42 THE SEA SHORE 



the animal and thus cause the shell to gape. As far as our own 

 experience goes, the value of the bait is not deteriorated by this 

 treatment, though some are of opinion that it is not so attractive 

 after scalding. Mussels are opened, when alive, much in the 

 same way as oysters, but the valves of the shell fit together so 

 closely that it seems at first almost impossible to insert a knife 

 between them. This, however, can be done with ease if one 

 valve is first made to slide a little way over the other by pressing 

 it with the thumb. This being accomplished, the two valves 

 should not be separated by the mere force of the knife, for this 

 would tear the animal within, and render it more or less unfit for 



FIG. 31. METHOD OF OPENING A MUSSEL 



its purpose ; but first direct the edge of the knife towards the 

 adductor muscle, by means of which the animal pulls its valves 

 so firmly together, and then cut through this close to the inner 

 surface of the upper valve. This valve can then be lifted without 

 injury to the soft parts, and the whole animal removed from the 

 other valve by cutting through the same muscle close to it. 



Between the two lobes of the mantle the soft covering on both 

 sides of the animal that previously lined the shell will be seen 

 a brown, fleshy, tongue-like body. This is the ' foot ' of the mussel. 

 The point of the hook should first be run through this, and then 

 from side to side through the mantle, and finally through the 



