BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 357 



The cockle, Cardium corbis, is also used to a limited extent by the 

 whites; all of the above 

 are eaten by the Indians, 

 while Schizothcerus, which 

 is certainly superior for 



tenderness and delicacy, g> 



closely approaching the ! 



best oysters in these re- 

 spects, is not eaten by 



The whites in the immedi- 

 ate neighborhood, though 



preferred by the Indians 



above all the others. I ex- 

 cept the geoduck, for this 



species is not sufficiently 



abundant to cut much of a 



figure as a constant source 



of supply. It is, however, 



a real delicacy, and, skill- J 



fully cooked, would com 



pletely puzzle persons who t 



tasted it for the first time » 



as to whether they were 5 



eating fish, flesh, or fowl. 



The nearest guess that I 



have heard was by a person 



to whom I gave a piece, 



"that it tasted a little, 

 perhaps, like nicely stewed 

 crab," which hits the mark 

 as nearly as possible. The 

 proper way to cook geo- 

 duck, or one way, is to par- 

 boil thoroughly, then re- 

 move the skin and cut in 

 strips about one inch and 

 a half wide by a third of I 

 an inch thick, and fry the 1 

 same in batter, in very, 

 very, hot salt-pork fat. I 

 dare to say that parboiled, 

 then stuffed and baked, or 



the coast of California, especially at Bodega and thereabouts and San Die«-o It is 

 more nearly like the Atlantic qnahang than it is to Mya armaria, which is becoming 

 plentiful on the Pacific Coast, and is now the principal clam in San Francisco mar- 

 ket. As heretofore stated by me in the American Naturalist, Mya is an introduced 

 species, having been planted in San Francisco Bay with Atlantic oysters. Should 

 California packers be able to compete with their eastern competitors the Saxidomi 

 will furnish a good source of supply. 



