iSo lidihlc Mdlhisca c/ llic ()ri\u^iiii Linisl 



in^lnii (.-lam" <ir tlu' "i^rcat 1)liu' flam"'; Saxiilnnius ^ii^anti'u-- I )c's- 

 ha\(.'s, SdiiU'liiiio calk-d the "huHcr rlaiii", \\r(iiiL;l\ callcil (Ik' 

 "(|ualiii;^" at Xctarts liay ; C'ardium corhi^ .\lart\n. univcr>all_\- 

 known a> tlic "■cncklc"': Macoina nasnta Conrad, the "bent nose 

 clam", called at Xewport the "oyster clam": Thohididea peiiita 

 (Conrad), a n»ck lM)rer, commonly hut \\ron,L;i\- called the "rock 

 oyster"; M\tilus edulis l^innaeus. the smaller and sniootlier of the 

 two common sea mussels, and Mytilus californicus Conrad, the 

 larii'er and nm^iier sea nuissel. besides these may he mentioned 

 species of pccten which un(loul:)tedly exist oft' the coast of ()re;4on. 

 lieyond the low tide line, l)ut nothinj^' is known at the present time 

 rcLjardini;" the distrihution of the l)eds or their ahundance. 



'iMiat the Indians made extensive use of clams and mussels 

 alonj^- tlie northwest coast even l^efore the advent of the white man 

 is a matter of general knowledge. Along the Oregon shore, from 

 Seaside in Clatsop Count}- to southern Curr\- Comity, great heaps 

 of shells or "kitclien middens" are common sights. Many of them 

 are very old, some are covered with earth and vegetation, and others 

 with shrubs and trees of considerable size. Without thoroughly 

 investigating the contents of these mounds it was observed that 

 the}' are composed ])rimaril\- of shells of types of molluscs foinid 

 living in the same vicinity at the present time. 



.Vltliough there is a somewdiat general ai)athy of people toward 

 fresh clams and nuissels as food. ])robal)lv due largelv to imfaniil- 

 iarit}- with them, and a ver}- universal tendenc}' to neglect things 

 that are commonplace, the writer has observed a marked increase 

 in the use of these sea products 1)\- the peoj^le of the northwest dur- 

 ing the ])ast few years. Statistics relative to the shore fisheries of 

 clams and mussels of the Pacific coast states for the }ear \f)\^. as 

 recorded b}' Radclifife'' in a report of the I'nited States llureau ui 

 iMsheries. are as follows : 



California. \'alue. 



Hard clams $ i/'SS^ 



Soft clams 18,107 



Mussels 2,326 



Total $ 38,016 



•■' Radcliffe. Lewis. Fislicries Industries nf tlio Tnitcd St;\tes. .Vi)i)endix X tn tli' 

 Report of the r. S. {'omiiiissiniier of Fisheries for 1!US. Doruineiit No. .S7."i, j). I-ICT. 



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