VOL. It. | Edible Mollusks. | 135 
some notes on other West Coast ‘‘ Edible Shells’’— and as food 
supply is always a question of great importance to the people of 
_ every country, I have made out and offer the following list of West 
Coast mollusks that I have eaten, or know to have been eaten by 
others. Besides those listed there are, undoubtedly, many others 
on our coast that are edible. I believe a large majority may be 
used as food, but care should be taken in collecting and preparing 
them. All univalves (periwinkles, etc.) found adhering to rocks 
containing copper, and all mollusks adhering to the bottoms of ves- 
sels, should be rejected as articles of food, for they are more or less 
poisonous. It should be remembered that the bottoms of all ves- 
sels not sheathed with copper plate are coated every few months 
with copper paint. 
In preparing mollusks for food the indigestible parts —such as 
the byssus of the mussels and the opercula or trap-doors of the 
periwinkle, and other univalves — should be removed or rejected. 
To all I would say, eat lightly of mollusks at all times, for some are 
supposed to contain a large amount of phosphorus, which may oc- 
casion nausea, or sometimes serious sickness. 
OSTREA LURIDA Cpr. ‘‘ California Oyster.’’— From Puget 
Sound to San Diego and southward’ Abundant on the mud- 
flats, between tides, adhering to everything. It is small and of a 
moderately fair flavor. Those offered in the San Francisco mar- 
kets are brought from Shoalwater Bay, Washington, where they 
grow larger, and perhaps are better flavored than elsewhere on our 
coast. Morgan’ & Co. was the first and principal firm to enter into 
the trade, and for several years employed a number of schooners 
in transporting them to market; but since the introduction of young 
Eastern oysters into the Bay of San Francisco the trade in our 
West Coast bivalve has greatly diminished. 
PECTEN A:QUISULCATUS Cpr. ‘‘Scallop.’’—From San Pedro to 
San Diego, and southward into Lower California; inhabiting mud- 
flats, between tides, where it is found in abundance. The scal- 
lop is well known and highly prized as a delicate morsel by many 
people along the Eastern Coast. Its fame has extended to San 
Diego, where it is offered in the markets and largely eaten. 
MyTILus EDULIS L. ‘“ Black Mussel.”—From Puget Sound to 
San Diego. Usually found inside bays and where more or less fresh 
