THE OYSTER-INDUSTRY. 249 



Stabber. — One who opeus oysters by sticking the knife iu at the side, without previously breaking the shell. 

 (Massachusetts and Rhode Island.) See Sficl-cr. 



Stales. — The handles of the oyster-tongs or oyster-rake. 



Stem. — The proboscis of a clam. (New Jersey.) 



Stew. — An artificial bed of oysters. Applied to the old Eoman, and also to the modern methods of fattening. 

 (English.) See Layer. 



Sticker. — An oyster-opener who rests the oyster against the bench while he thrusts the knife between the valves. 

 This is the method iu Boston, and obviates the strain across the loins, but takes longer than side-ojjcning, q. v. 

 (See Stdhher.) 



Stickup. — A long, thin oyster, growing in mud, etc. (Dennis creek. New Jersey.) See Strap oyster, etc. 



Sting-tail. — The sting-ray, Dasybatis centrura. (New York.) 



Stone-caddys. — Schooner carrying stone. (Chesapeake and Delaware.) 



Stools. — Material spread on the bottom for oyster spawn to cling to. See Gultch, etc. 



Strap-otster. — The long, slender form which grows in mud. See Goon-heel, etc. (New Jersey.) 



Strike. — To become tenanted by living oysters; or when infant oysters attach themselves to any object they are 

 said to "strike". (Staten Island.) See -Se^, etc. 



Sweet-clam. — Same as Squaw clam, etc. 



Sa\T5ETMEAT. — A small mollusk, the Grepidula fornicata. (Martha's Vineyard.) See Half-deoTc. 



Tea-clam. — The quahaug, Venus meroenaria of small sizej about IJ inches diameter. They will go from 1,200 to 

 1,400 to the barrel. (Keyport, New Jersey.) 



Ten-finger. — A thief. 



Tile-coating. — At Vannes, France, the coating of spat- collectors is composed as follows : The tiles are first dipped 

 into a solution of hydraulic lime and water ; when dry they are again dipped into a very thin mixture of 

 common lime and water ; when dry they are ready for use. 



Toleration. — License to gather oj^sters or operate beds; paid by every individual annually. (Brookhaven, Long 

 Island.) The money paid is called a Toleration fee. 



ToNGER. — One who procures oysters by the use of tongs. 



ToNG-MAN. — See Tonger. 



Tongs. — An instrument used in gathering oysters from the bottom. Something of an idea of it may be got by 

 supposing two garden-rakes with very long handles, with the tooth-side of each rake facing each other ; let the 

 handles be secured by a loose rivet about two or three feet from the teeth, so that by operating the extreme 

 ends of the handles the whole contrivance shall act as a pair of tongs. The instrument is so constructed, that 

 when the tong handles or "stales", as they are called, are held perpendicular to the bottom, the teeth are 

 at an angle of ASo, and by working the upper end of the stales together above water, at the same time pressing 

 the teeth against the bottom, the oysters are thus raked together, and may be hoisted to the surface and 

 emptied into the boat. Various patented forms have been made, but in general those in actual use are made 

 by the local blacksmith and are one of two patterns — iron-headed or wooden-headed — according to intended 

 service. The latter form is the most common. Ordinarily the heads must be of the best oak, and the whole 

 tongs are worth $3 50 to $5. The teeth are about IJ inches apart and not over 1 to 1| inches long. The 

 stales are sawed out of a white-pine board J-inch thick. Though seeming so thin, they last as long as the heads. 

 A pair of tongs lasts only about a year. The wooden heads are better, because they do not dig into the sand a.s 

 do the iron heads, and because they are lighter to work. Tongs are used of from 7 to 24 feet in length, and 

 the latter, worked as they are, in 21 and 22 feet of water, require not only considerable skill, but a good 

 allowance of strength, to handle with success. This tong is a very ancient contrivance in America, for 

 Charlevoix, in the middle of the seventeenth century, found them "on the coasts of Acadia". 



Trash. — All cullings, small oysters, refuse, etc., thrown over from the oyster-gathering on to idle ground, and 

 which will be overhauled one or two yeai's later. (Delaware.) 



Tub. — I. Long Island measure for selling oysters, holding somewhat less than a bushel. It consists of part of a 

 barrel, and should be 10 inches deep, 17 inches wide at the bottom, and 19 inches at the top, inside. 



Tub. — II. Chesapeake measure; is similar to the above, but twice as capacious. 



Tusk-shell. — A species of the Dentalium. (Pacific coast.) 



Under-rake.— An instrument used in the Point Judith ponds, Rhode Island; "the handles of said rake being 

 15 to 20 feet in length, the head from 1 to 2 feet iu length, tilled with iron teeth from 6 to 10 inches in length, 

 and mostly used through holes cut in the ice." — Gen. Stat. E. I. 



Vivier.— See Fare. (He d'Oleron.) 



Wagon-load.— Of oysters; a "wagon-load" is 20 bushels ; of mussels, 30 bushels. (New Jersey.) 



Wash-basket. — A rude splint basket, circular, shallow, holding about a peck, and with a high bale-handle. 

 (Rhode Island.) 



Watch-house. — A shanty built on the shore, or near the |>lanted oyster-beds, IVom wliifli tiny may be guarded. 

 (Massachusetts.) 



