8 



Marine Invertebrates 



water the back of the digger is covered with wire netting which holds the 

 animals caught by the prongs. This instrument is commonly used for 

 digging hard clams (Venus) and other mollusks. 



The basket rake. By fastening a basket of wire netting to the ordinary 

 garden rake (Fig. 6) a very useful instrument may be made which is 



Fig. 6. — The basket rake. 



operated either by wading or from a boat. The shape and dimensions 

 of the basket and the mesh of the wire netting vary greatly depending 

 upon the locality and depth of the water in which the implement is to 

 be used. The type of basket rake used for collecting Venus in the deep 

 water of Cape Cod consists of an iron framework forming a curved bowl, 

 the under edge of which is set with 20 steel teeth about 2% inches in 

 length (Fig. 7). The bowl of the rake, strengthened by side and cross 



Fig. 7. — The basket rake, Cape Cod type. 



pieces of iron, is covered with a twine net dragging behind it. Sometimes 

 teeth about 4 inches long are used. The rake weighs from 15 to 20 

 pounds. There is great variety in the styles and sizes of basket rakes 

 used by fishermen. The handles of the rakes vary from 23 to 65 feet 

 according to the prevailing depth of the water. The rakes are often pro- 

 vided with several detachable handles of various lengths. Although the 

 handles are made of strong wood they break very easily when operated 

 by inexperienced collectors, since they are flexible and very thin, not 

 exceeding 1% inches in diameter. Operation of long rakes (65 feet) 

 requires great skill. 



