14 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



time. As far as the kee|)inp; qualities of this clam are concerned 

 it could be marketed from Netarts Bay in many of the inland towns 

 of the State within two days by express if the means of transporta- 

 tion from the source were more certain. The author has been able 

 to keep Saxidomus for a week in good condition by placing it in an 

 ice chest. 



The depletion of SaxidoTnus giganteus in Netarts Bay during the 

 summer of 1918, however, prevented any further attempt to secure 

 markets for this species. Advice was given local diggers during 

 August of that year to discontinue the taking of Saxidomus for a 

 period of two or three years in order to give the clam a chance 

 to restore itself. This was recognized by some as a proper method, 

 but there was nothing to prevent many other people from taking 

 the species whenever they had opportunity. 



The conclusion formed after numerous shipments of Schizothaerus 

 from Netarts to Eugene was that this species could not be depended 

 upon to come through in good condition. The same limitations 

 were found to exist as in case of shipments from the Yaquina region. 

 Danger from slow and uncertain transportation, the fragility of the 

 shell, and the gaping nature of the clam inhibited the possibilities 

 of successfully placing the species on other than very local markets. 



During the latter part of July, 1918, after securing a permit from 

 the State Fish and Game Commission, the writer made a shipment 

 of the razor clam, Siliqua patula., from the Cl^op County beach to 

 Netarts Bay for the purpose of transplanting tne same on the ocean 

 beaches in that locality. The clams were carefully packed and iced 

 in Seaside and transported by express to Tillamook City and from 

 there to Netarts by stage. The clams were out of salt water for 

 a period of about 30 hours and reached Netarts in good condition. 

 They were immediately planted on a selected beach south of the 

 outlet of Netarts Bay. Favorable reports came to the writer during 

 the summer of 1919 relative to the appearance of razor clams on 

 this beach. 



Tests of the keeping qualities of Mytilus edulis and Mytilus cali- 

 fomianus were conducted in the Netarts region. Neither of these 

 species is a good keeper after having been removed from the salt 

 water. The larger species may be kept alive for two or three days 

 on ice, but neither is to be recommended as proper food for a longer 

 period than 24 hours after having been taken from the rocks. The 

 temperature with which they are surrounded will largely determine 

 their keeping qualities. 



Although this region is abundantly supplied with the larger sea 

 mussel there is scarcely a ]:)robability of its soon becoming a common 

 article of diet. Even if it were fully appreciated as food by the 

 public, its inaccessibility would be a handicap to its possible market 

 value. These sea mussels are used locally to some extent and the 

 writer can bear testimony that when rightly prepared tliey are very 

 palatable. 



Much work looking toward the determination of the spawning 

 period of SaxidoniuH gigamteus was done while the author was in 

 this region and later with clams shipped to Eugene. This spawning 

 period was not positively ascertained, the gonads appearing about 

 equally developed in March. June, and November. More investiga- 



