth, and estimated content of small and 
 market oysters are shown in the following table: 
 
 Oyster Growth on Cedar Point Reef. 
 
 Character of oyster growth. 
 
 Oysters per acre. 
 
 Under 3 
 inches. 
 
 Over 3 
 inches. 
 
 Estimated content of oysters. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. ; Total. 
 
 Dense 
 
 Scattering 
 
 Very scattering 
 Depleted 
 
 Total.... 
 
 Acres. 
 100 
 21 
 24 
 56 
 
 140 
 121 
 36 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 340 
 
 130 
 
 41 
 
 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 14, 000 
 
 2,541 
 
 864 
 
 4,984 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 34, 000 
 
 2,730 
 
 984 
 
 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 48,000 
 
 5,271 
 
 1,848 
 
 4,984 
 
 201 
 
 22,389 
 
 37, 714 
 
 60, 103 
 
 The reef consists of a narrow ridge of very dense growth extending 
 
 from the gully above mentioned, flanked by scattering and very 
 
 scattering growths along the southern edge of its offshore half and 
 
 on the northern edge of its inshore half by a fringe which gradually 
 
 65397°— 13 2 
 
16 
 
 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 
 decreases shoreward from a scattering growth to a depleted area 
 which extends to low-water mark. For the outermost mile of its 
 length the reef is hardly more than 200 yards in width and the dense 
 growth averages about 100 yards wide. Within a half mile of shore 
 the dense area expands and curves southward to connect with the 
 corresponding area of Pass des Huitres bed. The proportion of 
 market oysters to small ones is generally high throughout this dense 
 area and is relatively much lower on the less densely populated 
 bottoms. 
 
 As has been already stated, the scattering and very scattering 
 growths occur as fringes along the edges of the dense growth. The 
 depleted area expands on the shoreward part of the reef, extending 
 from the dense growth to the shore, as widely scattered clusters of 
 small o} 7 sters lying on the sand. These clusters lie in very shoal 
 water, and although the growth was not examined with care, it appa- 
 rently extends for some distance northward from the end of Cedar 
 Point. 
 
 The depth of water lying over Cedar Point Reef varies from 6£ 
 feet at its outer end to less than 2 feet at the inner edge of the area 
 of dense growth. The surrounding water is generally about 2 feet 
 deeper than over adjacent parts of the reef. 
 
 The following table shows in detail the results of the examinations 
 made on the bed : 
 
 Details of Examination of Cedar Point Reef. 
 
 Angle 
 No. 
 
 Date of 
 examination. 
 
 Depth 
 of 
 
 water. 
 
 Character of growth, 
 
 Oysters caught per 
 * square yard. 
 
 Spat. 
 
 Culls. 
 
 Counts 
 
 Estimated quantity oys- 
 ters per acre. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 38 
 41 
 42 
 69 
 70 
 73 
 74 
 75 
 80 
 81 
 83 
 84 
 85 
 96 
 108 
 109 
 110 
 111 
 113 
 97 
 79 
 71 
 43 
 82 
 76 
 112 
 72 
 
 Nov. 21,1910 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 Nov. 22, 1910 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 ....do 
 
 ....do 
 
 do 
 
 ....do 
 
 ....do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 Nov. 21,1910 
 
 Nov. 22, 1910 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 Feet. 
 9.00 
 6.00 
 7.00 
 6.00 
 5.00 
 6.00 
 8.00 
 7.00 
 5.50 
 8.00 
 8.00 
 7.00 
 6.00 
 9.25 
 7.00 
 6.00 
 5.00 
 7.00 
 5.00 
 7.00 
 6.00 
 5.50 
 9.00 
 8.50 
 8.00 
 6.00 
 6.00 
 6.50 
 
 Dense 
 
 do.... 
 
 ....do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 Scattering 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 Very scattering 
 
 do... 
 
 do... 
 
 do... 
 
 do... 
 
 Depleted 
 
 7.5 
 
 8.0 
 
 4.8 
 
 1.6 
 
 5.9 
 
 6.7 
 
 14.0 
 
 16.0 
 
 10.5 
 
 6.0 
 
 ' 4.0 
 
 1.9 
 
 1.0 
 
 .0 
 
 .7 
 
 .6 
 
 2.4 
 
 .7 
 
 .0 
 
 2.6 
 
 12.3 
 
 3.2 
 
 .0 
 
 2.0 
 
 3.3 
 
 1.1 
 
 1.1 
 
 12.2 
 
 60.0 
 
 19.4 
 
 21.5 
 
 9.0 
 
 9.0 
 
 17.8 
 
 14.6 
 
 4.0 
 
 12.6 
 
 7.3 
 
 27.3 
 
 13.0 
 
 18.4 
 
 8.5 
 
 8.9 
 
 11.9 
 
 17.6 
 
 .0 
 
 7.1 
 
 6.7 
 
 19.0 
 
 7.9 
 
 .0 
 
 6.0 
 
 2.0 
 
 5.5 
 
 5.0 
 
 .5 
 
 44.5 
 
 19.4 
 
 23.0 
 
 6.8 
 
 9.7 
 
 23.3 
 
 19.4 
 
 9.3 
 
 15.2 
 
 18.0 
 
 24.6 
 
 17.4 
 
 35.2 
 
 16.5 
 
 30.4 
 
 14.7 
 
 44.8 
 
 20.6 
 
 11.4 
 
 7.8 
 
 8.1 
 
 8.4 
 
 .0 
 
 2.7 
 
 3.3 
 
 3.8 
 
 2.8 
 
 .0 
 
 Bush. 
 
 473 
 
 192 
 
 184 
 
 74 
 
 104 
 
 172 
 
 200 
 
 140 
 
 162 
 
 93 
 
 219 
 
 104 
 
 136 
 
 59 
 
 67 
 
 87 
 
 140 
 
 5 
 
 50 
 
 65 
 
 219 
 
 78 
 
 
 
 56 
 
 37 
 
 46 
 
 43 
 
 Bush. 
 706 
 310 
 368 
 109 
 155 
 373 
 310 
 149 
 243 
 288 
 394 
 278 
 564 
 264 
 487 
 236 
 717 
 332 
 182 
 125 
 130 
 134 
 
 43 
 53 
 61 
 45 
 
 
 Bush. 
 1,179 
 502 
 552 
 183 
 259 
 545 
 510 
 289 
 405 
 381 
 613 
 382 
 700 
 323 
 554 
 323 
 857 
 337 
 232 
 190 
 349 
 212 
 
 99 
 90 
 107 
 88 
 89 
 
OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 
 17 
 
 PASS DES HUITRES BED. 
 
 This is a bed of indeterminate boundaries, being continuous with 
 Cedar Point bed on the north and on the south with Pass des Huitres 
 Flats and the whole series of beds extending to Dauphin Island Bay 
 inside of Grants Pass and as far as Pass Drury in Mobile Bay. The 
 names applied by the oystermen to the beds in the vicinity of Grants 
 Pass designate general localities rather than defined beds, and for the 
 purposes of this report their boundaries have been arbitrarily selected 
 and are not definitely indicated on the chart. For this reason the 
 areas assigned to the several beds may differ somewhat from those 
 which would be regarded by others as proper, but as the excess or 
 deficiency of one bed is compensated for by decreasing or increasing" 
 its neighbors, the total area of all of the beds, which is the important 
 fact, is not affected. Pass des Huitres bed takes its name from a 
 channel having about 13 feet in its deepest part and shoaling to 4 feet 
 or less at each end, which sweeps in a curve about 350 yards off the 
 end of Cedar Point. Its area and the conditions of its oyster growth 
 are shown in the following table : 
 
 Oyster Growth on Pass des Huitres Bed. 
 
 
 Area. 
 
 Oysters per acre. 
 
 Estimated content of oysters. 
 
 Character of oyster growth. 
 
 Under 3 
 inches. 
 
 Over 3 
 inches. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Dense 
 
 Scattering 
 
 Acres. 
 53 
 30 
 
 Bushels. 
 365 
 213 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 303 
 
 92 
 
 Bushels. 
 19,345 
 6,390 
 
 Bushels. 
 16,059 
 2,760 
 
 Bushels. 
 35,404 
 9,150 
 
 Total 
 
 83 
 
 
 
 25.735 
 
 18, 819 
 
 44,554 
 
 
 
 
 
 The dense growth lies principally south and east of the channel, 
 though some of the bottom most prolific of market oysters is in the 
 deepest water. Most of the marketable oysters are between 3 and 4 
 inches long, but in the deeper water the proportion of larger ones is 
 greater than elsewhere. There is a good ratio of single oysters and 
 small clusters on this bed and the shape is therefore better than on 
 the beds previously described. The quality at the time of exami- 
 nation was fair. 
 
 The scattering growth lies north of the channel on the edge of the 
 barren bottom extending to Cedar Point. The oysters on this area 
 of hard sand and shell bottom are nearly all single or in small clusters. 
 There were, hi December, 1910, practically no oysters over 4 inches 
 in length and a great abundance of individuals less than 3 inches 
 long. 
 
18 
 
 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 
 The following table exhibits the data obtained from the examina- 
 tion made of this bed : 
 
 Details of Examination of Pass des Huitres Bed. 
 
 Angle 
 No 
 
 Date of 
 examination. 
 
 Depth 
 
 of 
 water. 
 
 Character of growth. 
 
 Oysters caught per 
 square yard. 
 
 Estimated quantity oys- 
 ters per acre." 
 
 
 Spat. 
 
 Culls. 
 
 Counts. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 445 
 
 Dec. 29,1910 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 Jan. 1, 1911 
 do 
 
 Jan. 5,1911 
 do 
 
 Dec. 29,1910 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 Jan. 5, 1911 
 
 Feet. 
 3.50 
 4.00 
 5.00 
 5.00 
 2.00 
 2". 50 
 11.00 
 13.00 
 4.00 
 5.00 
 4.00 
 7.00 
 
 
 1.8 
 
 .0 
 
 15.7 
 
 .0 
 
 2.0 
 
 .0 
 
 4.1 
 
 4.5 
 
 5.5 
 
 2.5 
 
 3.5 
 
 4.8 
 
 31.8 
 
 30.0 
 77.5 
 71.3 
 33.5 
 48.8 
 65. 7 
 30.9 
 13.0 
 33.2 
 40.1 
 19.2 
 
 6.4 
 
 18.0 
 
 20.6 
 
 23.2 
 
 17.5 
 
 18.9 
 
 25.0 
 
 21.8 
 
 6.5 
 
 5.0 
 
 7.5 
 
 4.0 
 
 Bush. 
 235 
 210 
 654 
 499 
 249 
 342 
 486 
 248 
 129 
 250 
 305 
 168 
 
 Bush. 
 104 
 288 
 330 
 372 
 280 
 302 
 400 
 350 
 104 
 
 80 
 120 
 
 64 
 
 Bush. 
 339 
 
 446 
 
 do 
 
 498 
 
 447 
 
 do 
 
 984 
 
 449 
 
 do 
 
 871 
 
 496 
 497 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 529 
 644 
 
 530 
 
 ...do 
 
 886 
 
 531 
 
 448 
 
 do 
 
 598 
 233 
 
 450 
 451 
 532 
 
 do 
 
 do '. 
 
 do 
 
 330 
 425 
 232 
 
 PASS DES HUITRES FLATS. 
 
 This bed, contiguous with the preceding and the following, lies on 
 the shallow flats south of Pass des Huitres, where the depth at low 
 water ranges from 6 inches to 2 feet, excepting on the western side, 
 where a depth of 5 feet is found on the edge of the area of very scat- 
 tering growth. 
 
 The area, density of growth, and total content of oysters on the bed 
 as arbitrarily defined in this report are shown in the following table: 
 
 Oyster Growth on Pass des Huitres Flats. 
 
 
 Area. 
 
 Oysters per acre. 
 
 Estimated content of oysters. 
 
 Character of oyster growth. 
 
 Under 3 
 inches. 
 
 Over 3 
 
 inches. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Dense 
 
 Acres. 
 122 
 
 41 
 39 
 
 Bushels. 
 296 
 131 
 
 26 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 304 
 
 139 
 
 46 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 36,112 
 
 5,371 
 
 1,014 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 37,088 
 
 5, 699 
 
 1,794 
 
 Bushels. 
 73,200 
 
 
 11,070 
 
 
 2,808 
 
 
 Total 
 
 202 
 
 
 
 42,497 
 
 44,581 
 
 87,078 
 
 
 
 
 The dense growth lies in the part of the bed toward Mobile Bay, 
 where it commences as a sharply defined ridge rising abruptly from a 
 depth of about 3 feet over the mud to about 1 foot near the edge of the 
 oysters. The eastern part of the dense area is composed of a mass 
 of shells, but in the western part there are some sandy areas covering 
 a shelly substratum. 
 
 The scattering growth merges with the western edge of the dense 
 area where the water begins to deepen, and this hi turn passes grad- 
 ually to an area of very scattering oysters lying on soft mud in which 
 
OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 
 19 
 
 are many buried shells. The majority of the oysters on this part of 
 the bed are large, over 4 inches in length, while elsewhere, particu- 
 larly on the dense growth, there are comparatively few such oysters, 
 and most of the smaller ones, both market oysters and culls, are in 
 large closely compacted clusters. 
 
 The data gathered by the several examinations on this bed are as 
 follows : 
 
 Details of Examination op Pass des Huitres Flats. 
 
 Angle 
 No. 
 
 Date of 
 examination. 
 
 Depth 
 of 
 
 water. 
 
 Character of growth. 
 
 Oysters caught per 
 square yard. 
 
 Estimated quantity oys- 
 ters per acre. 
 
 
 Spat. 
 
 Culls. 
 
 Counts. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 442 
 
 Dec. 29,1910 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 Jan. 1, 1911 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 Dec. 29,1911 
 
 Feet. 
 3.00 
 3.00 
 3.00 
 5.50 
 1.80 
 2.20 
 2.50 
 1.40 
 2.10 
 2.00 
 2.40 
 2.80 
 6.00 
 
 r 
 
 
 6.3 
 
 2.5 
 
 10.0 
 
 2.7 
 
 3.5 
 
 .0 
 
 7.2 
 
 3.6 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 5.0 
 
 .6 
 
 .0 
 
 35.8 
 45.4 
 45.4 
 10.0 
 55.5 
 
 8.0 
 34.2 
 30.5 
 67.5 
 29.0 
 61.7 
 18.1 
 
 3.6 
 
 18.7 
 13.7 
 17.1 
 10.0 
 42.0 
 6.0 
 23.2 
 11.4 
 38.0 
 11.5 
 17.8 
 8.7 
 2.9 
 
 Bush. 
 295 
 346 
 388 
 
 89 
 414 
 
 56 
 290 
 239 
 473 
 203 
 467 
 131 
 
 26 
 
 Bush. 
 299 
 219 
 274 
 160 
 672 
 
 96 
 372 
 182 
 604 
 183 
 284 
 139 
 
 46 
 
 Bush. 
 594 
 
 443 
 
 ..do 
 
 
 565> 
 
 444 
 452 
 489 
 490 
 491 
 492 
 493 
 494 
 495 
 
 
 ..do.... 
 ..do.... 
 ..do.... 
 ..do.... 
 ..do.... 
 ..do.... 
 ..do.-.. 
 ..do.... 
 ..do 
 
 :.:::::: 
 
 662 
 249 
 
 1,086 
 152 
 662 
 421 
 
 1,077 
 386. 
 751 
 
 488 
 
 s 
 
 V 
 
 cattering 
 ery scattt 
 
 
 270> 
 
 453 
 
 ,ring — 
 
 72 
 
 DUTCH GULLY. 
 
 Dutch Gully bed lies in and about an area of slightly deeper water 
 between Pass des Huitres Flats on the north and Big Gully and 
 Dutch Island beds on the south. The depth of the water ranges 
 from about 6 inches to 3 or 4 feet, the latter depth lying on the area 
 of scattering growth. Although this bed, like the others in the 
 vicinity, is without well defined boundaries, it is assumed in this 
 report to have approximately the following area, density of growth, 
 and oyster content: 
 
 Oyster Growth on Dutch Gully Bed. 
 
 
 Area. 
 
 Oysters per acre. 
 
 Estimated content of oysters. 
 
 Character of oyster growth. 
 
 Under 3 
 inches. 
 
 Over 3 
 
 inches. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 
 Acres. 
 39 
 19 
 
 Bushels. 
 206 
 
 222 
 
 Bushels. 
 253 
 101 
 
 Bushels. 
 8,034 
 4,2i8 
 
 Bushels. 
 9,867 
 1,919 
 
 Bushels. 
 17,901 
 6,137 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 58 
 
 
 
 12,252 
 
 11, 786 
 
 24,038 
 
 
 
 
 
 The dense growth, which lies principally in a depth of less than 2\ 
 feet, occupies the central part of the bed. The clusters generally 
 are small with a considerable proportion of single oysters. The 
 
20 
 
 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 
 market oysters are of medium size, most of them being between 3 and 
 4 inches long with a few of greater length. The young growth is 
 prolific. The areas of scattering growth are two, lying respectively 
 to the east and west of the dense growth in slightly deeper water. 
 In these areas the oysters are generally in clusters, lying on a hard 
 bottom. The young growth is slightly more abundant than on the 
 denser portions of the bed. 
 
 The following table expresses the details of the several examinations 
 made on the bed: 
 
 Details of Examination of Dutch Gully. 
 
 Angle 
 No. 
 
 Date of 
 examination. 
 
 Depth 
 
 of 
 water. 
 
 Character of growth. 
 
 Oysters caught per 
 square yard. 
 
 Estimated quantity oys- 
 ters per acre." 
 
 Spat. 
 
 Culls. 
 
 Counts. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 475 
 
 Dec. 31,1910 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 Feet. 
 1.8 
 1.0 
 2.8 
 4.3 
 1.0 
 
 
 2.3 
 1.3 
 .8 
 2.3 
 9.6 
 
 31.3 
 23.3 
 22.2 
 33.1 
 18.3 
 
 15.3 
 16.8 
 15.4 
 
 8.5 
 4.2 
 
 Bush. 
 235 
 172 
 211 
 248 
 196 
 
 Bush. 
 245 
 269 
 246 
 136 
 67 
 
 Bush. 
 480 
 
 476 
 
 477 
 485 
 
 do 
 
 do. 
 
 441 
 
 457 
 384 
 
 487 
 
 do 
 
 263 
 
 
 
 
 WEST SIDE OF DUTCH ISLAND. 
 
 Dutch Island is a small shell bank called Gull Island on the Coast 
 Survey charts. The oyster bed designated by the name used above 
 extends from the western edge of the island to barren bottom, between 
 Dutch Gully and Peter Billy's Gully. 
 
 The following table exhibits in summary the data relating to this 
 
 bed: 
 
 Oyster Growth on West Side of Dutch Island. 
 
 
 Area. 
 
 Oysters per acre. 
 
 Estimated content of oysters. 
 
 Character of oyster growth. 
 
 Under 3 
 inches. 
 
 Over 3 
 
 inches. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. Total. 
 
 
 Acres. 
 42 
 21 
 24 
 
 Bushels. 
 322 
 298 
 165 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 279 
 
 99 
 
 13 
 
 Bushels. 
 13,524 
 6,258 
 3,960 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 11,718 
 
 2,079 
 
 312 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 Scattering 
 
 Depleted 
 
 8,337 
 4,272 
 
 Total 
 
 87 
 
 
 
 23,742 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Close to Dutch Island there is an area of hard shelly bottom with 
 a growth of densely clustered irregular-shaped small oysters, prac- 
 tically devoid of market stock. Over most of this area the water is 
 very shallow, reaching a maximum of 2 feet. To the westward of 
 this is an area of dense growth, most of which lies in water from 2 to 
 4 feet deep, with a maximum of about 5 feet at its western edge. On 
 this part of the bed there are few oysters over 4 inches long, most of 
 
OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 
 21 
 
 the so-called market stock being between 3 and* 4 inches in length 
 
 and growing in heavy clusters. The scattering growth lies in a zone 
 
 between the dense growth and the soft muddy bottom of Mississippi 
 
 Sound in an average depth of water of about 5 feet. Practically 
 
 none of the oysters of marketable size are over 4 inches long. On 
 
 both this area and on the bottom covered with dense growth young 
 
 oysters are abundant, varying from 180 to 546 bushels per acre, with 
 
 an average density of over 300 bushels per acre. 
 
 The following data state the results of the examinations made on 
 
 this bed: 
 
 Details of Examination of Dutch Island. 
 
