92 REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 



DISTRIBUTION OF CLAM SETS IN 1907. 



The subject of the growth, habits, and artificial culture of the 

 soft-shell clam (Mya arenaria), and the interesting facts of the 

 peculiar distribution of the ''set" along the shores of Narragansett 

 Bay, has been fully discussed in the earlier reports of this Commis- 

 sion. 



Occasionally, in a certain year, a remarkably thick set has occurred 

 upon one or more limited portions of the shore, while in other years 

 the set is equally thick in other, but usually not in the same localities. 

 In some years none of the portions of the shore examined has a set 

 even remotely approaching in abundance those referred to. 



In 1898 the station of the Commission was located at the Kickemuit 

 river, and the study of the life history of the clam was undertaken by 

 Professor Kellogg, now of Williams College, who found considerable 

 numbers of clams, though no systematic search was made for thick 

 clam sets along the shore. In 1899 the station was located at Wick- 

 ford, and for the first time the phenomenon of an exceeding thick set 

 of clams of about a month in age and 1-32 to j inch in length was 

 discovered about the 4th of July, and described. This was found on 

 the southwest point of Cornelius Island; 12,500 clams were counted 

 from one square yard. 



In 1900, on the same shore but in a slightl}^ different locality, the 

 same phenomenon occurred; 7,715 clams were counted from one 

 square yard. In that year the set was also thick at Old Buttonwoods. 



In 1901 a most extraordinary set was found on the east shore of 

 Green's Island, north of Conimicut. 



In 1902 there were no places discovered where the set was at all 

 comparable in thickness with any of those just mentioned. 



In 1903 a phenomenal set was again found on the same shore of 

 Cornelius Island, but nowhere else in the bay. 



In 1904 the same phenomenon recurred on Cornelius, and sur- 

 passed any of the previous sets excepting, perhaps, that of 1901 at 

 Green's Island. 



