Evening star., 1935-11-30
Uncle sam-protector Of oysters.

Uncle Sam-protector Of oysters.
A 100000 project-calculated, 1t
should be stressed, to save millions-to
study the life habits of the enemies Of
the bivalved mollusk has been started
by the United States Bureau Of Fisheries
under the direction Of DR.. Paul 8.
Galtsoff.
In the Summer Of 1892 more than o
thousand acres Of oyster beds in Apa-
lachicola Bay, Fla, were destroyed by
the ravages Of o tiny worm which
hitherto had attracted no attention.
Biologists could offer no aid in the fight
against this so-called' "oySter leech" be-
cause its characteristic behavior was un-
known to science. The oyster farmers
could only stand by helplessly.
This costly experience led directly to
the present program, which Is divided
into five major projects. One laboratory
has been set up at Indian Bay, Fla,
under the direction Of DR.. A. 8. Pearse
of Duke University. Here four biologists
are studying the life history OF the leech,
q borer and q boring clam which are the
chief enemies Of the oyster in the Gulf
Of Mexico region.
In the South Atlantic and Middle At
lantic States studies are being made Of
the tropisms and methods Of propaga-
tion Of two varieties Of snails which de-
stroy oysters by drilling small holes in
the shell and sucking the meat. Six
teen persons now are engaged in this
work under the direction of DR.. H. F..
Prytherch with headquarters at Beaufort,
N. C. They have discovered that both
these snails have the curious behavior
characteristic of negative geomorphism.
Whenever they meet an obstruction
they try to climb over it-contrary to the
tendency Of most animals to turn aside
from it. There Is In these little creatures
q deep-seated drive to climb. 1t Is natural
for them to 60 up rather than down.
d Consequently . trap has been devised
which promises to protect the oysters.
These traps are wire bags filled with
oyster shells over the beds. More than
100 laborerS, paid by the r. e. r. A., have
been assigned to set out these traps and
more than 75o, 900 of the snAils have been
captured for large scale field study. A
similar project is being carried out in
Delaware Bay.
The work in the Northern States Is
bCLlS SVAA0uSbC0 bJ LII. SdAIoOA 4LViik
the Bureau Of Fisheries station ut Woods
Hole, Mass, and at field laboratory ut
Milford, Conn. Eighteen scientists have
been engaged during the past few months
In studying the life history, behavior,
tropisms, development and migrations Of
the starfish, especially In their relation
ship to the oyster beds. Comprehensive
surveys, each lasting about three weeks,
have been made in Long Island Sound,
Narragansett Bay and Buzzard's Bay.
These have yielded much biological data
concerning the concentrations of this
animal in certain regions and its move
ments in relation to changes Of environ
ment.
Experiments carried out at the shore
laboratories are throwing light on factors
controlling the life Of the Starfish. In
order to study their migrations, method
has been developed whereby the fish is
stained blue and released In o desired
locality. The distinct coloration persists
for several weeks and permits identifica-
tion of the organism and tracing Of its
movements.
Over 25,0o0 starfish have been stained
already and are under observation in the
waters og LoNg Island Sound. IN some