 Augk 
 No.' 
 
 Date of 
 examination. 
 
 Depth 
 
 of 
 water. 
 
 Character of growth. 
 
 Oysters caught per 
 " square yard. 
 
 Estimated quantity oys- 
 ters per acre. 
 
 Spat. 
 
 Culls. 
 
 Counts. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 436 
 
 Dec. 29,1910 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 Dec. 31,1910 
 do 
 
 Dec. 29,1910 
 do 
 
 Dec. 31,1910 
 
 Feet. 
 4.50 
 4.00 
 5.00 
 
 . 1.00 
 3.00 
 5.00 
 5.00 
 3.00 
 
 
 4.4 
 • .5 
 5.6 
 3.6 
 2.5 
 6.2 
 9.4 
 4.2 
 
 53.8 
 25.5 
 72.5 
 28.4 
 33.4 
 44.5 
 25.0 
 19.4 
 
 17.4 
 12.5 
 29.4 
 16.9 
 14.2 
 5.6 
 6.8 
 .8 
 
 Bush. 
 408 
 182 
 546 
 224 
 252 
 355 
 241 
 165 
 
 Bush. 
 228 
 200 
 470 
 270 
 227 
 88 
 109 
 13 
 
 Bush. 
 636 
 
 437 
 438 
 473 
 474 
 433 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 382 
 1,016 
 494 
 479 
 443 
 
 439 
 472 
 
 do 
 
 Depleted 
 
 350 
 
 178 
 
 BIG GULLY. 
 
 This bed, which it is understood is also known as Grants Pass 
 Gully, lies between the dolphin, or cluster of piles marking the eastern 
 entrance to Grants Pass, and Dutch and Grant Islands. The depth 
 of water varies from 9 or 10 feet close to the dolphin to less than 1 
 foot near the island. 
 
 The area of density of growth and total content of small and 
 marketable oysters are shown in the following table: 
 
 Oyster Growth on Big Gully Bed. 
 
 
 Area. 
 
 Oysters per acre. 
 
 Estimated content of oysters. 
 
 Character of oyster growth. 
 
 Under 3 
 inches. 
 
 Over 3 
 
 inches. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 
 Acres. 
 44 
 10 
 11 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 284 
 
 277 
 
 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 310 
 
 80 
 
 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 12,496 
 
 2,770 
 
 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 13,640 
 
 800 
 
 
 
 Bushels. 
 26, 136 
 
 Scattering 
 
 Depleted 
 
 3,570 
 
 
 Total .-. 
 
 65 
 
 
 
 15,266 
 
 14,440 
 
 29,706 
 
 
 
 
 
 In the deeper water close to the dolphin and for a distance of 200 
 or 300 yards west and northwest in the area indicated as "depleted" 
 on the chart, there are practically no oysters, either large or small, 
 the bottom being composed in large part of soft mud with buried 
 
22 
 
 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 
 shells. The area of scattering growth lies south and west of this 
 in a depth of water between 1 and 5 feet. Although this part of the 
 bed bears but about one-fourth as many market oysters per acre 
 as are found on the dense area, there are practically as many small 
 ones. The bottom bearing the dense growth of market oysters 
 lies between that just described and Dutch and Grant Islands, its 
 western limit being defined by the very shallow water extending from 
 Dutch toward Grant Pass. The depth of the water ranges from 
 about 1 to 5 feet and the market oysters vary in quantity from 160 
 to upward of 600 bushels per acre. The densest growth occurs 
 north of Grant Island, and on the steps lying between that point and 
 Gull Island there is a large proportion of single oysters, a considerable 
 number of them being large. 
 
 The foregoing description is based in part on the data shown in the 
 following table : 
 
 Details of Examination of Big Gully (Grants Pass Gully). 
 
 Angle 
 No. 
 
 Date of 
 
 Depth 
 of 
 
 Character of growth. 
 
 Oysters caught per 
 square yard. 
 
 Estimated quantity oys- 
 ters per acre. 
 
 examination. water 
 
 1 
 
 Spat. 
 
 Culls. 
 
 Counts. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 478 
 480 
 
 Feet. 
 
 Dec. 31,1910 ! 5.0 
 
 ...do 5-0 
 
 Dense 
 
 do 
 
 0.6 
 3.1 
 1.0 
 4.1 
 1.2 
 .0 
 
 30.0 
 27.4 
 50.0 
 46.0 
 38.4 
 .0 
 
 19.4 
 10.0 
 38.0 
 10.4 
 5.0 
 .0 
 
 Bush. 
 214 
 213 
 357 
 351 
 277 
 
 
 Bush. 
 311 
 160 
 604 
 166 
 80 
 
 
 Bush. 
 525 
 373 
 
 482 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 2.0 
 1.6 
 1.2 
 7.0 
 
 do 
 
 961 
 
 484 
 
 do 
 
 517 
 
 483 
 479 
 
 Scattering 
 
 Depleted 
 
 357 
 
 
 PETER BILLYS GULLY. 
 
 This lies opposite Big Gully and on the west side of the shallow 
 water lying south of Dutch Island. It includes the oysters lying 
 between the bed on the west side of Dutch Island and Grants Pass 
 bed and is continuous with both. Its area, character of oyster 
 growth, and contents are shown in the following table: 
 
 Oyster Growth in Peter Billys Gully. 
 
 
 Area. 
 
 Oysters per acre. 
 
 Estimated content of oysters. 
 
 Character of oyster growth. 
 
 Under 3 
 inches. 
 
 Over 3 
 inches. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 
 Acres. 
 39 
 14 
 
 28 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 324 
 
 40 
 
 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 245 
 
 38 
 
 6 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 12,636 
 
 560 
 
 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 9,555 
 
 532 
 
 168 
 
 Bushels. 
 22, 191 
 
 
 1,092 
 
 
 168 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 81 
 
 
 
 13, 196 
 
 10, 255 
 
 23,451 
 
 
 
 
 
 
OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 
 23 
 
 The eastern part of this bed is a small area of very scattering 
 growth lying north of a long shell bank west of Grants Island. It lies 
 in the very shoal water which stretches north to Gull Island, on a 
 deposit of an inch or two of soft mud on a substratum of hard sand 
 and shells. The oysters are small and poor. West of this lies the 
 dense growth covering an area of about 39 acres in a depth of water 
 varying from 1 to 5 feet. This bottom consists of densely com- 
 pacted sand and shells, with oysters of the raccoon type in clusters. 
 On the western border of this growth there is a depleted area on which 
 there are few oysters of any size. The bottom changes gradually 
 from hard sand and shell close to the dense area to soft mud with 
 buried shells on the western border of the bed. 
 
 Details of Examination of Peter Billys Gully. 
 
 Angle 
 No. 
 
 Date of 
 examination. 
 
 Depth 
 
 of 
 water. 
 
 Character ol growth. 
 
 Oysters caught per 
 ' square yard. 
 
 Estimated quantity oys- 
 ters per acre." 
 
 Spat. 
 
 Culls. 
 
 Counts. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 428 
 
 Dec. 29,1910 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 Dec. 31,1910 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 Dec. 29,1910 
 do 
 
 Feet. 
 5.00 
 4.50 
 4.00 
 3.00 
 1.00 
 3.00 
 1.50 
 5.50 
 6.00 
 
 
 5.6 
 
 4.4 
 
 4.0 
 
 1.2 
 
 .0 
 
 1.7 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 38.7 
 
 76.1 
 
 58.0 
 
 30.4 
 
 21.9 
 
 35.8 
 
 5.7 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 15.6 
 15.5 
 26.5 
 11.2 
 
 9.7 
 13.3 
 
 2.4 
 .7 
 .0 
 
 Busk. 
 
 310 
 
 564 
 
 434 
 
 221 
 
 153 
 
 263 
 
 40 
 
 
 
 
 
 Bush. 
 
 250 
 
 248 
 
 424 
 
 179 
 
 155 
 
 213 
 
 38 
 
 11 
 
 
 
 Bush. 
 560 
 
 431 
 432 
 
 468 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 812 
 858 
 400 
 
 470 
 471 
 469 
 430 
 434 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 Very scattering 
 
 Depleted 
 
 do 
 
 308 
 
 476 
 
 78 
 
 11 
 
 
 
 GRANTS PASS. 
 
 Grants Pass is a dredged channel cut through the oyster beds 
 which extend as a practically unbroken reef from Cedar Point to 
 Little Dauphin Island and separate Mobile Bay from Mississippi 
 Sound. The channel itself carries a minimum depth of about 11 
 feet, but at the Mobile Bay end the water shoals to about 8£ feet, 
 and opposite the western or Mississippi Sound end to about 6f feet 
 at low water. There is a row of 7 dolphins or clusters of piles for 
 25 to 60 yards north of the thread of the channel. The oyster bed 
 designated by the name of this pass is here arbitrarily assumed to lie 
 not only in the deep water of the channel, but to extend as a strip 
 about 200 to 250 yards wide on each side of the row of piles above 
 described, with the exception of the cluster at the Mobile Bay end, 
 which is assumed to lie in Big Gully bed. This bed was extensively 
 worked by tongers during the period of the survey and with Pass 
 aux Herons, which adjoins it to the south, produced the bulk of the 
 oysters taken by tonging in the winter of 1910-11. 
 
 The extent and productiveness of this bed are shown on the table 
 following. 
 
24 
 
 OYSTEE BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 Oyster Growth in Grants Pass. 
 
 Character of oyster growth. 
 
 Area. 
 
 Oysters per acre. 
 
 Estimated content of oysters. 
 
 Under 3 
 inches. 
 
 Over 3 
 
 inches. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. Total. 
 
 
 Acres. 
 64 
 21 
 42 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 275 
 
 159 
 
 70 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 359 
 
 112 
 
 22 
 
 Bushels. 
 17,600 
 3,339 
 2,940 
 
 Bushels. \ Bushels. 
 22,976 ' 40,576 
 
 
 2,352 5,691 
 
 
 924 | 3,864 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 127 
 
 
 
 23,879 
 
 26,252 
 
 50, 131 
 
 
 
 
 
 About one-half of the area included within this bed is covered by 
 a dense growth of market oysters, the eastern half being especially 
 productive. The oysters are larger than most of those produced in 
 this region and of better shape. There are many in the channel, 
 especially south and east of Grants Island, but on account of the 
 deep water, which reaches a maximum of 19 feet, and the strong 
 currents the work is arduous at most times, and most of the tonging 
 is done in depths of from 3 to 5 or 6 feet on the south side of the 
 eastern half of the channel. No boats were observed at work on 
 the north side of the row of dolphins. 
 
 The scattering growth on this bed lies in two patches — one of about 
 13 acres surrounding Grants Island and the other of about half the 
 size between the easternmost two channel marks and continuous with 
 the similar growth on Big Gully bed. The oysters in the latter area are 
 somewhat larger and better than those surrounding Grants Island. 
 The depleted bottom lies at the western end of the bed, between the 
 dense growth and the barren bottom. Both the young and the mar- 
 ket oysters here lie in patches of varying productiveness. 
 
 The following table shows the character of this bed at the several 
 places at which detailed examinations were made : 
 
 Details op Examination of Grants Pass. 
 
 Station 
 
 Date of 
 examination. 
 
 Depth 
 
 of 
 \\ ater. 
 
 Character of growth 
 
 Oysters caught per 
 ' square yard . 
 
 Estimated quantity of 
 oysters per acre. 
 
 No. 
 
 Spat. 
 
 Culls. 
 
 Counts. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 180 
 
 Nov. 24, 1910 
 Dec. 8,1910 
 Dec. 29,1910 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 Jan. 5,1911 
 
 do.. 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 Nov. 24,1910 
 
 do 
 
 Dec. 31,1910 
 Jan. 5,1911 
 Dec. 8,1910 
 
 do 
 
 Dec. 29,1910 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 Feet. 
 7.00 
 4.30 
 5.00 
 4.50 
 4.00 
 17.00 
 13.00 
 14.00 
 11.00 
 6.25 
 6.50 
 2.00 
 13. 00 
 4.50 
 5.30 
 5.50 
 5.50 
 3.00 
 
 
 6.7 
 14.5 
 
 7.5 
 
 10.6 
 
 .0 
 
 10.8 
 
 5.0 
 10.0 
 
 2.5 
 
 5.2 
 17.1 
 17.4 
 
 5.4 
 
 13.3 
 
 .0 
 
 3.3 
 
 2.0 
 17.5 
 
 31.1 
 
 14.5 
 
 23.8 
 
 31.8 
 
 46.5 
 
 30.0 
 
 25.0 
 
 51.0 
 
 32.5 
 
 13.2 
 
 5.5 
 
 21.2 
 
 5.9 
 
 6.1 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 3.3 
 
 4.2 
 
 25.6 
 
 17.0 
 
 17.5 
 
 20.6 
 
 16.5 
 
 23.3 
 
 45.0 
 
 20.0 
 
 16.6 
 
 7.7 
 
 7.1 
 
 5.5 
 
 7.7 
 
 .0 
 
 1.3 
 
 .0 
 
 5.3 
 
 .4 
 
 Bush. 
 265 
 203 
 219 
 297 
 326 
 281 
 210 
 427 
 245 
 129 
 158 
 271 
 79 
 136 
 
 23 
 37 
 152 
 
 Bush. 
 
 410 
 
 272 
 
 280 
 
 330 
 
 264 
 
 373 
 
 720 
 
 320 
 
 265 
 
 123 
 
 114 
 
 88 
 
 123 
 
 
 
 21 
 
 
 
 85 
 
 6 
 
 Bush . 
 675 
 
 299 
 
 .do. 
 
 475 
 
 425 
 
 .do. 
 
 499 
 
 426 
 
 ....do.... 
 
 627 
 
 427 
 525 
 
 do 
 
 ...do.. . 
 
 590 
 654 
 
 526 
 528 
 529 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 . .do. 
 
 930 
 
 747 
 510 
 
 178 
 
 
 252 
 
 179 
 
 do 
 
 272 
 
 481 
 
 ....do.... 
 
 359 
 
 527 
 300 
 301 
 
 do 
 
 Depleted 
 
 202 
 136 
 21 
 
 422 
 
 . .do.. . 
 
 23 
 
 423 
 
 424 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 122 
 158 
 
OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 
 25 
 
 PASS AUX HERONS. 
 
 This bed is continuous with the preceding and the following, without 
 any definite demarcation of its boundaries. It surrounds a hole or 
 blind pass from which it takes its name, in which there is a maximum 
 depth of water of about 18 feet. The depth rapidly decreases, the 
 water becoming quite shoal on each side and at the western end, 
 although a draft of 5 or 6 feet can be carried on to the eastern end at 
 low water. 
 
 This is in every respect the most important and prolific of the beds 
 examined, and with the exception of Sand Reef, which has little or no 
 present economic importance, it is, as arbitrarily defined here, the 
 largest. 
 
 The following table summarizes the data relating to its extent, 
 character of oyster growth, and content of oysters : 
 
 Oyster Growth in Pass aux Herons. 
 
 Character of oyster growth. 
 
 Dense 
 
 Scattering....... 
 
 Very scattering 
 Depleted 
 
 Total 
 
 Acres. 
 
 211 
 
 14 
 
 43 
 
 24 
 
 Oysters per acre, j Estimated content of oysters. 
 
 Under 3 
 inches. 
 
 Over 3 
 inches. 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 233 
 
 32 
 
 78 
 
 15 
 
 292 
 
 Bushels. 
 520 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Bushels. 
 49, 163 
 
 3,354 
 360 
 
 Market. 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 109,720 
 
 1,316 
 
 2.279 
 
 53,325 113,411 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 158,883 
 
 1,764 
 
 5,633 
 
 456 
 
 166,736 
 
 A dense growth having an average content of 520 bushels of market 
 oysters per acre covers nearly 75 per cent of the entire area assumed 
 for this bed, and in one place there are 1,170 bushels of market 
 oysters and 1,494 bushels of all sizes per acre. The densest part of 
 the bed lies between the deep water of the pass and Grants Pass, 
 principally south and southeast of Grants Island. There is also a 
 very dense area in a peninsula-like projection into Mobile Bay, about 
 east of Grants Island and surrounded on the northeast and west by 
 soft mud. During the winter of 1910-11 there were many tongers 
 operating on these areas of very dense growth, and the best oysters 
 produced in large quantities came from them. A larger proportion 
 of oysters over 4 inches long was found here than at any other place 
 examined in this vicinity. The areas of scattering growth occur in 
 small patches of 9 and 4 acres, respectively, at the eastern or western 
 limits of the bed. In the larger area the oysters are similar to those on 
 the dense growth, with a considerable proportion of large ones of fair 
 shape #nd quality. 
 
 There are three areas of very scattering growth, one at the eastern 
 edge of the peninsula above referred to, another along the western 
 
26 
 
 OYSTEE BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 
 edge of the dense area and the third separated from the preceding 
 by a narrow belt of depleted bottom and continuous with the scat- 
 tering growth at the western limit of the bed, the two constituting 
 practically a small detached bed. 
 
 Details of Examination of Pass aux Herons. 
 
 Angle 
 No. 
 
 165 
 166 
 167 
 168 
 169 
 170 
 171 
 176 
 177 
 181 
 182 
 183 
 184 
 185 
 186 
 187 
 188 
 189 
 190 
 280 
 281 
 282 
 283 
 284 
 285 
 286 
 287 
 288 
 289 
 290 
 291 
 292 
 293 
 294 
 295 
 296 
 297 
 298 
 305 
 309 
 331 
 332 
 "342 
 520 
 522 
 524 
 173 
 174 
 172 
 175 
 191 
 310 
 192 
 304 
 306 
 307 
 308 
 313 
 242 
 302 
 303 
 311 
 312 
 314 
 315 
 
 Date of 
 examination. 
 
 Nov. 23,1910 
 ....do 
 
 ....do 
 
 ....do 
 
 ....do 
 
 ....do 
 
 ....do 
 
 ....do 
 
 ....do 
 
 Nov. 24,1910 
 ....do 
 
 Depth 
 
 of 
 water. 
 
 ....do 
 
 ....do 
 
 ....do 
 
 ....do 
 
 ....do 
 
 ....do 
 
 ....do 
 
 ....do 
 
 Dec. 8,1910 
 ....do.; 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 ....do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 Dec. 9, 1910 
 
 do.. 
 
 do 
 
 Jan. 2,1911 
 Jan. 5,1911 
 
 ....do 
 
 Nov. 23, 1910 
 
 do 
 
 ....do 
 
 do 
 
 Nov. 24,1910 
 Dec. 8,1910 
 Nov. 24,1910 
 Dec. 8, 1910 
 
 do 
 
 ..,.do 
 
 ..:.do 
 
 ....do 
 
 Dec. 7, 1910 
 Dec. 8, 1910 
 
 ....do 
 
 ....do 
 
 ....do 
 
 ....do 
 
 ....do 
 
 Feet. 
 9.00 
 8.00 
 7.00 
 7.00 
 6.00 
 10.00 
 7.50 
 5.25 
 4.50 
 7.00 
 6.00 
 6.50 
 6.00 
 5.50 
 4.00 
 4.00 
 5.00 
 6.00 
 7.50 
 4.00 
 3.60 
 3.50 
 3.60 
 4.00 
 4.80 
 4.40 
 3.70 
 4.00 
 3.30 
 3.50 
 3.70 
 4.50 
 4.20 
 2.60 
 2.80 
 3.30 
 3.90 
 3.80 
 4.00 
 3.20 
 2.30 
 2.80 
 
 Character of growth. 
 
 18.00 
 18.00 
 17.00 
 10.00 
 10. 00 
 10.00 
 7.00 
 9.50 
 5.80 
 7.50 
 3.80 
 4.30 
 3.80 
 3.40 
 3.40 
 5.50 
 4.60 
 4.20 
 4.90 
 3.50 
 4.80 
 5.20 
 
 Dense. . . 
 ....do... 
 ....do... 
 ....do... 
 ....do... 
 ....do... 
 ....do... 
 ....do.... 
 ....do... 
 ....do.... 
 ....do.... 
 ....do.... 
 ....do.... 
 ....do.... 
 ....do.... 
 ....do.... 
 ....do.... 
 ....do.... 
 ....do.... 
 ....do.... 
 ....do.... 
 ....do.... 
 ....do.... 
 ....do.... 
 ....do.... 
 ....do.... 
 ....do.... 
 ....do.... 
 ....do.... 
 
 da 
 
 ....do.... 
 ....do.... 
 ....do.... 
 ....do.... 
 ....do.... 
 o 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 ....do 
 
 ....do 
 
 ....do 
 
 ....do 
 
 ....do 
 
 ....do 
 
 ....do 
 
 ....do 
 
 ....do 
 
 ....do 
 
 Scattering 
 
 ....do 
 
 ....do 
 
 ....do 
 
 Very scattering . 
 
 do 
 
 ....do 
 
 ....do 
 
 ....do 
 
 ....do 
 
 ....do 
 
 Depleted 
 
 ....do 
 
 ....do 
 
 ....do 
 
 ....do 
 
 ....do 
 
 Oysters caught per 
 square yard. 
 
