The Rise And Decline Of The Olympla Oyster 



and the desire to do so, has been brought into this coun- 

 try with seed of the Japanese oyster, now commonly 

 known as the Pacific Oyster. It is about the same size as 

 the native snail. 



This species of drill abound in Japan. It has some pow- 

 er of locomotion when aided by the tide. I have often seen 

 them protrude a sort of foot and give themselves a shove 

 as the tide was moving, then roll forward with the tide 

 for several feet. 



It also has limited power of locomotion by using its 

 body in the place of legs. By an outward thrust of the 

 body it pushes itself forward about one-half inch, then 

 it repeats the operation. Its walking distance is limited 

 to a few feet a day, and it cannot walk in mud. But it can 

 move from oyster to oyster, and it does not need to hur- 

 ry. It takes great care in selecting its next victim. It has 

 an instinct which guides it to an oyster with a thin shell. 

 When it has found its oyster, it then selects the spot 

 where the shell is the thinnest. The thinner the shell the 

 easier to penetrate it. 



Due to the drilling equipment, this animal has some- 

 times been called a "marine dentist". Hov/ever, before 

 it starts working on its victim I have never heard it whis- 

 per in a sympathizing voice, ''Now this is going to hurt a 

 little." 



The file-like drill is located at the end of a tiny neck 

 which protrudes from the body of the drill. After the 

 drill has bored the hole through the shell, the neck is 

 pushed into the oyster and by use of a suction method the 

 oyster meat is conveyed into the drill as food. If the neck 

 is not long enough to reach all the oyster meat, it with- 



(77) 



