Bivalves, too, are well represented. Two thin white transparent scallops 

 about the size of a finger nail, Pecten vancouverensis and P. randolphi, the 

 former with a few roughish lines and the latter smooth; two little brown 

 clams, one with heavy concentric ridges, Astarte alaskensis, and one with 

 lighter broken ribs, A. esquimalti; small yellowish Kelly Shells (Kellia 

 suborbicularis), two juveniles are all we have; Panomya ampla, a heavy 

 irregular shell, chalky white in color; Hiatella pholadis, an oblong mis- 

 shapen little clam found burrowing into sponges and in crevices in rocks; 

 the white Ridged Clam (Humilaria kennerlyi); Lyonsia pugetensis, small, 

 silvery, and delicate. 



Not off the fishing gear, but on kelp lifted by the anchor, we collected 

 two choice species; from Baker Pass a pair of wee white Gem Clams 

 (Gemma gemma) and from Rivers Inlet one fat brown Chink Shell 

 (Lacuna porrecta). 



So much for what we have. The fishing season is on again and we 

 anticipate what it will bring; perhaps not much but always the chance of 

 something strange. Perhaps there will be set-line fishing again one day. 

 Perhaps we shall meet a cooperative trawler. And who knows? Perhaps 

 this article will inspire some fisherman to save those oddities that come up 

 on his gear. Of course, there is, too, the dredge, but that is another story. 



COLLECTING MOLLUSKS FROM FISH 



By Arthur H. Clarke, Jr. 

 National Museum of Canada,' Ottawa 



One of the most rewarding techniques for obtaining deep-water mol- 

 lusks is through utilization of the stomach contents of bottom feeding fish. 

 Many new and rare species have been found by this method and it is within 

 the reach of everyone with an active interest in collecting shells. 



Back in the pioneer days of malacology when the common marine 

 species of North America were being discovered, naturalists made frequent 

 use of this method for gathering mollusks. During 1838 and 1839, J. P. 

 Couthouy described 23 new species of New England mollusks and one 

 brachiopod which he had found "in maws of fish caught in Massachusetts 

 Bay" and nearby waters. At approximately the same time, Gould, Stimpson, 

 Mighels, Adams, and Linsley were describing many other species taken from 

 fish caught oflf New England and on the Grand Banks. Many of these 

 mollusks were represented by single specimens which were later lost and 

 have never been collected since. 



Even in an area as thoroughly searched as New England, fish are still 

 yielding new and rare species. The first specimen the author ever obtained 

 from fish caught oflF Massachusetts proved to be new. Yet paradoxically, 

 very few people are presently availing themselves of this productive source. 



Validity of Data. Data supplied by early investigators left much to be 

 desired. In most cases no accurate locality description or record of the depth 

 prevailing where the fish were caught was available, and indeed it was felt 



(40) 



