The Hard Clam 325 



bivalves obtaining food continually will grow more rap- 

 idly than those that are exposed at low tide. It proved 

 to be true in this case. The currents were strong, but 

 much the same on all beds. 



The belief prevails among clammers that the fully 

 grown quahaug sometimes leaves its shallow burrow and 

 creeps for some distance before burrowing again, and 

 that in this way it may effect a considerable migration. 

 At least one account of this supposed habit has been pub- 

 lished. " On these bottoms of sand and mud," it runs, 

 " the clam spends most of its time in crawling about with 

 the shell upright and partly exposed. It can travel pretty 

 fast, and leaves behind it a well-plowed furrow." This 

 might be assumed to be true from the fact that it pos- 

 sesses so large and powerful a foot. Some fresh water 

 clams have this habit well developed, but hundreds of 

 quahaugs used in this experiment remained for six 

 months where they were planted. The fact that they 

 move about very little if at all was later verified by ex- 

 tensive experiments in which the creatures were under 

 observation at all times of the year. It seems certain 

 from the many observations that have now been made on 

 this point that the future culturist need have no fear that 

 his planted quahaugs will leave him of their own ac- 

 cord. 



But at the time of the first experiment such a result 

 was feared, and in order to forestall it beds below low 

 tide were covered and walled in with wire netting. The 

 small quahaugs were planted during the first week in 

 July, and when the beds were dug in the last week in De- 

 cember, the netting showed no signs of having been dis- 

 turbed. Beds between tide lines were not thus screened 

 and none of the clams had moved beyond their limits, 



