8 THE ECONOMIC MOLLUSCA OF ACADIA. 



other words, of their relations to man's immediate interests^, 

 obviously includes a consideration of the injurious as well as 

 of the beneficial forms. In the case of both of these, there is 

 possible quite a natural division into those which are directly, 

 and those which are indirectly, of injury or benefit, and this' 

 classification will be followed in this paper. 



Of the direct uses to man of the Mollusca, the most im- 

 portant by far is that of food. The other uses must vary in 

 importance with different ages, different localities, or different 

 conditions of civilization. For our purposes we may consider 

 the relative order to be as follows: 



(1) Use as food for man. 



(2) As bait in the fisheries. 



(3) As fertilizers for land. 



(4) For ornaments, including the production of pearl. 



(5) For money. 



(6) For the making of dyes. 



(7) For dishes and many minor uses. 



The most important of all food-molluscs is, of course, the 

 Oyster. It is found in nearly all parts of the world except in 

 the coldest seas, has been used from the remotest antiquity 

 and is one of the most popular food-substances known. Many 

 people have claimed that ours, of Acadia, are the best that 

 are found in the world, and this much appears certain, that 

 if not the best, they are among the best. Next in importance 

 with us comes the soft-shell Clam, then the Scallop, the 

 Quahog, Periwinkle, Eazor-fish, Mussel, Whell^, Squid and 

 one or two others. In Europe the Mussel takes the place of 

 the Clam and the Periwinkle, and stands before it and just 

 after the Oyster. It is most remarkable that Molluscs esteemed 

 in Europe should be neglected in Canada, and vice versa. 

 Though our common Clam is abundant in the former country, 

 it is never used either for food or bait, while the Mussel and 

 Whelk, highly esteemed and of great value there, are rarely 

 utilized by our people. No doubt the greater variety of cheap 

 food within reach of our poorer classes has something to do 

 with this, for it is chiefly by the lower classes that those 

 Molluscs are used in Europe. 



