96 THE ECOXOMIC MOLLUSCA OF ACADIA. 



of food, but it is apt to induce severe pain," while Ingersoll 

 says it is by some considered unwholesome. Willis, however, 

 states that it is considered a wholesome and nutritious article 

 of food. Prof. Verrill writes that in large specimens the meat 

 is usually tough, but the younger ones are quite as good as 

 either the hard or soft Clam ( F. mercenaria or M. arenaria). 

 It is eaten by the fishermen of the Atlantic coast of the United 

 States. They dig it with shovels at lowest tides, but those 

 beyond reach of this method are taken by sharp sticks which 

 are thrust between their valves hymen wading. The latter 

 keep pushing the stick into the sand and when it passes 

 between the ojoen valves of an animal they close upon it and 

 the animal is easily drawn up. Its comparative scarcity and 

 the difficulty of getting it prevent it from being of as much 

 value as the other Clams, yet it has been estimated to be worth 

 for bait in the United States, from $30,000 to $40,000 

 annually.* 



The heavy shells are utilized for many purposes. The 

 Indians used them as hoes for their corn in New England, 

 and fishermens' wives use them for scoops, skimmers, etc. 

 They are often used for painting on, and are not infrequently 

 for sale in seaport towns decorated with marine views of 

 varying degrees of excellence. 



In our Provinces it is sometimes eaten by the fishermen, 

 but we cannot find that it is ever exposed for sale in the mar- 

 kets, except rarely in Halifax. Verkruzen states tliat it is 

 eaten at St. Mary's Bay, Nova Scotia, and the fishermen 

 on the Charlotte County coast occasionally eat it. It would 

 be used more, no doubt, could it be more easily obtained. 



-22. Mactra ovalis Gould. 



Mactra ijonderosa Stimp. 

 Mactra solidissima [of Willis]. f 



{Mactra^ a kneading-trough ; ovalis, oval]. 



♦Another estimate gives its value as S7,500 annually. 



+ The writer has not seen Mr. Willis' annotated hst of Nova Scotia MoUusca, 

 but from the list of edible forms, copied by Knight, he appears to mean what we 

 . call M ovalis when he mentions M. solidissima. 