 Spat. Culls. Counts. 
 
 0.0 
 
 4.4 
 
 11.1 
 
 8.9 
 
 8.1 
 
 7.2 
 
 5.2 
 
 14.0 
 
 41.8 
 
 11.8 
 
 4.2 
 
 16.6 
 
 11.9 
 
 2.1 
 
 11.9 
 
 11.1 
 
 15.2 
 
 3.9 
 
 8.0 
 
 2.9 
 
 .7 
 
 6.2 
 
 2.8 
 
 8.9 
 
 2.4 
 
 .0 
 
 3.0 
 
 1.5 
 
 1.9 
 
 . 7 
 
 1.4 
 
 2.5 
 
 .7 
 
 5.9 
 
 8.3 
 
 .0 
 
 .7 
 
 5.C 
 
 .5 
 
 7.1 
 
 6.4 
 
 21.7 
 
 .0 
 9.2 
 5.8 
 4.5 
 
 .0 
 1.7 
 
 .0 
 2.1 
 
 .7 
 1.6 
 6.5 
 2.0 
 1.5 
 10.9 
 26.4 
 4.7 
 2.2 
 2.0 
 
 .0 
 4.5 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 1.0 
 7.0 
 10.0 
 20.3 
 22.5 
 38.3 
 33.2 
 22.9 
 61.3 
 24.1 
 32.3 
 21.7 
 40.0 
 26.3 
 34.4 
 41.8 
 36.2 
 49.5 
 50.8 
 28.6 
 23.1 
 20.3 
 34.8 
 18.1 
 39.5 
 18.8 
 18.2 
 18.5 
 19.4 
 26.9 
 44.2 
 42.5 
 27.5 
 31.1 
 28.8 
 6.7 
 12.5 
 18.0 
 24.5 
 17.5 
 15.1 
 56.2 
 
 14.7 
 
 16.6 
 
 41.6 
 
 15.6 
 
 3.3 
 
 0.6 
 
 1.5 
 
 3.1 
 
 8.5 
 
 .0 
 
 4.0 
 
 1.5 
 
 3.0 
 
 6.4 
 
 10.0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 2.5 
 
 .0 
 
 1.8 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 6.0 
 20.0 
 20.7 
 32.2 
 30.0 
 46.7 
 36.4 
 10.5 
 15.3 
 39.6 
 38.4 
 28.3 
 52.3 
 36.3 
 73.3 
 38.6 
 19.0 
 58.9 
 56. 7 
 38.8 
 60.0 
 25.9 
 23.8 
 58.9 
 36.7 
 20.8 
 38.5 
 50.8 
 13.5 
 31.7 
 14.3 
 64.6 
 40.0 
 37.8 
 54.6 
 
 4.2 
 20.5 
 21.0 
 36.5 
 12.9 
 28.4 
 29.6 
 
 Estimated quantity oys- 
 ters per acre. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 22.7 
 
 3.0 
 
 34.0 
 
 31.2 
 
 12.2 
 
 4.5 
 
 3.0 
 
 8.9 
 
 7.1 
 
 2.4 
 
 6.5 
 
 2.5 
 
 2.5 
 
 2.7 
 
 3.6 
 
 3.2 
 
 .0 
 
 1.0 
 
 .0 
 
 .5 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 Bush. 
 
 148 
 203 
 214 
 319 
 269 
 258 
 722 
 251 
 256 
 268 
 364 
 199 
 324 
 370 
 360 
 374 
 412 
 220 
 167 
 186 
 263 
 189 
 294 
 132 
 148 
 140 
 149 
 193 
 320 
 315 
 197 
 259 
 260 
 47 
 92 
 161 
 175 
 172 
 151 
 545 
 
 103 
 
 180 
 
 332 
 
 141 
 
 23 
 
 16 
 
 10 
 
 36 
 
 64 
 
 11 
 
 70 
 
 25 
 
 32 
 
 121 
 
 255 
 
 33 
 
 15 
 
 32 
 
 
 
 44 
 
 
 
 Market. 
 
 Bush. 
 96 
 320 
 333 
 516 
 480 
 746 
 583 
 168 
 245 
 634 
 615 
 453 
 837 
 580 
 
 1,170 
 618 
 304 
 942 
 908 
 620 
 960 
 414 
 381 
 •954 
 588 
 333 
 616 
 812 
 216 
 506 
 229 
 
 1,030 
 640 
 604 
 874 
 67 
 328 
 336 
 584 
 206 
 454 
 473 
 
 363 
 
 48 
 
 544 
 
 500 
 
 195 
 
 72 
 
 48 
 
 142 
 
 114 
 
 38 
 
 104 
 
 40 
 
 40 
 
 43 
 
 58 
 
 51 
 
 
 
 16 
 
 
 
 8 
 
 
 
 
 
 « Exposed reef; living oysters large and small. 
 
OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 
 27 
 
 REDFISH GULLY. 
 
 Redfish gully is a strip of slightly deeper water lying between the 
 shoals south of Pass aux Herons and the bar, bare at extreme low 
 tide in whiter, extending for about 800 yards northwest from the tip of 
 Little Dauphin Island. The shallowest part of this gully has a depth of 
 about 3 feet at low water, the average is about 6 inches deeper and near 
 the western end is a hole in which there is a maximum of 7 feet or more. 
 The oyster bed designated by this name lies in and about the gully. 
 
 The following table shows the extent, character of oyster growth, 
 and estimated content of this bed: 
 
 Oyster Growth in Redfish Gully. 
 
 
 Area. 
 
 Oysters per acre. 
 
 Estimated content of oysters. 
 
 Character of oyster growth. 
 
 Under 3 
 inches. 
 
 Over 3 
 inches. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 1 
 Market. ' Total. 
 
 1 
 
 
 Acres. 
 
 209 
 
 11 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 231 
 
 26 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 313 
 
 80 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 48, 279 
 
 286 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 65,417 
 
 880 
 
 Bushels. 
 113,696 
 
 
 1,166 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 220 
 
 
 
 48, 565 
 
 66, 297 
 
 114,862 
 
 
 
 
 Practically all of this bed consists of dense growth, there being but one 
 patch of about 11 acres of scattering oysters near the northeast edge, 
 where there is a considerable proportion of large oysters of good shape. 
 
 On the dense growth market oysters are least abundant in and 
 about the deeper water in the southwestern part of the bed. The 
 proportion of oysters over 4 inches in length is greatest in the eastern 
 part of the bed, adjoining Mobile Bay, and it was there that most of 
 the boats were observed working on the bed, although there were 
 three or four schooners operating in the deep hole. 
 
 Details of Examination of Redfish Gully. 
 
 Angle 
 No. 
 
 Date of 
 examination. 
 
 Depth 
 of 
 
 water. 
 
 Character of growth 
 
 Oysters caught per 
 square yard. 
 
 Spat. Culls. Counts 
 
 Estimated quantity oys- 
 ters per acre. 
 
 Seed. Market, | Total. 
 
 156 
 157 
 158 
 159 
 160 
 161 
 193 
 211 
 321 
 322 
 323 
 324 
 333 
 339 
 340 
 341 
 343 
 162 
 163 
 
 Nov. 23. 1910 
 
 do.. 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 Nov. 24, 1910 
 do 
 
 Dec. 8, 1910 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do.. 
 
 Dec. 9 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 Nov. 23, 1910 
 do 
 
 ,1910 
 
 Feet. 
 7.00 
 5.00 
 4.50 
 6.00 
 6.00 
 8.00 
 7.00 
 3.40 
 3.90 
 4.00 
 4.40 
 4.40 
 2.00 
 6.20 
 2.90 
 2.90 
 2.90 
 8.00 
 6.00 
 
 Dense. . . 
 ....do... 
 ....do... 
 ....do... 
 ....do... 
 ....do... 
 ....do... 
 ....do... 
 
 ....do... 
 
 ....do... 
 ....do... 
 ....do... 
 ....do... 
 ....do... 
 ....do... 
 ....do... 
 ....do... 
 Scatterin: 
 ....do... 
 
 5.3 
 
 13.8 
 8.1 
 
 12.8 
 
 11.1 
 7.3 
 
 13.3 
 .0 
 
 11.5 
 4.0 
 4.4 
 2.2 
 5.8 
 
 12.3 
 
 13.1 
 9.6 
 2.1 
 2.0 
 .0 
 
 20.0 
 31.4 
 10.7 
 26.6 
 18.3 
 
 7.3 
 14.5 
 21.0 
 11.5 
 19.5 
 30.0 
 28.8 
 42.0 
 26.2 
 51.3 
 22.9 
 41.7 
 
 5.3 
 .0 
 
 30.7 
 38.1 
 27.0 
 24.4 
 13.3 
 14.7 
 10.7 
 21.9 
 11.0 
 10.5 
 20.0 
 10.0 
 23.6 
 26.9 
 28.8 
 5,4 
 26.3 
 3.3 
 6.7 
 
 Bush. 
 Ill 
 317 
 132 
 276 
 206 
 102 
 195 
 147 
 161 
 165 
 241 
 217 
 335 
 270 
 451 
 228 
 307 
 51 
 
 
 Bush. 
 492 
 610 
 432 
 391 
 213 
 235 
 171 
 350 
 176 
 168 
 320 
 160 
 378 
 430 
 461 
 864 
 470 
 53 
 107 
 
 Bush. 
 669 
 927 
 564 
 667 
 419 
 337 
 366 
 497 
 337 
 333 
 561 
 377 
 713 
 700 
 912 
 1,092 
 777 
 104 
 107 
 
28 
 
 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 
 BLACK LUMPS. 
 
 This bed lies west of Redfish Gully and south of the western part 
 of Pass aux Herons and is continuous with both. The name as used 
 by the oystermen appears to be of very indefinite application and is 
 probably more restricted than as employed in this report. Some of 
 the oysters in the part immediately adjoining Pass aux Herons are 
 excellent, but in most places they are inferior. Drills were found in 
 abundance at places on this bed and a great many small spat had 
 been killed by them. 
 
 The area, conditions of oyster growth, and total contents of seed 
 and marketable oysters are shown in the following table: 
 
 Oyster Growth on Black Lumps. 
 
 
 Area. 
 
 Oysters per acre. 
 
 Estimated content of oysters. 
 
 Character of oyster growth. 
 
 Under 3 
 inches. 
 
 Over 3 
 inches. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 
 Acres. 
 13 
 49 
 
 77 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 140 
 
 136 
 
 14 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 139 
 
 49 
 
 3 
 
 Bushels. 
 1,820 
 6,664 
 1,078 
 
 Bushels. 
 1,807 
 
 2,401 
 231 
 
 Bushels. 
 3,627 
 
 
 9,065 
 1,309 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 139 
 
 
 
 9,562 
 
 4,439 
 
 14, 001 
 
 
 
 
 
 The scattering growth occurs as a small area adjoining the south- 
 west corner of Redfish Gully bed, and south of it is a small patch of 
 very scattering growth. A larger area of the latter is found at the 
 northeast corner of the bed, in the angle between Pass aux Herons 
 and Redfish Gully beds. The depleted bottom, which comprises 
 the major part of the bed, lies in the western and southern part. 
 
 The detailed data of the examination are as follows: 
 
 Details of Examination or Black Lumps. 
 
 Angle 
 No. 
 
 Date of 
 
 examination. 
 
 Depth 
 
 of 
 water. 
 
 Character of growth. 
 
 Oysters caught per 
 square yard. 
 
 Estimated quantity of 
 oysters per acre. 
 
 Spat. 
 
 Culls. 
 
 Counts. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 325 
 
 Dec. 8, 1910 
 Dec. 16, 1910 
 Dec. 9, 1910 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 Jan. 2, 1911 
 Jan. 5, 1911 
 Dec. 8, 1910 
 
 do....... 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 Dec. 9, 1910 
 
 do 
 
 Dec. 8, 1910 
 Dec. 7, 1910 
 
 Feet. 
 4.40 
 3.40 
 3.90 
 3.70 
 2.20 
 12.00 
 14.00 
 4.90 
 3.50 
 3.00 
 3.00 
 5.70 
 ■ 5.70 
 2.80 
 4.50 
 
 
 4.4 
 
 3.2 
 
 27.5 
 
 8.2 
 
 20.0 
 
 1.4 
 
 1.5 
 
 2.5 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 7.1 
 
 .7 
 
 .0 
 
 3.3 
 
 .0 
 
 15.6 
 
 5.5 
 
 24.0 
 
 1.8 
 
 13.6 
 
 7.2 
 
 4.2 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 2.1 
 
 .0 
 
 8.7 
 
 1.8 
 
 8.0 
 
 1.8 
 
 1.9 
 
 2.8 
 
 2.1 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 1.3 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 Bush. 
 
 140 
 
 61 
 
 351 
 
 70 
 
 235 
 
 60 
 
 40 
 
 18 
 
 
 
 
 
 50 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 3S 
 
 
 
 Bush. 
 139 
 29 
 128 
 29 
 30 
 45 
 34 
 
 
 
 21 
 
 
 
 
 
 Bush. 
 279 
 
 386 
 334 
 337 
 
 Very scattering 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 90 
 479 
 99 
 
 338 
 
 ....do 
 
 265 
 
 519 
 521 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 105 
 
 74 
 
 317 
 318 
 
 Depleted 
 
 do 
 
 18 
 
 
 319 
 
 do 
 
 
 
 320 
 
 do 
 
 71 
 
 335 
 336 
 316 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 38 
 
 239 
 
 do 
 
 
 
OYSTEE BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 
 29 
 
 WEST SIDE OF LITTLE DAUPHIN ISLAND. 
 
 This is an economically unimportant bed lying between the Turtle 
 Hole, Mussel Gully, and Redfish Gully. A large part of it lies on 
 bottom which is exposed during low winter tides. The extent and 
 density of oyster growth are as follows : 
 
 Oyster Growth on West Side of Little Dauphin Island. 
 
 Character of oyster growth. 
 
 Area. 
 
 Oysters per acre. 
 
 Estimated content of oysters. 
 
 Under 3 
 inches. 
 
 Over 3 
 inches. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 
 Acres. 
 
 9 
 
 156 
 
 Bushels. 
 58 
 9 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 35 
 
 4 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 522 
 
 1,404 
 
 Bushels. 
 315 
 624 
 
 Bushels. 
 837 
 
 
 2, 028 
 
 
 Total 
 
 165 
 
 
 
 1,926 
 
 939 
 
 2, 865 
 
 
 
 
 
 There is an insignificant patch of very scattering growth adjoining 
 a small shell island northeast of Turtle Hole, and the rest of the bed 
 is depleted. The proportion of dead oysters is very large hi all parts 
 of the bed, and drills, which appear to be the principal cause of the 
 mortality, are abundant. The following examinations were made: 
 Details of Examination of West Side of Little Dauphin Island. 
 
 
 
 
 
 Oysters caught per 
 
 Estimated quantity oys- 
 
 Angle 
 
 Date of 
 examination. 
 
 Depth 
 
 of 
 water. 
 
 Character of growth. 
 
 square yard. 
 
 ters per acre. 
 
 No. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Spat. 
 
 Culls. 
 
 Counts. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 
 
 Feet. 
 
 
 
 
 
 Bush. 
 
 Bush. 
 
 Bush. 
 
 392 
 
 Dec. 16,1910 
 
 1.00 
 
 Very scattering 
 
 0.8 
 
 7.5 
 
 2.2 
 
 58 
 
 35 
 
 93 
 
 326 
 
 Dec. 8, 1910 
 
 3.80 
 
 Depleted 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 327 
 
 do 
 
 2.60 
 
 do 
 
 4.1 
 
 .0 
 
 . 7 
 
 29 
 
 11 
 
 40 
 
 328 
 
 do 
 
 2.60 
 
 do 
 
 3.7 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 26 
 
 
 
 26 
 
 329 
 
 do 
 
 3.10 
 
 do 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 330 
 
 do 
 
 Dec. 16,1910 
 
 4.20 
 3.20 
 
 ....do 
 
 .0 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 .0 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 385 
 
 do 
 
 
 
 387 
 
 do 
 
 2.30 
 
 do 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 388 
 
 do 
 
 2.20 
 
 do 
 
 .3 
 
 .7 
 
 1.3 
 
 7 
 
 21 
 
 28 
 
 389 
 
 do 
 
 1.40 
 
 do 
 
 .0 
 
 2.1 
 
 .3 
 
 15 
 
 5 
 
 20 
 
 MUSSEL GULLY. 
 
 Mussel Gully lies northwest of Little Dauphin Island, running north- 
 east from Turtle Hole and ending blindly in a sand flat. The beds 
 which bear its name, as considered in this report, lie between the 
 gully and the island. They are of no importance and are badly 
 infested with drills. 
 
 The following tables furnish all necessary information: 
 
 Oyster Growth in Mussel Gully. 
 
 Character of oyster growth. 
 
 Area. 
 
 Oysters per acre. 
 
 Estimated content of oysters. 
 
 Under 3 
 inches. 
 
 Over 3 
 inches. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 
 Acres. 
 11 
 32 
 
 Bushels. 
 123 
 51 
 
 Bushels. 
 27 
 
 
 Bushels. 
 1,353 
 1,632 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 297 
 
 
 
 Bushels. 
 1,650 
 
 
 1,632 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 43 
 
 
 
 2,985 
 
 297 
 
 3,282 
 
 
 
 
 
30 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 
 Details of Examination of Mussel Gully. 
 
 Angle 
 
 Date of 
 examination. 
 
 Depth 
 of 
 
 water. 
 
 Character of growth 
 
 Oysters caught per 
 ' square yard. 
 
 Estimated quantity oys- 
 ters per acre." 
 
 No. 
 
 •Spat. 
 
 Culls. 
 
 Counts. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 393 
 395 
 
 •Dee. 16,1910 
 do 
 
 Feet. 
 1.00 
 
 1.00 
 
 Very scattering 
 
 6.1 
 .0 
 
 11.4 
 7.3 
 
 1.7 
 
 .0 
 
 Bush. 
 123 
 51 
 
 Bush. 
 27 
 
 
 
 Bush. 
 150 
 51 
 
 
 
 
 SAND REEF. 
 
 This bed lies in Mobile Bay, stretching from Redfish Gull}' to Pass 
 Drury for a distance of about 2\ miles along the outside of Little 
 Dauphin Island. It has an average width of about one-third mile 
 from above low-water mark to a depth of about 10 feet. It is the 
 largest bed falling within the limits of this report, but at the time 
 of examination it was of comparatively little economic value, and at 
 no time were boats observed at work on it. Its extent, the distri- 
 bution of oyster growth, and content of oysters are shown in the 
 
 following table: 
 
 Oyster Growth on Sand Reef. 
 
 
 Area. 
 
 Oysters per acre. 
 
 Estimated content of oysters. 
 
 Character of oyster growth. 
 
 Under 3 
 inches. 
 
 Over 3 
 
 inches. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 
 Acres. 
 
 220 
 
 185 
 
 21 
 
 229 
 
 Bushels. 
 108 
 61 
 38 
 
 7 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 318 
 
 98 
 
 40 
 
 4 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 23,760 
 
 11,285 
 
 798 
 
 1,603 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 69, 9C0 
 
 18, 130 
 
 840 
 
 916 
 
 Bushels. 
 93,(20 
 
 
 29,415 
 1,638 
 
 
 
 2, 519 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 655 
 
 
 
 37,446 
 
 89,846 
 
 127,292 
 
 
 
 
 The dense growth covers a nearly continuous strip running the 
 entire length of the bed. The oysters occur in rather large clusters 
 and are of medium size, with comparatively few over 4 inches long, 
 and inferior in shape and quality. The scattering growth lies prin- 
 cipally inshore of the upper or northeast half of the dense area, extend- 
 ing well up to or above low-water mark. The oysters lie in clusters 
 and are apparently tossed about by the waves and often more or less 
 submerged in the sand. The very scattering growth fringes the off- 
 shore edge of the upper third of the dense area. The depleted bottom, 
 which is the most extensive of the four classes of oyster growth repre- 
 sented, lies mainly in a large body in the half of the bed close to the 
 mouth of the bay. The oysters on this bed probably rarely, if ever, 
 become fit for market, and are of value as seed only, and even for 
 such purposes they should be used with caution, owing to the danger 
 of transplanting the drills which abound. 
 
OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 
 The following examinations were made: 
 
 Details of Examination of Sand Reef. 
 
 31 
 
 Angle 
 No. 
 
 
 Date of 
 
 Depth 
 
 i of 
 
 water. 
 
 examinatioi 
 
 
 Feet. 
 
 Nov. 23,19: 
 
 4.00 
 
 ....do 
 
 4. 50 
 
 ....do 
 
 5.00 
 
 ....do 
 
 5.00 
 
 ....do 
 
 4. 50 
 
 ....do 
 
 . . 4. 50 
 
 ....do 
 
 4. 00 
 
 ....do 
 
 4.00 
 
 ....do 
 
 5.00 
 
 ....do 
 
 5. 00 
 
 ....do.... 
 
 5. 75 
 
 Nov. 24,191 
 
 3.00 
 
 ....do.... 
 
 3. 00 
 
 ...„do.... 
 
 2. 90 
 
 ....do.... 
 
 4. 25 
 
 Nov. 23,19 
 
 4 00 
 
 ....do.... 
 
 5. 50 
 
 ....do.... 
 
 7. 00 
 
 ....do.... 
 
 7.00 
 
 ....do 
 
 . . 5. 00 
 
 ....do.... 
 
 5. 00 
 
 Nov. 24,19 
 
 7.00 
 
 ....do.... 
 
 3.40 
 
 ....do.... 
 
 4.00 
 
 ....do.... 
 
 4. 00 
 
 do.... 
 
 3.00 
 
 Nov. 23,19 
 
 4.50 
 
 do.... 
 
 8 00 
 
 Nov. 24, 191 
 
 2.80 
 
 ....do.... 
 
 2. 75 
 
 do 
 
 3. 50 
 
 ....do.... 
 
 2. 50 
 
 ....do.... 
 
 2. 50 
 
 ....do.... 
 
 2. 80 
 
 Nov. 23,19 
 
 6. 00 
 
 do.... 
 
 8. 00 
 
 do.... 
 
 6. 00 
 
 Nov. 24,19 
 
 3.00 
 
 Nov. 23,19 
 
 6.00 
 
 do.... 
 
 6 00 
 
 
 ..do.... 
 
 9. 00 
 
 
 ..do.... 
 
 8.00 
 
 
 ..do.... 
 
 6.00 
 
 
 ..do.... 
 
 5. 50 
 
 
 ..do.... 
 
 5. 00 
 
 
 ..do 
 
 6. 00 
 
 
 ..do.... 
 
 5. 25 
 
 
 ..do.... 
 
 9. 50 
 
 
 ..do.... 
 
 5.25 
 
 
 ..do.... 
 
 4. 50 
 
 
 ..do.... 
 
 . . 5. 00 
 
 
 ..do.... 
 
 6. 00 
 
 
 ..do.... 
 
 5; 50 
 
 
 ..do.... 
 
 6. 50 
 
 
 ..do.... 
 
 7. 50 
 
 
 ..do.... 
 
 7. 00 
 
 J\ 
 
 ov. 24,19 
 
 2.50 
 
 Character of growth. 
 
 Oysters caught per , 
 square yard. 
 
 Spat. Culls. Counts 
 
 Estimated quantity oys- 
 ters per acre. 
 
 Seed. Market. Total. 
 
 127 
 128 
 131 
 132 
 133 
 135 
 136 
 137 
 139 
 142 
 143 
 196 
 197 
 198 
 201 
 148 
 149 
 150 
 152 
 153 
 154 
 194 
 205 
 207 
 209 
 195 
 140 
 144 
 199 
 200 
 202 
 206 
 208 
 210 
 147 
 151 
 155 
 204 
 115 
 116 
 117 
 118 
 119 
 120 
 121 
 122 
 123 
 124 
 125 
 126 
 129 
 130 
 134 
 138 
 141 
 146 
 203 
 
 Dense 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 Scattering 
 
 do 
 
 do.... 
 
 .....do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 Very scattering 
 
 ."do 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 Depleted . 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 do.... 
 
 5.9 
 
 .0 
 
 2.4 
 
 3.8 
 
 2.2 
 
 .0 
 
 11.1 
 
 1.5 
 
 8.6 
 
 4.3 
 
 2.8 
 
 4.5 
 
 1.6 
 
 (a) 
 
 16.0 
 
 2.6 
 
 7.9 
 
 10.0 
 
 2.0 
 
 8.6 
 
 4.3 
 
 4.8 
 
 1.3 
 
 1.5 
 
 1.1 
 
 3.5 
 
 15.6 
 
 1.7 
 
 .6 
 
 .0 
 
 3.2 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .6 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 3.2 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 1.3 
 
 1.3 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .5 
 
 .0 
 
 .5 
 
 .4 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .6 
 
 2.0 
 
 3.2 
 
 3.3 
 
 3,7 
 
 8.1 
 
 5.7 
 
 5.5 
 
 12.6 
 
 8.9 
 
 5.2 
 
 21.0 
 
 11.4 
 
 5.0 
 
 8.4 
 
 4.2 
 
 13.6 
 
 8.1 
 
 9.6 
 
 19.5 
 
 14.7 
 
 16.7 
 
 18.1 
 
 27.2 
 
 9.6 
 
 7.1 
 
 9.2 
 
 19.7 
 
 4.2 
 
 5.6 
 
 23.9 
 
 1.3 
 
 4.2 
 
 9.0 
 
 .3 
 
 2.5 
 
 2.6 
 
 1.1 
 
 1.3 
 
 .0 
 
 6.5 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 1.0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .4 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 1.7 
 
 .0 
 
 3.3 
 
 3.2 
 
 11.1 
 
 17.8 
 
 12.4 
 
 14.3 
 
 13.3 
 
 11.9 
 
 30.0 
 
 25.2 
 
 33.8 
 
 24.3 
 
 14.4 
 
 10.0 
 
 14.9 
 
 16.2 
 
 13.3 
 
 13.7 
 
 25.8 
 
 25.3 
 
 36.0 
 
 29.5 
 
 33.4 
 
 10.7 
 
 10.3 
 
 10.4 
 
 38.2 
 
 6.8 
 
 8.9 
 
 5.0 
 
 1.3 
 
 6.1 
 
 7.1 
 
 6.8 
 
 9.0 
 
 4.2 
 
 1.7 
 
 .0 
 
 4.4 
 
 3.9 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .5 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .7 
 
 2.4 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 1.0 
 
 Bush. 
 
 64 
 
 21 
 
 74 
 
 66 
 
 54 
 
 88 
 
 140 
 
 47 
 
 207 
 
 110 
 
 55 
 
 90 
 
 41 
 
 (a) 
 
 169 
 
 85 
 
 192 
 
 173 
 
 131 
 
 187 
 
 220 
 
 101 
 
 59 
 
 75 
 
 146 
 
 54 
 
 148 
 
 179 
 
 13 
 
 29 
 
 92 
 
 2 
 
 17 
 
 18 
 
 12 
 
 72 
 
 
 
 68 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Bush. 
 
 178 
 
 285 
 
 198 
 
 229 
 
 213 
 
 190 
 
 480 
 
 404 
 
 540 
 
 389 
 
 230 
 
 160 
 
 238 
 
 259 
 
 213 
 
 219 
 
 413 
 
 405 
 
 576 
 
 472 
 
 535 
 
 171 
 
 165 
 
 167 
 
 614 
 
 109 
 
 142 
 
 80 
 
 21 
 
 98 
 
 114 
 
 109 
 
 144 
 
 07 
 
 27 
 
 
 
 72 
 
 62 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 8 
 
 
 
 
 
 11 
 
 38 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 16 
 
 Bush. 
 242 
 306 
 272 
 295 
 267 
 278 
 620 
 451 
 747 
 499 
 285 
 250 
 279 
 
 383 
 
 304 
 
 605 
 
 578 
 
 707 
 
 659 
 
 755 
 
 272 
 
 224 
 
 242 
 
 760 
 
 163 
 
 290 
 
 259 
 
 34 
 
 127 
 
 206 
 
 111 
 
 161 
 
 85 
 
 39 
 
 72 
 
 72 
 
 130 
 
 e 
 
 o 
 o 
 
 9 
 
 
 
 
 18 
 
 3 
 17 
 38 
 
 
 12 
 4 
 37 
 61 
 
 a Many. 
 
 DAUPHIN ISLAND BAY. 
 
 Practically the entire bottom of this bay is sparsely covered with 
 oyster growth, but in only a few patches in the southeastern half is 
 the growth sufficiently productive to warrant tonging. 
 
 The area and character of oyster growth and the estimated con- 
 tent of oysters in the bay are shown in the table following. 
 65397°— 13 3 
 
32 OYSTEE BOTTOMS OP MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 
 Oyster Growth in Dauphin Island Bay. 
 
 Character of oyster growth. 
 
 Area. 
 
 Oysters per acre. 
 
 Under 3 
 inches. 
 
 Over 3 
 inches. 
 
 Estimated content of oysters. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. Total. 
 
 Scattering 
 
 Very scattering 
 Depleted ^ . . 
 
 Total 
 
 Acres. 
 
 52 
 
 154 
 
 550 
 
 Bushels. 
 49 
 25 
 48 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 104 
 
 45 
 
 3 
 
 Bushels. 
 2,548 
 3,850 
 26,400 
 
 Bushels. 
 5,408 
 6,930 
 1,650 
 
 Bushels. 
 7,956 
 10, 780 
 28,050 
 
 756 
 
 32, 798 
 
 13,988 
 
 46, 786 
 
 There are three areas of what this report designates as scattering 
 oysters, one of about 6 acres close to the Dauphin Island shore, and 
 two larger ones near Little Dauphin Island. It is stated that oysters 
 are planted or bedded in the bay, and it is possible that some of the 
 bottom included in the foregoing is not wholly natural bed. 
 
 Included between these three patches is a considerable area of 
 very scattering growth. The depleted bottom lies around the shores 
 south and west of the preceding and in the entire northwestern part 
 of the bay where there are practically no market oysters and but a 
 limited quantity of small ones. 
 
 The oysters in practically all parts of the bay were poor in shape 
 and quality. Some drills were found and many dead small oysters. 
 
 Details op Examination of Dauphin Island Bay. 
 
 Angle 
 No: 
 
 Date of 
 examination. 
 
 Depth 
 of 
 
 water. 
 
 Character of growth 
 
 Oysters can eh t per 
 square yard. 
 
 Spat. 
 
 Culls. 
 
 Counts. 
 
 Estimated quantity oys- 
 ters per acre. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 222 
 225 
 213 
 229 
 230 
 231 
 232 
 212 
 214 
 215 
 216 
 217 
 218 
 220 
 221 
 226 
 227 
 233 
 219 
 223 
 224 
 228 
 234 
 235 
 236 
 237 
 238 
 344 
 345 
 346 
 347 
 348 
 349 
 350 
 
 Dec. 5, 1910 
 
 ...do..... 
 
 ...do 
 
 ...do 
 
 ...do 
 
 ...do 
 
 ...do 
 
 ...do 
 
 ...do 
 
 ...do 
 
 ...do 
 
 ...do 
 
 ...do 
 
 ...do 
 
 ...do 
 
 ...do 
 
 ...do 
 
 ...do 
 
 ...do 
 
 ...do 
 
 ...do 
 
 ...do 
 
 ...do 
 
 ...do 
 
 ...do 
 
 ...do 
 
 ...do 
 
 Dec. 15,1910 
 
 ...do 
 
 ...do 
 
 ...do 
 
 ...do 
 
 ...do 
 
 ...do 
 
 Feet. 
 1.50 
 1.80 
 2.00 
 6.00 
 4.00 
 4.00 
 3.90 
 2.50 
 2.50 
 2.00 
 2.50 
 3.00 
 3.00 
 2.50 
 1.50 
 2.00 
 3.00 
 4.00 
 3.00 
 .50 
 .50 
 4.00 
 4.00 
 4.50 
 4.00 
 3.00 
 4.00 
 .90 
 1.20 
 2.30 
 2.30 
 1.00 
 1.30 
 2.30 
 
 Scattering 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 Very scattering 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 Depleted 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 0.0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 4.6 
 
 1.2 
 
 1.5 
 
 .6 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 3.0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .8 
 
 .0 
 
 1.9 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 7.3 
 
 .0 
 
 .8 
 
 10.7 
 
 5.8 
 
 .0 
 
 3.1 
 
 3.9 
 
 1.9 
 
 2.5 
 
 .0 
 
 1.0 
 
 3.6 
 3.0 
 3.0 
 12.2 
 2.3 
 11.5 
 6.5 
 5.6 
 2.8 
 1.5 
 
 .6 
 
 .0 
 5.2 
 4.2 
 1.8 
 3.8 
 3.2 
 4.2 
 6.5 
 2.8 
 
 .0 
 3.5 
 6.1 
 
 .0 
 1.9 
 12.0 
 3.5 
 
 .0 
 24.4 
 1.0 
 1.0 
 4.7 
 4.2 
 1.3 
 
 7.7 
 
 8.6 
 
 6.3 
 
 6.1 
 
 .8 
 
 5.8 
 
 10.8 
 
 2.5 
 
 1.9 
 
 3.0 
 
 3.1 
 
 2.9 
 
 2.6 
 
 2.8 
 
 4.5 
 
 4.3 
 
 1.9 
 
 2.3 
 
 1.0 
 
 1.1 
 
 .0 
 
 .8 
 
 .4 
 
 .0 
 
 .4 
 
 1.0 
 
 1.2 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 Bush. 
 25 
 21 
 21 
 85 
 
 56 
 44 
 20 
 11 
 
 4 
 
 
 57 
 29 
 13 
 32 
 22 
 43 
 46 
 20 
 
 
 25 
 94 
 
 
 
 19 
 
 160 
 
 65 
 
 
 193 
 34 
 20 
 51 
 29 
 16 
 
 Bush. 
 123 
 138 
 101 
 98 
 
 93 
 173 
 
 40 
 30 
 48 
 50 
 Hi 
 42 
 45 
 72 
 69 
 30 
 37 
 16 
 18 
 
 13 
 
 Bush. 
 148 
 159 
 122 
 183 
 48 
 182 
 229 
 84 
 50 
 59 
 54 
 46 
 99 
 74 
 85 
 101 
 52 
 80 
 62 
 38 
 
 38 
 100 
 
 25 
 176 
 84 
 
 193 
 34 
 20 
 51 
 29 
 16 
 
OYSTEE BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 38 
 
 Details of Examination of Dauphin Island Bay — Continued. 
 
 Angle 
 No. 
 
 Date of 
 
 Depth 
 
 of 
 water. 
 
 examination. 
 
 
 Feet. 
 
 Dec. 15,1910 
 
 3.30 
 
 ....do 
 
 1.00 
 
 ....do 
 
 2.10 
 
 ....do 
 
 1.00 
 
 ....do 
 
 1.40 
 
 ....do 
 
 4.00 
 
 ....do 
 
 4.00 
 
 ....do 
 
 5.00 
 
 ....do 
 
 4.50 
 
 ....do 
 
 4.80 
 
 ....do 
 
 3.60 
 
 ....do 
 
 1.00 
 
 ....do 
 
 1.30 
 
 ....do 
 
 4.30 
 
 ....do 
 
 3.40 
 
 ....do 
 
 4.20 
 
 ....do 
 
 5.30 
 
 ....do 
 
 3.10 
 
 ....do 
 
 4.10 
 
 ....do 
 
 5.10 
 
 ....do 
 
 5.60 
 
 ....do 
 
 3.50 
 
 ....do 
 
 5.50 
 
 ....do 
 
 5.50 
 
 ....do 
 
 5.40 
 
 ....do 
 
 3. 70 
 
 ....do 
 
 3.10 
 
 ....do 
 
 5.50 
 
 Character of growth- 
 
 Oysters caught per 
 square yard. 
 
 Spat. 
 
 Culls. 
 
 Counts. 
 
 Estimated quantity oys- 
 ters per acre. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 351 
 352 
 353 
 354 
 355 
 356 
 357 
 358 
 359 
 360 
 361 
 362 
 363 
 364 
 365 
 367 
 368 
 369 
 370 
 371 
 372 
 373 
 375 
 376 
 377 
 378 
 379 
 380 
 
 Depleted 
 ...do... 
 ...do... 
 ...do... 
 ...do... 
 ...do... 
 ...do... 
 ...do... 
 ...do... 
 ...do... 
 ...do... 
 ...do... 
 ...do... 
 ...do... 
 ...do... 
 ...do... 
 ...do... 
 ...do... 
 ...do... 
 ...do... 
 ...do... 
 ...do... 
 ...do... 
 ...do... 
 ...do... 
 ...do... 
 ...do... 
 ...do... 
 
 2.0 
 
 1.4 
 
 4.5 
 
 1.9 
 
 1.8 
 
 4.0 
 
 .5 
 
 .0 
 
 5.0 
 
 7.5 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .6 
 
 .0 
 
 1.4 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 6.2 
 
 7.5 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 4.0 
 
 2.0 
 
 6.0 
 
 8.2 
 
 7.1 
 
 .0 
 
 10.8 
 16.9 
 5.8 
 7.2 
 5.5 
 2.5 
 8.5 
 
 .0 
 3.9 
 3.8 
 
 .3 
 3 6 
 8.3 
 3.0 
 2.3 
 1.5 
 
 .0 
 11.2 
 5.0 
 
 .0 
 4.0 
 2.3 
 
 .0 
 
 .7 
 6.0 
 
 .9 
 1.3 
 
 .0 
 
 0.5 
 .0 
 .3 
 .3 
 .3 
 .0 
 .0 
 .0 
 .6 
 .0 
 .0 
 .0 
 .0 
 .0 
 .0 
 .0 
 .0 
 .0 
 .0 
 .0 
 .0 
 .0 
 .0 
 .0 
 .0 
 .5 
 .0 
 .0 
 
 Bush. 
 90 
 128 
 72 
 64 
 51 
 46 
 70 
 
 
 62 
 79 
 
 2 
 
 25 
 62 
 21 
 27 
 11 
 
 
 122 
 87 
 
 
 28 
 16 
 28- 
 19 
 84 
 64 
 59 
 
 
 
 Bush. 
 8 
 
 5 
 5 
 5 
 
 
 
 10 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 8 
 
 
 
 Bush. 
 
 128 
 77 
 69 
 56 
 46 
 70 
 
 
 72 
 79 
 
 2 
 25 
 62 
 21 
 27 
 11 
 
 
 122 
 87 
 
 
 28 
 16 
 28 
 19 
 84 
 72 
 59 
 
 
 
 SPRINKELS BAY. 
 
 There are practically no market oysters in this bay, but small ones 
 ia clusters are scattered over the bottom. There were many dead 
 oysters at the time of examination. The following tables exhibit all 
 that it is necessary to say concerning this region: 
 
 Oyster Growth in Sprinkels Bay. 
 
 
 Area. 
 
 Oysters per acre. 
 
 Estimated content of oysters. 
 
 Character of oyster growth. 
 
 Under 3 
 inches. 
 
 Over 3 
 
 inches. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 
 Acres. 
 133 
 
 Bushels. 
 60 
 
 Bushels. 
 1 
 
 Bushels. 
 7,980 
 
 Bushels. 
 133 
 
 Bushels. 
 8,113 
 
 
 
 Details of Examination of Sprinkels Bay. 
 
 
 
 
 
 Oysters caught per 
 
 Estimated quantity oys- 
 
 Angle 
 No. 
 
 Date of 
 examination. 
 
 Depth 
 
 of 
 water. 
 
 Character of growth. 
 
 square yard. 
 
 ters per acre. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Spat. 
 
 Culls. 
 
 Counts. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 
 
 Feet. 
 
 
 
 
 
 Bush. 
 
 Bush. 
 
 Bush. 
 
