90 THE ECONOMIC MOLLUSCA OF ACADIA. 



tides. It often inhabits tlie estuaries, where it most abounds. It burrows 

 a short distance below the surface, but is often found crawling at the 

 surface, with the shell partly exposed. It has short siphon tubes, 

 united from the base to near the ends, and a large, muscular foot, with 

 a broad thin edge, by means of which it can easily burrow beneath the 

 isand when necessary." It clearly occupies much the same localities as 

 the Oysters upon our North Shore, as it is along with them that it is 

 usually taken. As it lives upon or very near the surface, it can be 

 captured by raking or dredging, just as Oysters are; in the United 

 States it is taken either by long-handled tongs or by the dredge. 



Economics. In the United States this species ranks next 

 to the Oyster as an article of food. Its annual value was 

 estimated in 1883 to be $657,747, that of the Oyster being 

 $13,439,000, These figures will show how valuable a Mollusc 

 ■of our waters we are almost totally neglecting. 



South of New York this is the common Clam of the 

 markets. Between New York and Boston, this and the soft 

 Clam, Mya arenaria, occur about equally in the markets, 

 while north of Boston, the latter replaces the former. The 

 best sell in New York for about three dollars per barrel, 

 wholesale. Smaller ones are sold for sixty cents to one dollar 

 per bushel. The smallest are used chiefly for pickling. 

 They are taken from small boats by raking. It is also 

 extensively used as bait. It sometimes contains pearls of white, 

 blue, purple, violet or mixed colors, but they are rarely 

 clear enough to be of any value. 



This species has been introduced into several places in 

 Europe, sometimes successfully, sometimes not. It has been 

 acclimatized in the Dee, and, perhaps, also on the Cheshire 

 coast, and at Bordeau, in France, but at least one attempt to 

 make it live at Arcachon, in the south of France, has failed. 

 These efforts to introduce it into Europe show how highly it 

 is valued by people who have it not in their own waters, and 

 they should have a lesson for us who value it little though 

 abundant on our own shores. 



In Acadian waters we cannot find that it is ever fished for 

 separately. It is taken with Oysters and sold along with 

 them. In St. John it is rarely or never sold separately, 

 though in Halifax, where a few bushels a year are disposed 



