Survey of oyster bottoms in Matagorda bay, Texas . 200 yards long and 100 yards wide, and hasan area of about 4 acres. It is an old bed reposing on a mass ofshells, has a depth of about 2 feet at low water on its crest, andrises from a surrounding depth of from 4J to 6 feet. It is saidto have been overwhelmed and partially destroyed by sand duringthe gale of 1875, a statement that is substantiated by the presenceof a layer of sand about 1 foot below the present deposit of shellsand oysters. Oystermen state that it has been fished more or lessregularly for the past thirty years, and several boa
Survey of oyster bottoms in Matagorda bay, Texas . 200 yards long and 100 yards wide, and hasan area of about 4 acres. It is an old bed reposing on a mass ofshells, has a depth of about 2 feet at low water on its crest, andrises from a surrounding depth of from 4J to 6 feet. It is saidto have been overwhelmed and partially destroyed by sand duringthe gale of 1875, a statement that is substantiated by the presenceof a layer of sand about 1 foot below the present deposit of shellsand oysters. Oystermen state that it has been fished more or lessregularly for the past thirty years, and several boats were working onit at the time the survey was, made. In April, 1905, tliis reef had an average density per square yardof 31 oysters over and 30 under 3 inches in length, both old andyoung being more abundant toward its eastern edge. Its totalcontents of marketable oysters are estimated at 1,500 barrels, anaverage of 375 barrels per acre. The adults are large (averagingfrom 4J to 5 inches long) and broad, with clean shells of moderate Plate 1. OYSTERS FROM SHELL ISLAND REEF. Reduced i
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookpublisherwashingtongovtprin
