— 34 — 



"When the tides eome at two or three o'clock in the morning, lanterns 

 are usually ranged on the beacli to mark the route to the bar, a 

 precaution very necessary since directions are surprisingly hard to 

 tell in the fog and darkness. 



Though under ordinary conditions the clam is found by "feeling" 

 along, they may be located on undisturbed exposed bars or beaches 

 by tiny holes overlying the siphons or sometimes a sunken area overly- 

 ing the whole shell and apparently caused liy its movements. 



Use — The Pismo clam is a distinctively Californian bivalve and 

 enjoys a high reputation as a food mollusk, being wndely used in soups, 

 chowders, fritters and baked in the lialf shell. The greater part of 

 the shipments from the San Luis Obispo coast find their way to San 

 Fi'ancisco and the bay cities or to Los Angeles. Here they an; used 

 t)y restaurants or cafes rather than retailed. In tlie South a very largo 

 proportion are used for bait in surf fishing. 



Distribution — -"Santa Cruz, California, and south to Socorro 

 Island" (Lower California) Dall. It was found at Halfmoon Bay 

 just south of San Francisco (Heath) and to some extent on nearly 

 all favorable beaches south to the Mexican boundary. As previously 

 explained, it may be expected on exposed sandy beaches particularly 

 where the beach is wide and the slope gentle. At present a few are 

 marketed from ]\Ionterey Bay but practically all come from Morro, 

 Pismo and Oceano, where these conditions are best fulfilled. Formerly 

 it was abundant on various more southern beaches near Carpinteria 

 and at Long Beach, but these no longer yield it in commercial quan- 

 tities. Recently (1919) some have been imported from Turtle Bay, 

 Lower California. 



Several attempts to transplant the Pismo clam to various points 

 outside this range on the California and Oregon coast have been made, 

 but as yet without marked success. 



SEA COCKLE 



Amiantis callosa Conrad 

 Plate 5, figure 3 



Description — The valves of this form are very heavy and thick, 

 recalling the Pismo clam, but the sliell is less triangular, the umbo 

 being directed anteriorly, and the outer surface is marked with prom- 

 inent rounded concentric growth lines which occasionally branch, and 

 is covered (at least in the adult) with a firm, smooth, shining, white 

 periostracum. The pallial sinus is fairly deep, reaching about half 

 way to the anterior muscle scar. 



Habitat — It is fouiul at extrenu^ low^ tide on open beaches or near 

 tlie entrance to bays but never in great abundance. 



Use — Though edible it is far too scarce to be considered an eco- 

 nomic species and is included here only because the large and beautiful 

 shell is sure to be found and its identity questioned by the amateur 

 digger. 



Distribution — " San Pedro. Cal.. to Gulf of Tehauntepec" (Dall). 

 Shells were found farther north than this, being fairly abundant at 

 Santa Monica, Play a del Rey and were common at Long Beach and 

 at San Diego, but no living specimens were obtained. 