 366 
 
 Dec. 15,1910 
 
 1.10 
 
 Depleted 
 
 0.0 
 
 17.0 
 
 0.3 
 
 119 
 
 5 
 
 124 
 
 374 
 
 do 
 
 3.00 
 
 do 
 
 2.9 
 
 4.2 
 
 .0 
 
 50 
 
 
 
 50 
 
 396 
 
 Dec. 16, 1910 
 
 1.00 
 
 do 
 
 .3 
 
 13.6 
 
 .3 
 
 97 
 
 5 
 
 102 
 
 397 
 
 do 
 
 3.00 
 
 do 
 
 1.3 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 9 
 
 
 
 9 
 
 398 
 
 do 
 
 1.00 
 
 do 
 
 .0 
 
 3.9 
 
 .0 
 
 27 
 
 
 
 27 
 
 399 
 
 do 
 
 2.00 
 
 do 
 
 1.6 
 
 13.6 
 
 .0 
 
 106 
 
 
 
 106 
 
 400 
 
 do 
 
 1.10 
 
 do 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 401 
 
 do 
 
 3.00 
 
 do 
 
 4.5 
 
 5.4 
 
 .0 
 
 69 
 
 
 
 69 
 
34 
 
 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 COLLIER BAY. 
 
 The oysters here, which are practically ail small, are scattered in 
 clusters along most of the shore of the bay. The bottom is mainly 
 soft mud, with considerable grass in places. The percentage of dead 
 spat and small oysters is large. The following tables give the data 
 obtained in this bay: 
 
 Oyster Growth in Collier Bay. 
 
 
 Area. 
 
 Oysters per acre. 
 
 Estimated content of oysters. 
 
 Character of oyster growth. 
 
 Under 3 
 inches. 
 
 Over 3 
 inches. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 
 Acres. 
 13 
 
 Bushels. 
 57 
 
 Bushels. 
 2 
 
 Bushels. 
 741 
 
 Bushels. 
 26 
 
 Bushels. 
 767 
 
 
 
 Details op Examination of Collier Bay. 
 
 Angle 
 
 Date of 
 examination. 
 
 Depth 
 
 of 
 water. 
 
 Character of growth. 
 
 Oysters caught per 
 square yard. 
 
 Estimated quantity oys- 
 ters per acre. 
 
 No. 
 
 Spat. 
 
 Culls. 
 
 Counts. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 407 
 
 Dec. 16,1910 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 Feet. 
 1 00 
 3.00 
 1.20 
 
 
 0.0 
 .0 
 .0 
 
 5.3 
 
 .8 
 
 18.3 
 
 0.3 
 .0 
 .0 
 
 Bush. 
 
 37 
 
 6 
 
 128 
 
 Bush. 
 5 
 
 
 
 Bush. 
 42 
 
 408 
 409 
 
 .....do.... 
 
 do 
 
 6 
 128 
 
 OFF EAST BASE SIGNAL. 
 
 This is a very small patch on a point west of Collier Bay, which 
 among considerable debris contains a few scattering clusters of four 
 or five small sharp-edged oysters each. 
 
 Oyster Growth off East Base Signal. 
 
 
 Area. 
 
 Oysters per acre. 
 
 Estimated content of oysters. 
 
 Character of oyster growth. 
 
 Under 3 
 inches. 
 
 Over 3 
 inches. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 
 A cres. 
 3 
 
 Bushels. 
 3 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 
 Bushels. 
 9 
 
 BusheU. 
 
 
 Bushels. 
 9 
 
 
 
 Details of Examination of Point off East Base Signal. 
 
 Angle 
 No. 
 
 Date of 
 examination. 
 
 Depth 
 
 of 
 water. 
 
 Character of growth. 
 
 Oysters caught per 
 square yard. 
 
 Estimated quantity oys- 
 ters per acre. 
 
 Spat. 
 
 Culls. 
 
 Counts. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 405 
 
 Dec. 16,1910 
 do 
 
 Feet. 
 1.00 
 1.00 
 
 
 0.8 
 .0 
 
 0.0 
 .0 
 
 0.0 
 .0 
 
 Bush. 
 6 
 
 
 Bush. 
 
 
 
 Bush. 
 6 
 
 406 
 
 do 
 
 
 
OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 
 35 
 
 HALF-MOON PATCHES. 
 
 This name, which is not used by the oystermen, serves to desig- 
 nate a number of small areas of oyster growth lying west of the lower 
 end of Cedar Point. Most of these patches are not more than an 
 acre or two in extent and bear scattering growth or are depleted. 
 They generally lie on a soft muddy bottom, but there is a hard reef 
 on which the water shoals to a minimum of 1 J feet about 500 or 600. 
 yards west of the extreme end of Cedar Point. 
 
 The following tables exhibit the area and condition of these patches,. 
 
 Oyster Growth on Half-Moon Patches. 
 
 Character of oyster growth. 
 
 Area. 
 
 Oysters per acre. 
 
 Estimated content of oysters. 
 
 Under 3 
 inches. 
 
 Over3 
 inches. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 
 Acres. 
 
 2 
 8 
 4 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 8 
 
 13 
 
 60 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 164 
 
 55 
 
 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 16 
 
 104 
 
 240 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 308 
 
 440 
 
 
 
 Bushels. 
 324 
 
 
 544 
 
 
 240 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 14 
 
 
 
 360 
 
 748 
 
 1,108- 
 
 
 
 
 
 Details of Examination of Half-Moon Patches. 
 
 Angle 
 
 Date of 
 examination. 
 
 Depth 
 
 of 
 water. 
 
 Character of growth. 
 
 Oysters caught per 
 square yard. 
 
 Estimated quantity oys- 
 ters per acre. 
 
 No. 
 
 Spat. 
 
 Culls. 
 
 Counts. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 263 
 
 Dec. 7, 1910 
 Dec. 29,1910 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 Feet. 
 4.00 
 6.00 
 6.00 
 5.00 
 4.50 
 4.00 
 3.50 
 
 
 
 
 
 Bush. 
 8 
 31 
 
 8 
 12 
 126 
 41 
 
 Bush. 
 154 
 69 
 46 
 50 
 
 
 
 
 Bush. 
 162' 
 
 466 
 465 
 464 
 462 
 
 Very scattering 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 0.0 
 .0 
 .0 
 .0 
 3.5 
 1.8 
 
 4.3 
 .0 
 
 1.2 
 
 1.7 
 
 14.5 
 
 4.1 
 
 4.3 
 
 2.9 
 
 3.1 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 100 
 4ft 
 58 
 12- 
 
 460 
 
 
 12ft 
 
 459 
 
 do 
 
 41 
 
 HERON BAY, EAST SIDE. 
 
 On the east side of Heron Bay there is an area of oyster growth 
 stretching along shore for nearly a mile south of the forks of the bay. 
 It consists principally of depleted bottom in which there are shells 
 more or less buried in the mud, with an occasional cluster of oysters. 
 The area and character of the growth on the several parts of this bed 
 are as follows : 
 
 Oyster Growth in Heron Bay, East Side. 
 
 Character of oyster growth. 
 
 Area. 
 
 Oysters per acre. 
 
 Estimated content of oysters. 
 
 Under 3 
 inches. 
 
 Over 3 
 inches. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Dense. 
 
 Acres. 
 
 34 
 
 11 
 
 5 
 
 52 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 101 
 
 13 
 
 110 
 
 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 190 
 
 96 
 
 72 
 
 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 3,434 
 
 143 
 
 550 
 
 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 6,460 
 
 1,056 
 
 360 
 
 
 
 Bushels. 
 9, 894 
 
 
 1, 19» 
 
 Very scattering 
 
 910- 
 
 Depleted 
 
 0. 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 102 
 
 
 
 4,127 
 
 7,876 
 
 12, 003 
 
 
 
 
 
36 
 
 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 
 There is an area of dense growth at the northern end of the bed, 
 apparently extending on to the planted bottom inside of the northeast 
 arm of the bay. These oysters are in small clusters and are of good 
 size and fair shape and quality. There is another dense patch near 
 the southern end of the bed, where the oysters are smaller and 
 inferior. 
 
 The scattering growth lies in a narrow strip along the western edge 
 of the southern half of the bed. The bottom consists in large part of 
 firm mud and shells lying in a substratum of soft mud. The very 
 scattering growth lies in a small patch near the southern inshore 
 part of the bed and the depleted area stretches nearly the entire length 
 of the bed and for a considerable distance comprises its entire width. 
 The following examinations were made: 
 
 Details op Examination of Heron Bay, East Side. 
 
 Angle 
 No 
 
 Date of 
 examination. 
 
 Depth 
 
 of 
 water. 
 
 Character of growth. 
 
 Oysters caught per 
 square yard. 
 
 Estimated quantity oys- 
 ters per acre. 
 
 
 Spat. 
 
 Culls. 
 
 Counts. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 507 
 508 
 516 
 418 
 
 Jan. 1,1911 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 Dec. 21,1910 
 Jan. 1, 1911 
 Dec. 21,1910 
 do 
 
 Feet. 
 3.0 
 4.9 
 4.0 
 4.0 
 4.3 
 3.6 
 3.6 
 
 Dense 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 2.1 
 .0 
 .0 
 .5 
 .0 
 .0 
 .0 
 
 16.3 
 11.2 
 13.5 
 
 .0 
 3.0 
 15.8 
 
 .0 
 
 14.2 
 10.0 
 11.5 
 5.0 
 7.0 
 4.5 
 .0 
 
 Bush. 
 129 
 78 
 95 
 4 
 21 
 110 
 
 
 Bush. 
 227 
 160 
 184 
 80 
 112 
 72 
 
 
 Bush. 
 
 356 
 
 238 
 
 279 
 
 84 
 
 515 
 
 do 
 
 133 
 
 417 
 416 
 
 Very scattering 
 
 Depleted 
 
 182 
 
 
 HEKON BAY, WEST SIDE. 
 
 The oyster growth on the western, or, more accurately, on the north- 
 western, side of Heron Bay stretches along shore for a distance of 
 upward of one-half mile from the mouth of northwest arm. 
 
 The following table exhibits the area, density of oyster growth, and 
 estimated total content of oysters: 
 
 Oyster Growth in Heron Bay, West Side. 
 
 
 Area. 
 
 Oysters per acre. 
 
 Estimated content of oysters. 
 
 Character of oyster growth. 
 
 Under 3 
 inches. 
 
 Over 3 
 inches. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 
 Acres. 
 31 
 21 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 54 
 
 4 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 245 
 
 10 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 1,674 
 
 84 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 7,595 
 
 210 
 
 Bushels. 
 9 269 
 
 Depleted 
 
 294 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 52 
 
 
 
 1,758 
 
 7,805 
 
 9 563 
 
 
 
 
 
 The area of dense growth lies at the northeast end of the bed on a 
 very hard sand and shell bottom, gradually becoming softer toward 
 the depleted bottom. The oysters are elongated, sharp edged, and in 
 rather heavy clusters, bearing a few mussels. 
 
OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA 
 
 37 
 
 The depleted bottom consists partly of soft mud, partly sand, and 
 in places 3 inches of the former overlying a substratum of the latter. 
 The following examinations were made on this bed. 
 
 Details of Examination of Heron Bay, West Side. 
 
 Angle 
 No. 
 
 Date of 
 examination. 
 
 Depth 
 
 of 
 water. 
 
 Character of growth. 
 
 Oysters caught per 
 square yard. 
 
 Estimated quantity oys- 
 ters per acre. 
 
 Spat. 
 
 Culls. 
 
 Counts. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 504 
 
 Jan. 1, 1911 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 Feet. 
 3.2 
 3.4 
 3.1 
 4.5 
 
 
 0.0 
 .0 
 .0 
 .0 
 
 6.2 
 
 15.9 
 
 .8 
 
 .6 
 
 15.0 
 
 20.9 
 
 10.0 
 
 .6 
 
 Bush. 
 
 44 
 
 111 
 
 6 
 
 4 
 
 Bush. 
 
 240 
 
 334 
 
 160 
 
 10 
 
 Bush. 
 284 
 
 509 
 
 do 
 
 445 
 
 510 
 
 ...do... 
 
 166 
 
 514 
 
 
 14 
 
 
 
 
 Lying in the middle of Heron Bay is a long, narrow bed of planted 
 oysters, continuous at its northern end with what appears to be a 
 natural scattering growth. It is probable that this whole area is on 
 an old bed. 
 
 HERON BAY, NORTHWEST ARM. 
 
 It was understood that the northeastern arm of Heron Bay is com- 
 prised within the limits of private ownership, is used for purposes of 
 oyster culture, and contains no public beds. For that reason it was 
 not examined. Northwest Arm is public bottom, but contains very 
 few oysters of value. The following table shows the area, density of 
 oyster growth, and total contents: 
 
 Oyster Growth in Heron Bay, Northwest Arm. 
 
 
 Area. 
 
 Oysters per acre. 
 
 Estimated content of oysters. 
 
 Character of oyster growth. 
 
 Under 3 
 inches. 
 
 Over 3 
 
 inches. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 
 Acres. 
 16 
 
 42 
 
 Bushels. 
 40 
 10 
 
 Bushels. 
 119 
 17 
 
 Bushels. 
 640 
 420 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 1,904 
 
 714 
 
 Bushels. 
 2,544 
 
 
 1,134 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 58 
 
 
 
 1,060 
 
 2,618 
 
 3,678 
 
 
 
 
 The area of scattering growth lies as a strip along shore at the 
 eastern side of the mouth of the arm. The market oysters on this 
 area are rather large and some of them of good shape and quality. 
 The depleted bottom stretches from shore to shore in the upper part 
 and continues as a strip along the western shore in the lower half of 
 the arm. The oysters, of which a fair proportion are of good size, 
 lie in clusters on a bottom of soft or very soft mud in which there are 
 many buried shells. The indications are that this body of water 
 would produce good oysters if a firm surface could be provided by the 
 use of sand and shells. 
 
S8 OYSTEE BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 
 The following observations were made : 
 
 Details op Examination op Northwest Arm, Heron Bay. 
 
 Angle 
 No. 
 
 Date of 
 examination. 
 
 Depth 
 
 of 
 water. 
 
 Character of growth. 
 
 Oysters caught per 
 square yard. 
 
 Estimated quantity oys- 
 ters per acre. 
 
 Spat. 
 
 Culls. 
 
 Counts. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 502 
 505 
 
 Jan. 1, 1911 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 Feet. 
 1.8 
 4.2 
 1.9 
 1.5 
 1.8 
 
 Scattering 
 
 do 
 
 0.0 
 .0 
 .0 
 .0 
 .0 
 
 10.0 
 
 1.5 
 
 .9 
 
 1.2 
 
 2.3 
 
 7.8 
 7.0 
 .0 
 1.5 
 1.6 
 
 Bush. 
 70 
 10 
 6 
 8 
 16 
 
 Bush. 
 125 
 112 
 
 24 
 26 
 
 Bush. 
 195 
 122 
 
 498 
 
 
 6 
 
 499 
 501 
 
 do 
 
 ...do 
 
 32 
 42 
 
 
 
 
 MIDDLE GROUND, FOWL RIVER BAY. 
 
 This consists of a small reef, of dense growth, with an area of very 
 scattered oysters extending from it toward the head of the bay. 
 The area shown in the following table includes ir> addition that por- 
 tion of what appears to be a private bed more than 600 yards from 
 the shore. 
 
 The area, density of oyster growth, and estimated contents are 
 shown in the following tables : 
 
 Oyster Growth in Middle Ground, Fowl River Bay. 
 
 
 Area. 
 
 Oysters per acre. 
 
 Estimated content of oysters. 
 
 Character of oyster growth. 
 
 Under 3 
 inches. 
 
 Over 3 
 inches. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Dense 
 
 Acres. 
 12 
 40 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 93 
 
 107 
 
 Bushels. 
 204 
 58 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 116 
 
 4,280 
 
 Bushels. 
 2,448 
 2,320 
 
 Bushels. 
 2,564 
 
 
 .6,600 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 52 
 
 
 
 4,396 
 
 4,768 
 
 9,164 
 
 
 
 
 Details op Examination op Middle Ground, Fowl River Bay. 
 
 Angle 
 No. 
 
 Date of 
 examination. 
 
 Depth 
 
 of 
 water. 
 
 Character of growth. 
 
 Oysters caught per 
 square yard. 
 
 Estimated quantity oys- 
 ters per acre. 
 
 Spat. 
 
 Culls. 
 
 Counts. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 637 
 
 Jan. 11,1911 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 Feet. 
 4.0 
 4.3 
 3-5 
 4.0 
 
 
 0.0 
 .0 
 .0 
 
 1.5 
 
 9.5 
 17.0 
 19.0 
 10.0 
 
 14.5 
 11.0 
 2.7 
 4.5 
 
 Bush. 
 
 66.5 
 119.0 
 133.0 
 
 80.5 
 
 Bush. 
 
 232.0 
 
 176.0 
 
 43.2 
 
 72.0 
 
 Bush. 
 298.5 
 
 640 
 
 do. 
 
 295.0 
 
 638 
 639 
 
 Very scattering 
 
 do. 
 
 176.2 
 152.5 
 
 GRASSY ISLAND. 
 
 This is a small patch running from the north side of Grassy Island 
 to a depth of about 1 foot. It is apparently an old bar, but is at 
 present of very little value, as is shown in the following table: 
 
OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, AT. A, £9 
 
 Oyster Growth on Grassy Island. 
 
 
 Area. 
 
 Oysters per acre. 
 
 Estimated content of oysters., 
 
 Character of oyster growth. 
 
 Under 3 
 inches. 
 
 Over 3 
 inches. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 
 Acres. 
 4 
 
 Bushels. 
 10 
 
 Bushels. 
 13 
 
 Bushels. 
 40 
 
 Bushels. 
 52 
 
 Bushels. 
 92 
 
 
 
 Details of Examination of Grassy Island. 
 
 Angle 
 No. 
 
 Date of 
 examination. 
 
 Depth 
 
 of 
 water. 
 
 Character of growth. 
 
 Oysters caught per 
 square yard. 
 
 Estimated quantity oys- 
 ters per acre. 
 
 Spat. 
 
 Culls. 
 
 Counts. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 683 
 
 Jan. 13,1911 
 
 Feet. 
 0.8 
 
 
 0.0 
 
 1.4 
 
 0.8 
 
 Bush. 
 9.8 
 
 Bush. 
 12.8 
 
 Bush. 
 22.6 
 
 
 
 
 GOOSE BAYOU. 
 
 This bed, consisting of a small area of dense growth, almost sur- 
 rounded by very scattering oysters, is apparently included within a 
 private claim, although there is no doubt that it is an old natural 
 bed. There is a considerable proportion of large oysters of good 
 shape. The area, character of oyster growth, and estimated content 
 of the bed are as follows: 
 
 Oyster Growth in Goose Bayou. 
 
 
 Area. 
 
 Oysters per acre. 
 
 Estimated content of oysters. 
 
 Character of oyster growth. 
 
 Under 3 
 inches. 
 
 Over 3 
 inches. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Dense 
 
 Acres. 
 5 
 
 7 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 76 
 
 406 
 
 Bushels. 
 286 
 51 
 
 Bushels. 
 380 
 
 2,842 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 1,430 
 
 357 
 
 Bushels. 
 1,810 
 
 
 3,199 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 12 
 
 
 
 3,222 
 
 1,787 
 
 5,009 
 
 
 
 
 Details of Examination of Goose Bayou. 
 
 Angle 
 No. 
 
 Date of 
 examination. 
 
 Depth 
 
 of 
 water. 
 
 Character of growth. 
 
 Oysters caught per 
 square yard. 
 
 Estimated quantity oys- 
 ters per acre. 
 
 Spat. 
 
 Culls. 
 
 Counts. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 669 
 
 Jan. 12,1911 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 Feet. 
 1.5 
 1.2 
 1.5 
 
 
 0.0 
 
 2.2 
 
 .0 
 
 10.9 
 7.6 
 1.8 
 
 17.9 
 2.8 
 3.6 
 
 Bush. 
 76.3 
 68.6 
 12.6 
 
 Bush. 
 286.4 
 44.8 
 57.6 
 
 Bush. 
 362.7 
 
 671 
 672 
 
 Very scattering 
 
 do 
 
 113.4 
 70.2 
 
40 
 
 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 SOUTHWEST OF VAN SIGNAL. 
 
 This is a small patch of dense growth about 300 yards from shore. 
 
 The oysters have a good shape, most of them are single, and at the 
 
 time of examination were fat. Drills or borers were noted on the 
 
 bed. The following tables show the results of the examination: 
 
 • 
 Oyster Growth Southwest of Van Signal. 
 
 
 Area. 
 
 Oysters per acre. 
 
 Estimated content of oysters. 
 
 Character of oyster growth. 
 
 Under 3 
 inches. 
 
 Over 3 
 inches. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Dense 
 
 Acres. 
 1 
 
 Bushels. 
 70 
 
 Bushels. 
 560 
 
 Bushels. 
 70 
 
 Bushels. 
 560 
 
 Bushels. 
 630 
 
 
 
 Details op Examination Southwest op Van Signal. 
 
 Angle 
 
 No. 
 
 Date of 
 examination. 
 
 Depth 
 
 of 
 water. 
 
 Character of growth. 
 
 Oysters caught per 
 square yard. 
 
 Estimated quantity oys- 
 ters per acre. 
 
 Spat. 
 
 Culls. 
 
 Counts. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 664 
 
 Jan. 12,1911 
 
 Feet. 
 3.0 
 
 
 3.3 
 
 6.7 
 
 35.0 
 
 Bush. 
 70 
 
 Bush. 
 560 
 
 Bush. 
 630 
 
 
 
 
 EAST SIDE OF MARSH ISLAND. 
 
 About 300 yards from the island is a small patch of depleted bot- 
 tom. Its condition is shown in the following tables: 
 
 Oyster Growth on East Side op Marsh Island. 
 
 
 Area. 
 
 Oysters per acre. 
 
 Estimated content of oysters. 
 
 Character of oyster growth. 
 
 Under 3 
 inches. 
 
 Over 3 
 inches. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 
 Acres. 
 2 
 
 Bushels. 
 52 
 
 Bushels. 
 6 
 
 Bushels. 
 104 
 
 Bushels. 
 12 
 
 Bushels. 
 116 
 
 
 
 Details op Examination of East Side op Marsh Island. 
 
 Angle 
 No. 
 
 Date of 
 examination. 
 
 Depth 
 
 of 
 water. 
 
 Character of growth. 
 
 Oysters caught per 
 square yard. 
 
 Estimated quantity oys- 
 ters per acre. 
 
 Spat. 
 
 Culls. 
 
 Counts. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 651 
 
 Jan. 11,1911 
 
 Feet. 
 2.4 
 
 Depleted 
 
 0.0 
 
 7.4 
 
 0.4 
 
 Bush. 
 51.8 
 
 Bush. 
 6.4 
 
 Bush. 
 58.2 
 
 
 
 
OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 
 41 
 
 PORTERSVILLE BAY, STATE-PLANTED BED. 
 
 This bed is said to have been planted in June, 1910, and it was 
 examined by the survey party on January 11, 1911. The bottom 
 was of a consistency rated in this report from stiff to soft. The 
 oysters were found to be growing in dense clusters and were fit for 
 steaming only. They were evidently planted too thickly and irreg- 
 ularly to secure the best results, and apparently the clusters were not 
 broken up. If they had been separated so as to give the individual 
 oysters room for growth, they would have produced much better 
 and more valuable stock. It is said that the seed oysters, when 
 planted, were about 1^ inches long. When examined six months 
 later, 40 per cent were between 1 and 3 inches long, 40 per cent 
 between 3 and 4 inches, and 20 per cent over 4 inches. 
 
 The experiment indicates that if oysters be planted in this region 
 in accordance with the best practice the results should be excellent. 
 
 The following tables exhibit the general condition of this bed : 
 
 Oyster Growth in Portersville Bay (State-Planted Bed). 
 
 
 Area. 
 
 Oysters per acre. 
 
 Estimated content of oysters. 
 
 Character of oyster growth. 
 
 Under 3 
 inches. 
 
 Over 3 
 
 inches. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 
 Acres. 
 
 8 
 
 Bushels. 
 250 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 472 
 
 Bushels. 
 2,000 
 
 Bushels. 
 3,776 
 
 Bushels. 
 5,776 
 
 
 
 Details of Examination op Portersville Bay, State-Planted Bed. 
 
 Angle 
 No. 
 
 Date of 
 examination. 
 
 Depth 
 
 of - 
 
 water. 
 
 Character of growth. 
 
 Oysters caught per 
 square yard. 
 
 Estimated quantity oys- 
 ters per acre. 
 
 
 Spat. 
 
 Culls. 
 
 Counts. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 625 
 
 Jan. 11,1911 
 do 
 
 Feet. 
 4.3 
 4.0 
 
 
 1.0 
 1.5 
 
 45.5 
 25.0 
 
 25.0 
 34.0 
 
 Bush. 
 315.5 
 185.5 
 
 Bush. 
 400.0 
 544.0 
 
 Bush. 
 715.5 
 
 626 
 
 do 
 
 729.5 
 
 
 
 
 PORTERSVILLE BAY, NORTH END. 
 
 This is a small bed of very scattering growth, about 700 yards 
 from the north shore of the bay. It is probable that there may be 
 other insignificant patches in the vicinity. The character of the 
 bed is sufficiently indicated by the following tables: 
 
 Oyster Growth in Portersville Bay, North End. 
 
 
 Area. 
 
 Oysters per acre. 
 
 Estimated content of oysters. 
 
 Character of oyster growth. 
 
 Under 3 
 inches. 
 
 Over 3 
 inches. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 
 Acres. 
 2 
 
 Bushels. 
 122 
 
 Bushels. 
 57 
 
 Bushels. 
 244 
 
 Bushels. 
 114 
 
 Bushels. 
 358 
 
 
 
42 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 
 Details of Examination of Portersville Bay, North End. 
 
 Angle 
 
 No. 
 
 Date of 
 examination. 
 
 Depth 
 
 of 
 water. 
 
 Character of growth. 
 
 Oysters caught per 
 square yard. 
 
 Estimated quantity oys- 
 ters per acre. 
 
 Spat. 
 
 Culls. 
 
 Counts. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 Market. 
 
 Total. 
 
 592 
 593 
 
 Jan. 10,1911 
 do 
 
 Feet. 
 6.0 
 6.0 
 
 Very scattering 
 
 2.8 
 5. 7 
 
 7.0 
 19.3 
 
 2.8 
 4.3 
 
 Bush. 
 68.6 
 175.0 
 
 Bush: 
 44.8 
 68.8 
 
 Bush. 
 113.4 
 243.8 
 
 
 
 
 WEST SIDE OF COFFEE ISLAND. 
 
 Along a considerable part of the southern half, of the west shore of 
 Coffee Island is a fringe of depleted bottom. It is stated that this 
 was at one time moderately productive, but there is but an occasional 
 scattered cluster of oysters to be found at present, and their dis- 
 tribution was so irregular that it was not possible to arrive at an 
 estimate of their quantity. This narrow fringe of bottom is useful for 
 planting but valueless for oyster producing in its natural state. 
 
 THE BEDS IN SUMMARY. 
 
 Within the limits of this survey the natural beds are confined 
 to two general regions — (a) Mobile Bay and Mississippi Sound adjacent 
 to their junction and (6) in Portersville Bay and vicinity. It is 
 stated that formerly there were oysters in Grand Bay, where none or 
 practically none exist at present, and recently a bed was reported 
 in the open sound, somewhere south of Grand Bay near the State 
 line. If the latter exist, it can not be of much importance, as a 
 search as careful as the circumstances seemed to warrant failed to 
 reveal it. There are a few scattered clusters of oysters close to shore 
 on the west side of Coffee Island, but they are not worthy of consider- 
 ation as natural growth. 
 
 The contiguous parts of Mobile Bay and Mississippi Sound contain 
 by far the most extensive and productive oyster beds in the State. 
 As is shown on the chart, there extends from Buoy Reef to Pass 
 Drury a practically continuous area of dense and scattering growth 
 flanked, especially toward the sound, by very scattering oysters 
 and depleted bottom. These beds, including Kings Bayou Reef 
 and Heron Bay, cover a total area of 3,900 acres, of which 1,451 
 acres bear dense, 501 acres scattering, and 436 acres very scattering 
 growth, while 1,512 acres are classed as depleted. 
 
 The depth of water over these beds is slight and, excepting the 
 passes and gullies, remarkably uniform, ranging generally between 
 1 and 4 feet. On Buoy and Kings Bayou Reefs the depth is a few 
 feet greater, as is shown on the chart. 
 
 The remaining beds, which are confined to Portersville Bay and 
 vicinity, contain but about 108 acres, part of which appears to lie 
 
OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 
 43 
 
 within private claims. In addition to this there are what appear to 
 have been natural beds, lying in less than 2 feet of water, between 
 Cat Island, Murder Point, and the mouth of Goose Bayou, most of 
 which are now planted or claimed as planted. 
 
 The entire area of 4,008 acres of natural beds surveyed embraces 
 37 per cent of dense growth, 13 per cent of scattering, 12 per cent 
 of very scattering, and 38 per cent of depleted bottom. This dis- 
 tribution is summarized in the following table: 
 
 Summarized Statement of Areas op Market Oysters on Public Beds. 
 
 Name of bed. 
 
 Character of oyster growth. 
 
 Dense. 
 
 Scatter- 
 ing. 
 
 Very scat- 
 tering, 
 
 De- 
 pleted. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Kings Bayou Reef 
 
 Buoy Reef 
 
 Cedar Point Reef 
 
 Pass des Huitres 
 
 Pass des Huitres Flats 
 
 Dutch Gully 
 
 Dutch Island 
 
 Big Gully 
 
 Peter Billys Gully 
 
 Grants Pass 
 
 Pass aux Herons 
 
 Redfish Gully 
 
 Black Lumps 
 
 West side Little Dauphin Island. . 
 
 Mussel Gully 
 
 Sand Reef 
 
 Dauphin Island Bay. . , 
 
 Sprinkels Bay 
 
 Collier Bay 
 
 East Base 
 
 Half-moon Patches 
 
 Heron Bay, east side 
 
 Heron Bay, west side 
 
 Northwest arm Heron Bay 
 
 Middle Ground 
 
 Grassy Island 
 
 Goose Bayou 
 
 Southwest Van signal 
 
 East of Marsh Island 
 
 Planted oysters, Portersville Bay. 
 
 North end Portersville Bay 
 
 West side Coffee Island 
 
 Acres. 
 
 39 
 
 202 
 
 100 
 
 53 
 
 122 
 
 39 
 
 42 
 
 44 
 
 39 
 
 64 
 
 211 
 
 209 
 
 Acres. 
 
 Acres. 
 40 
 19 
 
 24 
 
 Acres. 
 3 
 12 
 56 
 
 185 
 52 
 
 11 
 21 
 154 
 
 77 
 
 156 
 
 32 
 
 229 
 
 550 
 
 133 
 
 13 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 52 
 
 21 
 
 42 
 
 27 
 
 Acres. 
 
 82 
 
 267 
 
 201 
 
 83 
 
 202 
 
 58 
 
 87 
 
 65 
 
 81 
 
 127 
 
 292 
 
 220 
 
 139 
 
 165 
 
 43 
 
 655 
 
 756 
 
 133 
 
 13 
 
 3 
 
 14 
 
 102 
 
 54 
 
 58 
 
 52 
 
 4 
 
 12 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 8 
 
 2 
 
 27 
 
 Total. 
 
 1,477 
 
 501 
 
 485 
 
 1,545 
 
 It should be understood that the foregoing classification in respect 
 to relative density of oyster growth is based solely on the quantity 
 of oysters 3 inches or more in length, irrespective of the quantity of 
 small oysters present. The classification furthermore represents 
 the condition at the time of examination and the several classes may, 
 and undoubtedly will, undergo redistribution from time to time. 
 The areas of dense growth may become less productive from over- 
 fishing or other causes, while a heavy set of spat may bring the 
 lower classes into increased productivity and raise them a step 
 higher in the scale. In some cases the number of young oysters 
 on the beds at the time of examination was sufficient to produce 
 this effect in the following year. On the whole, however, the general 
 conditions shown in this report, barring accidents, should be main- 
 
44 
 
 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 
 tained for a period of years. The estimated total content of oysters 
 on the several parts of the different beds is shown in the following 
 table : 
 
 Summarized Content Of Market Oysters on Public Beds. 
 
 Name of bed. 
 
 Character of oyster growth. 
 
 Dense. 
 
 Scatter- 
 ing. 
 
 Very scat- 
 tering. 
 
 De- 
 pleted. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Kings Bayou Reef. 
 
 Buoy Reef. 
 
 Cedar Point Reef 
 
 Pass des Huitres 
 
 Pass des Huitres Flats 
 
 Dutch Gully 
 
 Dutch Island 
 
 Big Gully 
 
 Peter Billys Gully 
 
 Grants Pass 
 
 Pass aux Herons 
 
 Redfish Gully 
 
 Black Lumps '.. 
 
 West side Little Dauphin Island . 
 
 Mussel Gully 
 
 Sand Reef 
 
 Dauphin Island Bay 
 
 Sprinkels Bay 
 
 Collier Bay 
 
 East Base 
 
 Half-moon Patches 
 
 Heron Bay, east side 
 
 Heron Bay, west side 
 
 Northwest arm Heron Bay 
 
 Middle Ground 
 
 Grassy Island 
 
 Goose Bayou 
 
 Southwest Van signal 
 
 East of Marsh Island 
 
 Planted oysters, Portersville Bay. 
 
 North end Portersville Bay 
 
 West side Coflee Island 
 
 Total. 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 9,126 
 65,448 
 34,000 
 16,059 
 37,088 
 
 9,867 
 11,718 
 13,640 
 
 9,555 
 22,976 
 109,720 
 65,417 
 
 3,672 
 2,730- 
 2,760 
 5,699 
 1,919 
 2,079 
 800 
 
 2,352 
 
 1,316 
 
 880 
 
 1,807 
 
 69,960 
 
 18, 130 
 5,408 
 
 308 
 6,460 
 7,595 
 
 1,056 
 
 284 
 
 1,904 
 
 2,448 
 
 1,430 
 560 
 
 3,776 
 
 497, 151 
 
 52,796 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 3,640 
 
 1,178 
 
 984 
 
 Bushels. 
 18 
 
 1,794 
 
 532 
 
 2,279 
 
 2,401 
 315 
 297 
 840 
 
 6,930 
 
 440 
 360 
 
 2,320 
 "357 
 
 24,781 
 
 312 
 
 168 
 924 
 96 
 
 231 
 
 624 
 
 
 
 916 
 
 1,650 
 
 60 
 
 26 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 210 
 
 714 
 
 52 
 
 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 12,784 
 
 70,346- 
 
 37,714 
 
 18,819 
 
 44,581 
 
 11,786 
 
 14,109 
 
 14,440 
 
 10,255 
 
 26,252 
 
 113,411 
 
 66,297 
 
 4,439- 
 
 939 
 
 297 
 
 89,846 
 
 13,988 
 
 6f> 
 
 2ft 
 
 O 
 
 748 
 
 7,876 
 
 8,089 
 
 2,618 
 
 4,768 
 
 52 
 
 1,787 
 
 560 
 
 12 
 
 3,77ft 
 
 114 
 
 
 
 6,061 
 
 580,789 
 
 Of the total it is estimated that the beds lying in the contiguous 
 parts of Mobile Bay and Mississippi Sound bear over 98 per cent, or 
 569,720 bushels, of which 488,937 bushels occur as dense growth, 52,796 
 bushels as scattering, 21,990 bushels as very scattering, and but 5,997 
 bushels on the so-called depleted bottom. It will be seen from this 
 that the depleted bottom and even the areas of very scattering 
 growth bore a wholly insignificant crop of oysters at the time of 
 examination. The present negligible character of these two classes, 
 and especially the lowest, regarded as naturally productive beds, is 
 still more plainly seen by a comparison of their content per acre with 
 that of the areas of dense and scattering growth. 
 
 Considering as a whole all of the beds examined in the State, aggre- 
 gating 4,008 acres, the areas classed as dense bore an average of 336 
 bushels of oysters of market size per acre, the scattering 105 bushels, 
 very scattering 51 bushels, and the depleted but 4 bushels. It should 
 be stated that for the more prolific growths the averages probably 
 understate the truth, while for the very scattering and depleted 
 growths they are approximately accurate. On very rank growth the 
 
OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 
 45 
 
 tongs will not always take up all oysters within their grasp, and as 
 the foregoing estimates are based primarily on the area of bottom 
 covered by a "grab" and the number of oysters taken therein, the 
 actual density of growth is somewhat greater than shown. Where 
 the oysters do not lie so thickly this is not true. 
 
 On some of the beds, notably Buoy Reef, Grants Pass, Pass aux 
 Herons, and Redfish Gully, oystering had been carried on for a 
 month or two prior to the examination, and the survey therefore 
 disclosed fewer oysters than had been on the beds at the beginning 
 of the season. Moreover, the bushel as measured by the survey 
 party contains probably at least 30 per cent more oysters than the 
 ordinary market bushel, as to secure uniformity in the case of the 
 former the oysters are culled and the clusters broken to singles and 
 doubles and carefully packed in the measure. 
 
 Of less immediate importance, but greater potential significance 
 than the marketable oysters, are the young ones. Upon them depends 
 the future of the fishery. A bed with a large number of healthy 
 young, not unduly subject to accident, is an asset of more value than 
 a bed of old oysters whose future is imperiled by a deficiency of spat. 
 That in this respect the principal beds covered by the survey are in 
 good condition is shown by the following table: 
 
 Summarized Content of Young Oysters on Public Beds. 
 
 Name of bed. 
 
 Character of oyster growth. 
 
 Dense. 
 
 Scatter- 
 ing. 
 
 Vfry 
 scatter- 
 ing. 
 
 Depleted 
 
 Total. 
 
 Kings Bayou Reef 
 
 Bayou Reef 
 
 Cedar Point Reef 
 
 Pass des Huitres 
 
 Pass des Huitres Flats 
 
 Dutch Gully 
 
 Dutch Island 
 
 Big Gully 
 
 Peter Billys Gully 
 
 Grants Pass 
 
 Pass aux Herons 
 
 Redfish Gully 
 
 Black Lumps 
 
 West Side Little Dauphin Island. 
 
 Mussel Gully 
 
 Sand Reef 
 
 Dauphin Island Bay 
 
 Sprinkels Bay 
 
 Collier Bay 
 
 East Base 
 
 Half-Moon Patches 
 
 Heron Bay, east side 
 
 Heron Bay, west side 
 
 Northwest Arm, Heron Bay 
 
 Middle Ground 
 
 Grassy Island 
 
 Goose Bayou 
 
 Southwest Van signal 
 
 East of Marsh Island 
 
 Planted oysters, Portersville Bay. 
 
 North end, Portersville Bay 
 
 West Side, Coffee Island 
 
 Total. 
 
 Bushels. 
 11,544 
 42,218 
 14,000 
 19, 345 
 36, 112 
 8,034 
 13,524 
 12, 496 
 12, 636 
 17,600 
 49, 163 
 48,279 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 5,610 
 2,541 
 6,390 
 5,371 
 4,218 
 6,258 
 2,770 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 8,200 
 
 1,444 
 
 864 
 
 3,339 
 
 286 
 1,820 
 
 23, 760 
 
 11,285 
 2,548 
 
 16 
 
 3,434 
 1,674 
 
 143 
 
 118 
 640 
 
 116 
 
 380 
 
 70 
 
 104 
 
 2,000 
 
 316,505 
 
 53, 785 
 
 1,014 
 
 560 
 ' 3,354 
 
 6,664 
 522 
 
 1,353 
 798 
 
 3,850 
 
 104 
 550 
 
 4,280 
 "2," 842 
 
 244 
 
 36, 643 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 324 
 
 348 
 
 4,984 
 
 3,960 
 
 
 
 2,940 
 360 
 
 1,078 
 
 1,404 
 
 1,632 
 
 1,603 
 
 26,400 
 
 7,980 
 
 741 
 
 9 
 
 240 
 
 
 
 84 
 
 420 
 
 40 
 
 
 
 54,547 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 20,068 
 
 49, 620 
 
 22, 389 
 
 25, 735 
 
 42,497 
 
 12, 252 
 
 23, 742 
 
 15,266 
 
 13, 196 
 
 23,879 
 
 53, 325 
 
 48, 565 
 
 9,562 
 
 1,926 
 
 2,985 
 
 37,446 
 
 32, 798 
 
 7,980 
 
 741 
 
 9 
 
 360 
 
 4,127 
 
 1,876 
 
 1,060 
 
 4,396 
 
 40 
 
 3,222 
 
 70 
 
 104 
 
 2,000 
 
 244 
 
 
 
 461, 480 
 
46 
 
 OYSTER BOTTOMS OP MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 
 It will be observed by comparing this table with that showing the 
 content of market oysters that certain beds, such as Kings Bayou, 
 Pass des Huitres, Dutch Island, etc., bear a quantity of small oysters 
 in excess of those of marketable size. On other beds, particularly 
 those like Bayou Reef, Pass aux Herons, etc., which have been most 
 worked, the contrary is the case, the small being quantitatively less 
 than the large. The reasons for this difference, particularly striking in 
 view of the loss of large oysters which Bayou Reef, Pass aux Herons, and 
 similar beds sustain through the fishery, may differ with the beds con- 
 cerned. It is probable that Kings Bayou Reef, from its location, feels 
 the effects of freshets, and many of the oysters are killed before they 
 reach a large size, leaving a preponderance of young. On other beds the 
 oysters are so densely crowded as to leave but little room for growth, or 
 they may be disadvantageously situated with respect to the food supply, 
 and the small oysters are stunted specimens rather than young. This 
 fact is of some importance when the oysters are used as seed, for stunted 
 oysters generally grow less rapidly than normal young when trans- 
 planted to places where the growing conditions are more favorable. 
 
