The Soft Clam 283 



accessible to the clammer. Beaches so covered with large 

 stones that the ground can be dug only with great labor, 

 often hide clams in large numbers. They also settle and 

 burrow among the thatch plants near the high water 

 mark, and are safe in the dense felt work of roots. 



It is interesting to watch an expert clammer at his 

 back-breaking work, and to observe its effect on the clams 

 that remain where the bottom has been disturbed. The 

 implement used in digging is a short fork with four or 

 five tines bent at right angles to the handle. This is 

 forced down with one hand placed near the head, and 

 the dirt is thrown back between the digger's feet. In this 

 way, clams too small to be placed in the basket are cov- 

 ered with loose dirt or left exposed. 



When the tide conies in, the dirt piles are leveled some- 

 what. As soon as the buried clams feel the water, they 

 right themselves so as to bring the posterior ends of the 

 shells upward, and push the fleshy siphon tube toward 

 the water, which few of them fail to reach, unless 

 severely injured. It appears from this that no harm is 

 done the survivors when a clam bed is dug, except the 

 unfortunate individuals that have accidentally been 

 crushed by the fork. Indeed, they are benefited by the 

 removal of competitors for food, and by the partial wash- 

 ing and purification of the bottom in which they lie. 



But what becomes of the unfortunates that are re- 

 jected by the clammer and left on the surface? Some of 

 them may be nearly three inches long. Smaller ones 

 will usually be numerous, and if it is summer, a careful 

 examination may reveal individuals a quarter, an eighth, 

 a twentieth of an inch long, and even so small as hardly 

 to be distinguished from sand grains. These lie without 

 movement until touched by the water, and if the oppor- 



