Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1907-05-08
A FINE SHELLFISH EXHIBIT.
COMMISSIONERS OFF FOR THE
EXPOSITION.
Have a Complete Series of Pictures,
PIatS. Etc. = Specimens of Oyster
Culture For TercentenniaI.
THE McLANE WILL MAKE STOP
AT CRISFIELD.

The exhibit prepared by the Shellfish
Commission for the jamestown Expo
sition left this morning in the State
steamer McLane. under the charge of
DIR. Caswell Grave, of the Commits
sion. The McLane will stop in at
Crisfield and visit the working party
| OF the Commission in the Osyter and
will then proceed TO Jamestown.
| After installing the exhibit DIR. Grave
Will return to Annapolis.
| The exhibit consists of a remarkably
complete series of pictures, plats and
| specimens illustrating the growth of
| the oyster aud the work of the She'll
fish Commission in laying out the
natural oyster bottoms during last
summer. The largest and one of the
most interesting parts of the exhibit
is painting by William X. Swee-
ney, Of Baltimore, Showing the sur
veying.of the bay as conducted from
| the launch Canvassback by the work
ing party of the Shellfish Commission
last summer. Every part of this work
is accurately shown and in addition
there is a good representation of the
oysters in their native beds, surround
ed with the marine flora and fauna of
the section.
One of the working party is seen
using the sounder designed by Engi-
neer Earl for indicating the presence
of oysters. The picture also shows
the throwing out of the buoys over
the spots where oysters are found and
the more detailed examination of the
place by a member of the working
force in a small boat which is fol-
lowing. A sufficient number of the
Il H. "a.
working force to show the genera
manner of conducting the work is
also made part of the exhibit. A
working sheet of a section of the bot
tom off the bay shore with a smooth
sheet as finally adopted by the Com
mission is shown and similar sheets
showing the bottoms in one of the
rivers, where the oyster bottoms are
not so large. There is also process
map, copy of that which will be i'm
cluded in the report of the Commits
sion, which shows the amount of sur
vey work done up to this time.
The distribution and growth. of the
oyster is shown by maps and speci-
mems. There are four maps showing
accurately the distribution and size of
oysters on different bars surveyed by
the Commission. There are also spec
linens OF oysters illustrating their
growth, their ready adhesion to va
rious objects and freak oysters attach
ed to various unusual objects and
growing in different shapes. DIR.
Grave has prepared some plaster Of
paris models of the bottoms of the
bay with real oysters attached in
such a manner as to illustrate their
growth under various conditions.
A very interesting part of the ex-
hibit will consist of specimens of the
oyster illustrating more clearly than
can be shown by illustrations. These
specimens are preserved in alcohol.
One is an oyster in half of its natural
shell and the other two are dissec-
tions of other oysters about the same
size. The first of these has its man
| tie (the she'll producing organ) re-
| moved and shows the perIcardium or
heart covering, the great muscle and
the gills, through which the oyster
takes it's food. The second dissected
specimen shows the organs of diges-
tion and reproduction. Altogether
| the exhibition shows some phases
of the life of the oyster and the
efforts which have been made to in
| troduce oyster culture in Mary land
that has never before been accom-
pliSled