 In considering the adequacy of the small oysters to maintain the 
 future supply of marketable oysters, the measured quantity is mis- 
 leading, owing to the difference in bulk of individuals at different 
 ages. The significant real condition is the numerical relationship 
 which is shown in the following table: 
 
 Number op Oysters Under 3 Inches Long for Each One Over that Length 
 
 on the Several Beds. 
 
 
 Character of oyster growth. 
 
 Name of bed. 
 
 Dense. 
 
 Scatter- 
 ing. 
 
 Very 
 scatter- 
 ing. 
 
 Depleted. 
 
 Kings Bayou Reef 
 
 2.89 
 1.47 
 .94 
 2.99 
 2.21 
 1.70 
 2.55 
 2.08 
 3.02 
 1.75 
 1.02 
 1.03 
 
 
 5.17 
 2.82 
 2.06 
 
 38.50 
 
 Buoy Reef 
 
 3.49 
 2.12 
 5.29 
 2.14 
 4.98 
 6.86 
 7.92 
 
 
 
 No large. 
 
 
 
 1.24 
 
 
 Dutch Gully 
 
 
 
 
 29.50 
 
 Big Gully 
 
 
 
 Peter Billys Gully 
 
 2.37 
 
 
 
 3.25 
 
 7.74 
 
 .73 
 
 2.30 
 
 7.10 
 
 
 3.35 
 
 8.66 
 
 Redfish Gully 
 
 
 
 6.42 
 3.77 
 10.29 
 1.27 
 1.23 
 
 12.07 
 
 West Side Little Dauphin Island 
 
 
 4.74 
 
 Mussel Gully 
 
 
 
 No large. 
 4.22 
 
 Sand Reef 
 
 .77 
 
 1.42 
 1.07 
 
 Dauphin Island Bay 
 
 35.33 
 
 Sprinkels Bay 
 
 
 113.83 
 
 Collier Bay 
 
 
 
 
 81.33 
 
 East Base 
 
 
 
 
 No large. 
 No large. 
 
 Half-Moon Patches 
 
 .11 
 1.20 
 .50 
 
 
 .53 
 3.51 
 
 Heron Bay, east side 
 
 .29 
 
 Heron Bay, west side 
 
 1.00 
 
 Northwest Arm, Heron Bay 
 
 .84 
 
 
 1.42 
 
 
 1.04 
 
 4.24 
 
 
 Grassy Island 
 
 
 1.75 
 
 Goose Bayou 
 
 .61 
 .29 
 
 
 1.81 
 
 
 Southwest Van signal 
 
 
 
 East of Marsh Island 
 
 
 
 18.50 
 
 Planted oysters, Portersville Bay 
 
 1.23 
 
 
 
 
 North end, Portersville Bay 
 
 
 4.90 
 
 
 West side, Coffee Island...: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 47 
 
 It will be seen from this table that there is a considerable numerical 
 preponderance of small over large oysters practically everywhere, 
 excepting on the dense parts of Buoy, Grants Pass, Pass aux Herons, 
 and Redfish Gully beds, which at present sustain the principal fishery 
 in the region. On all of these the proportion of small to large oysters 
 is less than 2 to 1, and on Pass aux Herons bed they are in approxi- 
 mately equal numbers. 
 
 In a region of rapid growth, such as that under consideration, it 
 may be assumed that most, if not all, of the oysters under 3 inches 
 long in January will measure more than that length in the following 
 winter. Leaving out of consideration the question of mortality, the 
 death rate among the oysters during the year in which they were 
 progressing from the small to the market size, a bed on which during 
 the winter there is one oyster under 3 inches for every one over that 
 length should be in no immediate danger of depletion, provided the 
 culling laws be observed. As a matter of fact, however, some of these 
 oysters will die during the year and the rate of death will depend on 
 the local conditions and the degree to which the beds are exposed to 
 enemies and physical perils. There was disclosed during the survey 
 no evidence of serious mortality from oyster enemies or other cause 
 on the beds in the vicinity of Grants Pass, and it may be with safety 
 assumed that young oysters of the sizes found in January will not 
 suffer a greater average mortality than about 30 to 40 per cent within 
 the year, unless subjected to freshets or other accidents. This 
 estimate would fix the mini mum requirement of young oysters to 
 maintain the present productiveness of the beds at 1 J for each market 
 oyster present, or more accurately, for each one removed from the 
 beds by death or by the fishery. 
 
 As all of the market oysters can not be taken, it is apparent that 
 none of the beds, with the possible exception of Pass aux Herons, 
 are in immediate danger of depletion. The author does not think 
 that even the excepted bed is threatened by the present extent of 
 the fishery. 
 
 In the year ended June 30, 1911, the tongers took from the public 
 beds of Mobile County about 180,000 market bushels, mostly from 
 Grants Pass, Pass aux Herons, and Redfish Gully. This, it will be 
 observed, is considerably less than the estimated content of these 
 beds in January, when a considerable quantity of their product 
 already had been removed. These beds at that time contained about 
 200,000 bushels of oysters over 3 inches long, or about 265,000 
 bushels as they are measured for the market. 
 
 Practically the only parts of the beds which can be fished with 
 profit at the present time are those which are classed as dense and 
 65397°— 13 4 
 
48 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 
 scattering, aggregating 1,978 acres, with a total estimated marketable 
 content of about 550,000 bushels of oysters. It is believed that these 
 beds would safely sustain, with a proper observance of the culling 
 laws, an annual yield double the present product of dredges and tongs 
 combined, about 275,000 bushels. Many of the beds would be bene- 
 fited by a reasonable fishery which would remove part of the oysters 
 now going to waste, and allow room for the remainder to grow and 
 improve. In many places a considerable proportion of the small 
 oysters could be removed to advantage, and there would result a 
 double benefit if they were used as seed on some of the barren bottom 
 now going to waste. 
 
 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 pro- 
 ductive areas, namely, that they are devoid of shells or other objects 
 lying on the surface. They consist of sand or mud of varying degrees 
 of stability 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 
 considerable 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 slight film of mud or slime is sufficient 
 to stifle 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 shells and oysters, 
 attach themselves and grow, but if they fall on the mud or bare sand 
 they die. 
 
 The natural beds have been slowly developed on bottom similar 
 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 cling. Oysters developing 
 there, and their shells scattered about by the waves, furnished addi- 
 tional places for fixation of new generations of young, with the result 
 that the original growth extended in area and its base 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. 
 
 a For a more extended account, see " Oysters and Methods of Oyster Culture," by H. F. Moore, Bureau 
 of Fisheries, Document 349, which may be obtained by application to the Bureau of Fisheries, Washing- 
 ton, D. C. 
 
OYSTER BOTTOMS OP MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 49 
 
 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 stability 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. No data concerning the bottom are 
 supplied for that part of Mobile Bay covered by the survey, for the 
 reason that the salinity of the water in that region is subject to such 
 violent reduction by freshets as to interfere with successful oyster 
 culture. The chart does not show all of the places at which the bot- 
 tom was tested, enough stations only being shown to indicate the 
 characteristics. It will be observed that the bottom in most of the 
 deeper part of the sound is composed of either very soft mud or ooze 
 and is entirely unsuitable for oyster planting. Furthermore, the 
 hard bottom occurring close to the islands which form the south shore 
 is composed principally of sand, which shifts during storms. There is 
 a strip along the boundary between the mud and sand where the two 
 materials are blended in such proportions as to give a fair degree of 
 stability, but the zone is narrow, and in general it may be stated 
 that to plant either in the very soft bottom of the deeper water or the 
 sand of most of the south shore, excepting its extreme eastern end, is 
 to invite disaster. 
 
 With these two general regions eliminated there remains practically 
 the north shore alone, of which the areas of bottom sufficiently firm 
 to support oysters and shells are discussed in the following pages. 
 The total area of the tracts containing bottoms suitable for oyster 
 culture in that part of Mississippi Sound within the State is 24,420 
 acres. It must be understood, however, that within the regions 
 hereafter described there are usually areas of unsuitable bottom irreg- 
 ularly distributed. 
 
 NEAR HALF-MOON PATCHES. 
 
 This area lies west of the Pass des Huitres beds and south of Half- 
 Moon Patches, covering an area of approximately 400 acres. The 
 bottom c insists principally of hard mud in its eastern half, gradually 
 becoming softer toward the west. In places a soft surface 6 to 8 
 inches deep is underlaid by hard or stiff mud and there are occasional 
 small patches of scattered shells either at the surface or buried. 
 Toward the northern part of the area there are a few clustered oysters. 
 
50 OYSTEE BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 
 HERON BAY. 
 
 Between the two natural beds lying on the opposite sides of this 
 bay is an area of about 70 acres of muddy bottom ranging from 
 moderately stiff to soft, a considerable part of which could be used 
 for oyster culture. In places the mud holds buried shells. 
 
 PORTERSVILLE BAY (INCLUDING FOWL RIVER BAY). 
 
 In general, the whole of this bay, with the exception of its north- 
 west quarter, has a bottom sufficiently firm for oyster planting, and 
 even in the excepted area there is good bottom close to the shores. 
 In Fowl River Bay the mud ranges from moderately soft to stiff, but 
 in the southern half of Portersville Bay proper the bottom consists of 
 hard and stiff mud and small patches of sand. In many places the 
 bottom is stratified, a very compact layer underlying from 4 to 8 or 
 10 inches of less hard material. Between Cat Island and Murder 
 Point there are considerable quantities of oysters, indicated on the 
 chart as private beds. It is estimated that about 5,250 acres of good 
 planting bottom lie within the limits of Portersville and Fowl River 
 Bays, including that held under riparian rights. 
 
 SOUTH OF PORTERSVILLE BAY. 
 
 From Marsh and Cat Islands a sand spit extends southward for a 
 distance of about 3 miles. In the shoaler part of this toward the 
 islands the bottom is shifting, but about a mile off shore in a depth 
 of from 5 to 9 feet of water there is sufficient mud blended with the 
 sand to give it stability. This area, lying just north of the middle 
 of the sound opposite Marsh Island, covers approximately 1,700 
 acres. 
 
 WEST AND SOUTHWEST OF COFFEE ISLAND. 
 
 In this region there is a triangular area with Coffee Island as its 
 base and its apex about 1| miles to the westward, in which a con- 
 siderable part of the bottom lies west and southwest of the southern 
 part of the island, where it is composed of mud or a mixture of mud 
 and sand close to shore, while within the limits of riparian control the 
 bottom is generally hard or stiff. The total area included within 
 his triangle is about 2,900 acres. 
 
 NORTH END OF COFFEE ISLAND. 
 
 This is a nearly semicircular area lying between the mainland and 
 a line running from near the hotel on the north shore of Portersville 
 Bay to a point about 1 mile west of the north end of Coffee Island, 
 and thence to the mouth of Bayou la Battre. In a channel encircling 
 the northern end of the island the bottom is soft, but in most other 
 places it is fairly firm or, near the shores, hard. Most of the good 
 
OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 51 
 
 bottom is within the rights of riparian owners. . The total area is 
 about 1,110 acres. 
 
 There is some good bottom near the shore in He aux Dames Bay, 
 but the middle of the bay is soft. 
 
 GRAND BAY. 
 
 Practically all of Grand Bay, with the exception of a semicircular 
 area near its mouth, has a hard or moderately hard bottom, which 
 could be utilized with safety for purposes of oyster culture. Near 
 the mouth there is some very soft bottom and the sand bars between 
 which the deep channel passes are composed of unstable material 
 shifting under the influence of the waves. The area of good bottom 
 in the bay is about 5,000 acres. 
 
 SOUTH OF GRAND BAY. 
 
 Within the boundary formed by a line beginning about one-half 
 mile off Point aux Pins and running south for about 5 miles, thence 
 westerly toward Grand signal, to the State line, thence northward 
 to within about one-half mile of Dunn signal, thence parallel with 
 the shore of Grand Batture for about 2\ miles, and thence to the 
 point of beginning is an area of bottom ranging in general consistence 
 from hard to soft. A considerable part of this is, in its natural state, 
 sufficiently firm to support oysters and shells, and much of the re- 
 mainder could be rendered suitable at comparatively small expense. 
 This is the largest continuous area of like nature within the limits of 
 the survey, containing 8,000 acres. In places it appears to offer 
 supreme advantages for the growth of market oysters from seed, 
 as it will probably be found that the drill will kill off any undesir- 
 able set of spat without attacking the seed. 
 
 GENERAL PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL CONDITIONS. 
 
 TIDES AND CURRENTS. 
 
 Staff tide gauges were established at Grants Pass and at the can- 
 nery wharf at Coden. The former was maintained from November 
 18, 1910, to January 19, 1911, and the latter from January 6 to Jan- 
 uary 29, 1911. The former was referred to the bench mark estab- 
 lished on Grants Island by the United States Engineer's Office, 
 which is described as follows : 
 
 The bench mark is the top of a 2-inch pipe which was driven in the ground, a fence 
 placed around it and filled with concrete to within one-half inch of the top of the pipe. 
 The letters U.S.B.M. were written in the concrete before it set. The bench mark is 
 at the northwest side of and near the keeper's house on Grants Island. It has an 
 elevation of 2.654 feet above mean low tide in Mobile Bay as determined by this 
 office. (J. M. Pratt, Assistant Engineer, United States Engineer's Office, Mobile, Ala. , 
 Dec. 10, 1910.) 
 
52 
 
 OYSTEB BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 
 The top of the bench mark accorded with reading 3.65 on the 
 scale of the staff gauge. 
 
 The tides in this region, as in general on the Gulf coast, are small, 
 averaging from 1 to 1| feet in height, but reaching 2\ feet under cer- 
 tain conditions of wind, etc. 
 
 No special observations were made of the velocity of the currents, 
 but in general they are sufficient for the transport of food and water 
 to the oysters in all places covered by the survey. 
 
 SALINITY OF THE WATER. 
 
 As is well known, the quantity of salt in the water is an important 
 factor in determining the growth and character of oysters. Neither 
 fresh water nor that of full oceanic saltness is suitable for the oyster 
 itself, and, moreover, the degree of saltness often determines the pres- 
 ence, absence, or relative abundance of such oyster enemies as the 
 drill or borer. During the survey upward of 300 specific-gravity 
 observations were made to determine the condition of the water in 
 respect to its content of salt. Three tests were made daily on the 
 Fish Hawk, and in addition observations were taken on the oyster 
 beds and in their immediate vicinity. The following table is a sum- 
 mary of all of the ship's observations, supplemented by some of those 
 taken on and near the important natural beds : 
 
 Specific Gravity of Water at Various Places and Dates. 
 
 
 
 Average 
 
 Average 
 
 Maximum 
 
 Minimum 
 
 Locality. 
 
 Date. 
 
 temper- 
 
 specific 
 
 specific 
 
 specific 
 
 
 
 ature. 
 
 gravity. 
 
 gravity. 
 
 gravity. 
 
 Mobile Bay: 
 
 1910. 
 
 °F. 
 
 
 
 
 Near Buoy Reef 
 
 Nov. 17-24 
 
 60 
 
 1. 0166 
 
 1. 0206 
 
 " 1. 0122 
 
 2 miles east of Grants Pass 
 
 Nov. 29-Dec.l. 
 
 Nov. 23 
 
 Nov. 24 
 
 Dec. 7-9 
 
 56 
 
 57 
 63 
 
 48 
 
 1. 0206 
 1. 0178 
 1. 0193 
 1. 0186 
 
 1. 0215 
 1. 0191 
 
 1. 0201 
 
 
 1.0165 
 
 
 
 
 1. 0210 
 
 1. 0156 
 
 
 Dec. 29-Jan. 5. 
 
 50 
 
 1. 0150 
 
 1. 0200 
 
 1. 0114 
 
 Mississippi Sound, 1 to 2 miles off Mid 
 
 Dec. 5-7 
 
 51 
 
 1. 0235 
 
 1. 0247 
 
 1.0223 
 
 Signal. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Dec. 12-16 
 
 54 
 
 1. 0209 
 
 1. 0235 
 
 1. 0173 
 
 
 Dec. 20-22 
 
 51 
 
 1. 0213 
 
 1. 0220 
 
 1. 0206 
 
 
 Dec. 29-Jan. 2. 
 
 57 
 
 1. 0191 
 
 1. 0219 
 
 1.0187 
 
 
 Mar. 20-24 
 
 66 
 
 1. 0198 
 
 1. 0216 
 
 1. 0160 
 
 
 1911. 
 
 
 
 
 
 Portersville Bay 
 
 Jan. 10-11 
 
 54 
 
 1. 0137 
 
 1. 0167 
 
 1. 0108 
 
 
 1910. 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mississippi Sound, one-half mile west of 
 
 Dec. 9-11 
 
 54 
 
 1. 0228 
 
 1. 0240 
 
 1.0223 
 
 Coffee Island. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Dec. 17-20 
 
 55 
 
 1. 0219 
 
 1. 0236 
 
 1. 0211 
 
 
 Dec. 22-24 
 
 50 
 
 1. 0205 
 
 1. 0210 
 
 1. 0196 
 
 
 Dec. 27-28 
 
 56 
 
 1. 0205 
 
 1. 0213 
 
 1.0203 
 
 
 1911. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Jan. 3-9 
 
 49 
 
 1. 0207 
 
 1. 0227 
 
 1. 0180 
 
 
 Jan. 10-16 
 
 59 
 
 1. 0180 
 
 1. 0214 
 
 1. 0150 
 
 
 Mar. 14-19 
 
 64 
 
 1. 0205 
 
 1. 0222 
 
 1. 0174 
 
 
 Mar. 25-27 
 
 63 
 
 1. 0198 
 
 1. 0216 
 
 1. 0160 
 
 
 Mar. 29-Apr. 1. 
 
 65 
 
 1. 0197 
 
 1. 0206 
 
 1. 0188 
 
 
 Apr. 6-9 
 
 74 
 
 1. 0170 
 
 1. 0203 
 
 1. 0148 
 
 Mississippi Bay, 1\ miles south of Grand 
 
 Jan. 17-20 
 
 61 
 
 1. 0178 
 
 1. 0194 
 
 1. 0154 
 
 Bay. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Jan. 24-28 
 
 62 
 
 1. 0175 
 
 1. 0206 
 
 1. 0141 
 
OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 53 
 
 It will be observed that the readings in Mississippi Sound, includ- 
 ing those on the beds near Grants Pass, cover the period from Novem- 
 ber 24, 1910, to April 9, 1911, with an intermission from January 17 
 to March 13. During this period the average specific gravity varied 
 with time and place between 1.0150 and 1.0235 as compared with 
 fresh water as 1.0000 and full ocean water between about 1.0250 and 
 1.0260. The lowest specific gravity observed during this period was 
 1.0114 near Pass des Huitres on January 25 and the highest was 
 1.0247 off Mid Signal early in December. 
 
 The maximum specific gravities are probably as high as usually 
 occur in this region, but in times of freshet in neighboring streams 
 the water undoubtedly becomes much fresher than was observed dur- 
 ing the survey. In February and March, 1894, when the previous 
 reconnoissance was made, the water at the bottom of the east end of 
 Grants Pass was 1.0028, at the north end of Portersville Bay 1.0036, 
 about 1 mile southeast of Point aux Herbs 1.0063, and in the mouth 
 of Heron Bay 1 .0000 or absolutely fresh, in all cases being much lower 
 in salinity than at the corresponding season of 1911. 
 
