1-2 EDWARD VII. SESSIONAL PAPER No. 22a A. 1902 



III 



THE CLAM FISHERY OF PASSAMAOUODDY BAY. 



REPORT BY J. STAFFORD, M.A., Ph. D., TORONTO, November, 1900. 



(With 4 Plates). 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 



Introduction 19 



The External Features of the Clam 20 



Internal Organization 21 



Nearest Relatives of the Clam 24 



Occurrence 25 



Food of the Clam 26 



Reproduction, Spawning 27 



Enemies of the Clam 29 



Method of procuring Clams 30 



Clam fishermen 30 



Uses of the Clam 30 



Regulations, Transplanting, &c 35 



Reference to the United States and to Great Britain 36 



Literature 37 



Description of Plates, i, ii, iii, iv 40 



INTRODUCTION. 



The possibilities of our Canadian clam fishery, whether viewed as an industry- 

 offering employment to numbers of men, or viewed as a source of food supply to both 

 maritime and inland people, have, undoubtedly, not yet been sufficiently appreciated. 

 The importance of the clam for bait purposes in the catching of fish, has not in 

 this country received the attention that has been given it or its relatives in some 

 other countries. Its wide distribution, its abundance, and the readiness with which it may 

 be procured on our coasts, as well as the high market value it commands in the New 

 England States are considerations that are full of promise. 



Numerous shell heaps on the coasts of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince 

 Edward Island, sometimes more than two feet deep and occupying several acres of 

 surface, are convincing proof that the food value of the clam was early understood by 

 our Indians. Clams have long been handled as food and as bait in this country, in the 

 United States and elsewhere ; next to the oyster they are the most important shell-fish 

 of the American continent ; yet, until a few years ago, little of real value had been 

 gathered re.specting its habits, its mode of propagation, &c., and even at the present 

 time there are numerous questions with regard to organization, function, food, time and 

 22a- 2i 19 



