10 THE ECOXOMIC MOLLUSCA OF ACADIA. 



spring and early summer when the laud game was breeding 

 and in poor condition, and life in the woods nearly intolerable 

 on account of the insects. Indeed we have historical evidence 

 that such was the case. Champlain tells us, "when they 

 (the Indians) do not hunt, they live on a shell-fish called the 

 cockle," the latter, as pointed out on a previous page, being 

 the Clam. Denys, speaking of the region about George's Bay 

 and Gut of Canso, tells us there was there " an abundance of 

 Shell-fish of all kinds good to eat, which are the most import- 

 ant means of subsistence of the savages during the spring." 

 There is, no doubt, much of interest to antiquarians, and 

 something to naturalists, to be learned from a study of 

 these shell-heaps. Those of the north shore have been in- 

 vestigated by Rev. Dr. Patterson, though not, as he tells 

 the writer, with reference to their shells, while those of the 

 southern coast have been explored by Mr. G. F. Matthew 

 and others, references to which will be found below.* 



For bait in the fisheries, the Squid and the Clam are of 

 most importance to us. The latter has been used for a very 

 long time, the former for not many years. It seems most 

 remarkable that the Mussel, the same species as that of 

 Europe, and as abundant, should be totally neglected for this 

 purpose. In Europe it is considered the best of baits; it is 

 easier to obtain than the Clam and it should be tried by our 

 fishermen. The Whelks and other common Molluscs would 

 undoubtedly be good for this purpose, but are not abundant 

 enough to replace the omnipresent Mussel. 



With us, the so-called mussel-mud is the most important 

 fertilizer which the sea yields. This consists chiefly, how- 

 ever, of oyster-shells, and its value to Prince Edward Island 

 is considered by Mr. J. H. Duvar to be as great as ttiat of the 

 living Oysters. We believe that the farmers of the Southern 

 and Atlantic coasts would find a rich fertilizer in the masses of 



*Discoveries at a Village of the Stone Age at Bocabec, N.B. By G. F. Matthew. 

 Bull. N. B. Natural History Society, No. III., 1884, pp. 6-29. 



Notes on Certain Aboriginal Shell Mounds on the Coast of New Brunswick and of 

 New England. By S. F. Baird, Proc. U. S. National Museum. Vol. IV., 1881, pp. 

 5J93-297. 



Also see Trans. N. S. Institute. Vol I., Part II., 1864. pp. 9^-99. 