 These low salinities are all of them below that which is desirable 
 for the production of the best oysters, and the lowest, if it long pre- 
 vailed, would prove fatal. It is apparent, however, that these con- 
 ditions are but occasional and that normally they do little or no harm. 
 It is probable even that they are beneficial in periodically reducing 
 the saltness of the water below that which can be tolerated by the 
 drill or borer and by that means keeping that destructive enemy from 
 becoming so numerous as to menace the beds. 
 
 OYSTER FOOD. 
 
 In reports on previous surveys a feature usually has been made of 
 the subject of the quantity of oyster food carried by the waters. 
 These discussions have been confined practically to diatoms, minute 
 microscopic plants, which authors generally have been prone to regard 
 as supplying practically all of the oyster's nutriment. Volumetric 
 studies of the microorganism content of the water begun in connec- 
 tion with the survey of Matagorda Bay ° in 1905 revealed a quantity 
 so smair as to excite the author's suspicion that the living matter was 
 of less relative importance than had been generally supposed. 
 
 It appeared possible, however, that the quantity of water filtered 
 by the oyster might be greater than generally supposed and digestion 
 more rapid, and that despite appearances the small quantity of micro- 
 scopic living organisms in the water and present in the stomach at 
 any one time might be sufficient to furnish material for the growth and 
 general physiological activities of a sluggish animal like the oyster. 
 
 a Survey of Oyster Bottoms in Matagorda Bay, Tex. By H. F. Moore. Bureau of Fisheries Docu- 
 ment No. 610. 
 
54 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 
 To test the matter, apparatus and methods ° were devised for the 
 volumetric determination of the organisms actually eaten during 
 comparable periods of time. The result of this work, which has been 
 carried on at intervals for several years by the author and Mr. T. E. B. 
 Pope, has shown that while the quantity of water filtered is great, 
 averaging, roughly, about 30 quarts daily for oysters 4£ inches long, 
 the volume of the living food is insufficient to account for the actual 
 growth of the oyster, making no allowance for the requirements of 
 the other vital activities. It appears that finely divided organic 
 debris or detritus, which constitutes the major part of the material 
 ingested, plays a more important role in the oyster diet than has been 
 conceded, a view which recently has been advanced by Petersen and 
 Jensen. 6 
 
 In view of these facts and probabilities, and the present impossi- 
 bility of establishing a standard for the expression of the quantity of 
 food available, the data respecting the food content of the water col- 
 lected during this survey will not be stated here. A special paper on 
 the entire subject of the food and feeding of oysters will be issued 
 on the completion of the studies. 
 
 It may be stated from observation of the oysters and on general 
 grounds that the food supply in Mississippi Sound and minor con- 
 tiguous waters is ample. 
 
 OYSTER ENEMIES. 
 
 The survey, since it was carried on during the colder season of the 
 year, was not favorably timed for the study of the enemies of the 
 oyster in this region. The only ones observed were a few drills and 
 mussels, but the drumfish also is known to occur. 
 
 Drill, borer, snail, whelk, conch, etc. (Purpura Jisemostoma) . — A com- 
 paratively small number of the animals variously known by these sev- 
 eral names was found on the natural oyster beds, particularly those in 
 the vicinity of Little Dauphin Island from Pass aux Herons south- 
 ward. This is the region nearer the mouth of Mobile Bay, and there- 
 fore the more accessible to the influx of salt water from the open Gulf. 
 
 On some of these beds the drills were found at their work of destruc- 
 tion but in other places their presence at times was to be inferred only 
 by the mortality, especially among the spat and young oysters, which 
 are more susceptible than adult oysters to their attacks. 
 
 It can not be stated that these enemies were particularly destruc- 
 tive at the time of the survey, but it is reported that many oysters 
 have been destroyed by them at intervals in the past, and, as might be 
 
 a Volumetric studies of the food and feeding of oysters. By H. F Moore. (Proceedings of the Fourth 
 International Fishery Congress, Washington, 1908.) Bulletin Bureau of Fisheries, vol. xxvm, 1908, 
 p. 1295-1308. 
 
 b Valuation of the Sea. I.— Animal life of thu sea bottom, its food and quantity. By C G. Joh. 
 Petersen and P. Boysen Jensen. Report of the Danish Biological Station, xx. Copenhagen, 1911. 
 
OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 55 
 
 expected, their inroads appear to have been coincident with periods 
 of prevalence of highly salt water on the beds. 
 
 The drill or whelk lays its eggs in red or purple leathery capsules 
 about one-half inch long and attached in clusters to shells, snags, and 
 other firm bodies in the water. The young become destructive to the 
 minute spat immediately on emerging from the egg cases, they grow 
 rapidly, and progress in destructiveness as they increase in size. They 
 destroy the oysters by drilling a small round hole through the shell, 
 using for the purpose a flexible rasp-like organ lying at the end of a 
 protrusible proboscis. After the shell is perforated the proboscis is 
 thrust into the shell and the contents eaten, other drills sometimes 
 partaking of the feast by entering the gaping shell of the dead or 
 dying oyster. Most of the oysters destroyed are under 2 inches long. 
 
 Mussels. — The common black sea mussel is a passive enemy of 
 oysters through its tendency to attach to them and under favorable 
 conditions to grow so rapidly and in such numbers as to cover them 
 completely and stifle them. Also, as its food is the same as that of 
 the oyster, its abundance reduces the supply and in that way deprives 
 the oyster of the nutriment required to make it fat and marketable. 
 Even when neither of these effects are important, mussels injure the 
 fishery, owing to the tenacity with which they are anchored to the 
 oyster, this increasing the labor of culling and making the oyster so 
 unsightly from the adhering fibers of the byssus as to considerably 
 reduce its market value if sold as shell stock. The conditions which 
 make for the abundance of the mussel are not thoroughly understood, 
 but on the Gulf coast it appears to be controlled largely by the relative 
 freshness of the water, the mussels generally flourishing where the 
 salinity is low for prolonged periods. Comparatively few were found 
 in the region surveyed and it is probable that they never or rarely 
 become troublesome on account of the high salinity frequently 
 occurring. 
 
 Drumfislb {Pogonias cromis). — This, the "black drum," was not 
 observed during the survey, but it is a destructive enemy of the 
 oyster in other parts of the Gulf coast and is reported to destroy oys- 
 ters on the beds of Alabama. It is migatory, making sudden forays 
 and leaving, with destruction in its wake, often before its presence 
 has been noticed. It destroys the oysters by crushing them between 
 the stout grinding teeth or bones with which its mouth is furnished, 
 and it is peculiarly destructive to the better grade of planted beds, 
 on which the oysters have been culled and separated to permit them 
 to grow and improve in shape and quality. It is especially likely to 
 attack the culled oysters within a few weeks of the time when they 
 are planted, but they are not immune at any time. In Louisiana the 
 drumfish is so destructive in places that the oystermen find it neces- 
 sary to exclude them by surrounding their bedding grounds with wire 
 fences. 
 
56 OYSTEK BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 
 Oysters in the natural beds, especially when they are much clus- 
 tered and of the sharp-edged raccoon type, are rarely injured seri- 
 ously, as the sharp edges of the shells, presented in all directions, 
 lacerate the lips and mouths of the fish and deter them from extensive 
 destruction. Occasionally the small oysters culled off by the oyster- 
 men are damaged. 
 
 The drumfish occurs in waters of all degrees of salinity, from fresh 
 or practically fresh to full oceanic density. 
 
 SPAWNING. 
 
 The survey was conducted at the season when the reproductive 
 functions of oysters are in abeyance, and therefore no definite state- 
 ment of the spawning season in Alabama can be made. Various 
 Investigations carried on by the Bureau at the western end of 
 Mississippi Sound, where the general conditions affecting spawning 
 are essentially the same as at the eastern end, make it possible to 
 indicate with some precision the period during which the spawn is 
 likely to be emitted. 
 
 It is probable that the eggs may ripen even in the winter, during 
 sustained warm periods, buu it is doubtful if in these cases, even 
 though the eggs be fertilized, development ever proceeds far enough 
 to secure a set of spat. The normal spawning probably occurs from 
 April to October, as it does in similar waters in Louisiana, and clean 
 shells or other cultch planted during those months should receive a 
 good set of spat. The young oysters are free-swimming organisms 
 during a short period of their early life, and ac thoy arc produced in 
 untold myriads on the crowded natural beds and carried considerable 
 distances by the currents, the water over a large part of the sound 
 must be teeming with the fry during the favorable part of the' year. 
 Most of these embryo oysters perish through falling on unsuitable 
 bottom at the beginning of the shell formation, when they are still 
 barely visible to the unaided eye and may be stifled by an exceedingly 
 thin deposit of mud or slime. Those fortunate enough to alight on 
 shells or other oysters, and similar firm supports, survive in large 
 numbers, as is witnessed by the crowded condition of the beds, but 
 over the vastly greater proportion of the bottom there is nothing to 
 afford a haven. The only fundamental difference between an oyster 
 bed and the surrounding barren bottom is that the former presents 
 places for the attachment of the spat and the latter does not. 
 
 Many free-swimming oyster fry die as the result of sudden drops in 
 the temperature, though this is not common on the Gulf coast; and 
 many are killed by heavy rainfalls. The latter also tend to retard or 
 suspend spawning through lowering the salinity of the water, and it 
 frequently happens that heavy freshets defer spawning until summer. 
 As freshets usually leave the shells and other cultch in excellent con- 
 
OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 57 
 
 dition so far as cleanliness is concerned, probably through the destruc- 
 tion of slime-producing organisms, it frequently happens that a late 
 spawning season produces an enormous set. 
 
 OYSTER CULTURE. 
 
 In the United States oyster culture is carried on by two methods, 
 the planting of seed or young oysters and the deposit of shells and 
 similar materials on the bottom for the purpose of securing the fixa- 
 tion of spat. The first of these is that which is generally, if not exclu- 
 sively, employed in Mobile County, Ala., and it is probable that in 
 the immediate future it will continue to be the dominant practice in 
 that region. 
 
 The large number of small oysters in certain of the natural beds, 
 as described in the foregoing pages, renders it advisable that some 
 of them be removed to permit the proper growth and fattening of the 
 remainder. These superfluous young can be utilized to best advan- 
 tage if planted on suitable barren or depleted bottom. For ordinary 
 cannery purposes merely the roughest culling of this seed is required, 
 but if it be desired to produce oysters for consumption on the shell or 
 for shipping raw shucked, the large clusters should be broken up. 
 By this means only can they be grown to goodly shape, for it crowded 
 they must accommodate themselves to the space available and will 
 develop into irregular and inferior stock. It is usually not necessary 
 to break the clusters into single oysters, and it is often inadvisable to 
 do so, especially in localities in which the drumfish is likely to occur 
 in numbers. As has already been explained this fish is particularly 
 destructive to culled oysters. The method of planting shells, etc., 
 to promote the attachment of young oysters is highly productive in 
 many localities on the coast of the United States, and in the case of a 
 large development of the oyster industry in Alabama is that in which 
 chief reliance must be placed. The system first described saves 
 oysters which have already set and gives them an opportunity to 
 survive and improve, but shell or cultch planting increases the set by 
 preventing the loss of the fry falling on muddy and other unsuitable 
 bottoms. 
 
 It is not necessary to give here an account of the methods of oyster 
 culture, as the subject is discussed in a special pamphlet which may 
 be obtained, on request, of the Bureau of Fisheries. 
 
 Within the limits of the survey oyster culture is at present carried 
 on principally along the north shore of Mississippi Sound, although it 
 is understood that there are a few small planted beds in Dauphin 
 Island Bay and vicinity. The north shore beds are located in Heron, 
 Portersville, Fowl River, and Isle aux Dames Bays. No oysters 
 
 a Oysters and methods of oyster culture. By H. F. Moore. Bureau of Fisheries Document No. 349. 
 Extract from Manual of Fish Culture, p. 263-340, pi. i-xvm, 1900. 
 
58 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 
 from Heron Bay were examined, but some of excellent quality were 
 seen in the last three localities mentioned. The State bed in Porters- 
 ville Bay was planted too dense and the quality of its product was 
 correspondingly inferior. 
 
 The private beds at the time of the survey were apparently all or 
 practically all held under rights attaching to the ownership of the 
 adjacent shores, this until recently being the only manner in which 
 oyster culture could be legally conducted. 
 
 It is now possible, however, to procure from the State the lease of 
 barren bottoms beyond riparian control, and this should result in a 
 material increase in the extent of oyster planting and in the pros- 
 perity and development of the entire oyster industry of the State. 
 
 As is shown in the chart and explained in the section relating to 
 barren bottoms, there are considerable areas of suitable bottom 
 remote from the shores, and in some cases lying well out in the 
 sound in a depth of water permitting the use of methods warranting 
 operations on a large scale. The possible drawback to some of these 
 offshore locations is the occasional high salinity of the water, which 
 may permit the drill to flourish at times and prove destructive, but 
 on the other hand it might operate to prevent an undue develop- 
 ment of young oysters on seed too large for the drill to injure. On 
 the other hand, they are less subject than the inshore waters to dam- 
 age by freshets. For operations on a smaller scale, in which ease of 
 guarding agairjst theft and facility in tonging are considerations, the 
 shallower waters off Portersville and Grand Bay offer advantages. 
 
 RESUME, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS. 
 
 The following epitomizes the facts developed by the survey,, the 
 deductions made therefrom, and recommendations based on them 
 and a consideration of the general conditions obtaining in Mobile 
 County: 
 
 1. The survey embraced Mississippi Sound in Alabama and the 
 adjacent part of Mobile Bay, including both the natural oyster beds 
 and the barren bottoms. 
 
 2. It was found that the natural oyster beds within this region 
 embraced 4,008 acres, nearly all being near the junction of Mobile 
 Bay and Mississippi Sound. Of this area practically one-half bore 
 oysters in sufficient quantity to warrant tonging and, to a less extent, 
 dredging. On the remainder the oysters are too scattered to be com- 
 mercially available; but between 500 and 1,000 acres are likely to 
 become productive eventually should there be several years of heavy 
 strike. Probably 1,000 acres are not likely to become productive 
 under natural conditions for many years. 
 
 3. It is conservatively estimated that in January, 1911, these beds 
 contained approximately 600,000 bushels of oysters over 3 inches long 
 
OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI 'SOUND, ALA. 59 
 
 and about 460,000 bushels of smaller ones. As the oysters are meas- 
 ured in the fishery, these estimates would be increased to about 
 800,000 and 600,000 bushels, respectively. As an active fishery had 
 been conducted for some time prior to January, the content of the 
 beds at the beginning of the season was considerably greater. 
 
 4. Although the quantity of small oysters on these beds is less than 
 of oysters of marketable size, they are numerically in excess. On the 
 areas indicated as bearing a dense growth there are two small oys- 
 ters and on the scattering growth four small oysters to each one 
 over 3 inches long. As an average of one year would be sufficient to 
 promote most of the young to the marketable class, it is apparent 
 that in the absence of disaster due to freshets or oyster enemies it 
 would be safe to take from these beds at least about 600,000 bushels, 
 as measured by oystermen, without fear of depletion. This is over 
 twice the quantity taken in Mobile County during 1911. Some of the 
 beds do not at present produce oysters of good quality; but these 
 would doubtless improve under a judicious removal of part of their 
 contents either for canning or, preferably, for transplanting either on 
 depleted natural beds or on private grounds. 
 
 5. While the increased take from Ijie natural beds indicated in the 
 preceding paragraph as safely allowable would permit a valuable 
 expansion in the oyster industry of the State, it without doubt will 
 not suffice for the supply of the ultimate demand, and eventually it 
 will be necessary to greatly increase the area of the oyster-producing 
 bottom. The demand will have two sources — the canneries and the 
 shell-stock and raw-shucking trade. "While the former can be sat- 
 isfied by the class of oyster produced by the natural reefs, the latter 
 to a large extent demands a better grade. The demand, therefore, 
 will be for not only an increase in quantity, but an improvement in 
 quality. 
 
 6. The conditions stated at the close of the preceding paragraph 
 can not be fully satisfied excepting by a resort to oyster culture 
 under private ownership, with its consequent demand of personal 
 interest and attention. Until recently the laws of Alabama have 
 restricted the rights to engage in oyster culture to riparian owners 
 and their lessees, but the present law permits the lease of any barren 
 bottoms belonging to the State. According to the survey, these are 
 in Mississippi Sound and its contiguous bodies within the limits of 
 Alabama, approximately 25,000 acres of barren bottom suitable for 
 oyster planting or which can be made suitable at small expense. 
 Part of this is in open waters with considerable depth and part in 
 sheltered shallow places, thus affording advantages for operation on 
 both large and small scales. 
 
 7. In common with other places on the Gulf coast, these waters 
 offer to the oyster planter a field less exposed to the storms and 
 
60 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
 
 rigors of winter and therefore less subject to interruption than in the 
 North, but on the other hand with a shorter season owing to the late 
 fall and early spring. They have the further advantage that a yearly 
 set of spat is assured and the growth much more rapid than in other 
 waters. The enemies to contend with are no worse than in many 
 places in the North, but in the inshore waters there is possibly more 
 frequent damage from freshets. 
 
 8. The sparse population on the shores near the oyster bottoms 
 renders the oysters little subject to injurious pollution from drainage 
 and sewage discharges. This consideration is an important asset at 
 a time when the spread of infection through oysters is a matter of 
 such widespread public concern, and for business reasons, if for no 
 others, the cleanliness of the beds and the treatment of the oysters 
 should be jealously safeguarded. For this reason the process of 
 floating, freshening, or " fattening" the oysters should be rigorously 
 supervised and absolutely prohibited if streams or other waters 
 receiving a sewage discharge or similar contamination are utilized for 
 the purpose. Not only the State oyster commission and boards of 
 health but the oystermen themselves should see that nothing is done 
 to jeopardize public health. Aside from the moral aspect of the 
 matter the future of the oyster industry depends largely on a main- 
 tenance of the reputation of its product for cleanliness and whole- 
 Bomeness. 
 
 9. One of the most valuable and certainly the most enduringly 
 valuable results of the survey is the establishment of permanently 
 marked and accurately determined triangulation points by the 
 United States Coast and Geodetic Survey, supplemented by a few 
 established by the Bureau of Fisheries. In all future surveys of 
 leased bottoms, these should be utilized and the corners of the lease- 
 holds determined by reference to them. A strict and consistent 
 compliance with this recommendation will prevent disputes and 
 litigation should oyster planting become as important as it has in 
 other places and it will insure accuracy in the surveys, guaranteeing 
 an honest return to the State from the rental of its barren bottoms. 
 
U. S. B. F.— Doc. 769. 
 
 Plate I. 
 
 OYSTER CLUSTER FROM GRANTS PASS. 
 
U. S. B. F— Doc. It 
 
 Plate 
 
 SINGLE OYSTER FROM GRANTS PASS. 
 
U. S. B. F.— Doc. 769. 
 
 Plate III. 
 
U. S. B. F.— Doc. 769. 
 
 Plate IV. 
 
 OYSTER CLUSTER FROM STATE-PLANTED BED IN PORTERSVILLE BAY. 
 
U. S. B. F.— Doc. 769. 
 
 Plate V. 
 
 SINGLE OYSTER FROM PRIVATE-PLANTED BED IN PORTERSVILLE BAY. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF CHART. 
 
 The chart shows the character and location of the natural oyster beds and the barren 
 bottom. The oyster beds are included within solid orange lines and the density of the 
 growth of oysters over 3 inches long is indicated by the relative intensity of the shading. 
 In this classification the small oysters are disregarded and it therefore may happeH 
 that a dense growth of oysters under 3 inches in length may occur in an area shown as 
 scattering. 
 
 Barren bottom is unshaded, but its character as to consistency is indicated by 
 circular symbols. Hard bottom is shown by solid black circles, ooze by circles with a 
 horizontal diameter, and intermediate consistencies by intermediate symbols. The 
 more open the circle, the softer is the bottom which it represents. Not all stations at 
 which the bottom was tested are shown, the purpose being to indicate the general 
 Character and the transitions from one to the other. 
 
 Depths are expressed in feet and refer to mean low water. 
 
 The triangulation stations of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey, which 
 were determined with great accuracy and are permanently marked with concrete 
 monuments, are shown by triangles with an included circle. 
 
 The subsidiary triangulation stations of the Bureau of Fisheries, less accurately 
 determined and marked by concrete monuments with an iron pipe in the center, are 
 shown by means of circles. The names of the stations are those used by the hydro- 
 graphic party and are usually abbreviations of the full lame used by the Coast and 
 
 Geodetic Survey. 
 
 61 
 
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