BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 353 



Vol. Ml, No. S3. Washington, D. C. Oct. 19, 1883. 



59.-THE EDIBLE CLAMS OF THE PACIFIC COAST AND A PRO- 

 POSED METHOD OF TRANSPLANTING THEM TO THE ATLANTIC 

 COAST. 



By R. E. C. STEARNS. 



[Letter to Prof. S. F. Baird. J 



In pursuance of the general instructions expressed in your letter of 

 March 3,1882, relating to the economic value of certain edible mollusks 

 of the Pacific coast, and directions to inquire into the special peculiar- 

 ities of their habitat, for the purpose of determining the feasibility of 

 transplanting the same from the waters of the Pacific to those of the 

 Atlantic side of the continent, both as a scientific experiment and as a 

 resource in case of future contingencies, I took the requisite steps iu 

 the latter part of the following May to carry out your wishes, by hav- 

 ing the necessary equipment made as referred to in my letter to you 

 dated May 8, 1882.* 



In addition to the facts previously of record, with further data ob- 

 tained from various intelligent persons, supported by my own judgment, 

 I concluded that some point on Puget Sound or within the Puget Sound 

 infratidal region offered many advantages over any locality to the 

 southward of the above and along the exterior or ocean coast, though 

 all of the species which we had in mind occur at various places along 

 the shore, even as far to the south as San Diego, a reach of over 1 ,100 

 miles. 



Of the many favorable points on the Sound, I fixed upon Budd's Inlet, 

 as the preferable locality, as the three species required were reported 

 as being found there in considerable abundance and within a limited 

 area, and convenient to a good base, namely, the town of Olympia. 



The species sought for were Glycimeris generosa,] or geoduck as locally 

 called, Saxidomus nnttallii,$ the quahaug of some of the people in the 

 region, and Schizothccrus nuttallii£ which had been particularly recom- 

 mended. 



Besides the above I hope to find other forms of economic and scien- 

 tific value. 



I finally got my equipment together so as to leave San Francisco on 



Note. — Previous communications on this subject may be found in the Bulletin of 

 the United States Fish Commission, Volume I, pp. 21,200: II, pp. 20.— C. W. S. 

 * Bull. United States Fish Commission, 1882, pp. 20-21. 

 t By Mr. Hemphill. 

 t By Dr. Dall. 

 § Id. my letter.of May 8, and ante. 



Bull. U. S. F. C. 83 23 



