THE SOFT-SHELLED CLAM. 



FEW years after the first Eastern 

 oysters had been planted in San 

 Francisco Bay, a man who studies 

 shells was much sur- 

 prised to find a new 

 clam living near them. 

 ^ . There were only a few 



specimens of the strange clam, and these were not 

 very large, but they were examined with much 

 care. They greatly resembled the clams of Rhode 

 Island, which are so much prized in that state, 

 but as they were supposed to be somewhat differ- 

 ent, they were given a new name. This name was 

 selected in honor of Mr. Henry Hemphill, a gen- 

 tleman who has collected 

 and studied our Western 

 shells very extensively. 



The first shells were 

 found in November, 1874, 

 but in a few years they 

 began to be very common, 

 and then it was found that 



37 



REFERENCE TOPICS. 



Rliode Island elams. 



Latin names. 



Tlie microscope. 



Oxygen. 



Cost of oysters. 



'* Happy as a clam." 



Importations by rail. 



