No. I (1917) 



EDIBLE MOLLUSCS 



23 



near low-tide level both along the open coast and in backwaters 

 and estuaries. The flavour is good and the flesh tender. 



Collection takes place at low water during spring tides, when 

 the poorer women of the coast villages devote themselves to this 

 work for two or three hours daily. In this time each can gather 

 between 300 and 400 shells. 



Fir.. 6.— ClR(.'E Gir.nA Lamk. Natural size. 



The muddy flats between Pamban and Kundagal Point are 

 rich collecting grounds and many women may be often seen there 

 engaged in the search at spring tide. Very frequently a couple of 

 shells are kept in one hand and rubbed or struck against one 

 another to produce a clicking sound. When questioned the 

 women say that this has the effect of attracting the clams to the 

 surface ; they watch for a slight movement wherever they see 

 clam burrows and scoop up the sand where this occurs, generally 

 getting one or two shells. lam inclined to think that in reality the 

 clicking sound has an opposite effect to that believed by the 

 clammers ; it really alarms the clam and causes it suddenly to 

 retract its siphons and close its valves. In so doing a slight 

 movement of the mud at the entrance to its burrow is necessarily 

 caused and it is this that reveals its presence. Alphseids— the 

 so-called "clicking prawns"— are common on these flats and 

 possibly the noise made by striking two shells together is mistaken 

 by the clams for the clicking of Alphseids. 



The flesh is used either to form a curry, a soup, or a savoury, 

 this considerable variety betokening the high esteem in which it 

 is held. In all cases the preparatory operation is to steam the 

 shells open and extract the flesh. This may then be made forthwith 

 into a curry with the usual condiments, or it may be ground fine 

 with coconut and spices, and boiled to form a highly tasty and 

 nutritious soup, or, lastly, it may be ground to a paste, and fried in 

 ghee or in sesamum oil and eaten with other food. The last mode 



