138 THE NAUTILUS. 



Mya arenaria Linn. Rhode Island is the metropolis of the clam 

 both in production and consumption. The Rhode Island clam bake 

 is a peculiar institution known all over the country. From June 

 to September every day sees hundreds of bushels consumed at the 

 various shore resorts, called here " down the river ;" and there are sev- 

 eral places in Providence where steamed clams are served in the 

 shell every day in the year. The beds are inexhaustible and the 

 more they are dug over, the faster they seem to propagate. 



Ostrcea Virginlca Gmel. and Ostrcea borea/is Lam. are both very 

 abundant and are consumed in great quantities. 0. Virginica are 

 brought here from the Soutli in schooner loads and planted in the 

 bay to grow, while 0. borealis, the finest oyster in the world, is na- 

 tive to our shores. 



Venus merceiiaria Linn, is also very abundant and can be seen in 

 our markets at all times. 



Mactra solidisshna Chem. is abundant on the ocean shores and is 

 used by the natives for making chowders. 



Pecten irradiavs Lam. There are about two hundred boats en- 

 gaged in scallop dredging and each boat is allowed by law to take 

 only twenty-five bushels per day from September 1st to April 1st, 

 making only five thousand bushels per day for seven months in the 

 year. The adductor muscle only is eaten, while the rest of the ani- 

 mal (the " rim," so called) is thrown away. If cats are allowed to 

 eat the rims their ears drop oflf. This fact is well known to all scallop 

 dredgers and a good many earless cats can be seen at Pawtuxet and 

 East Greenwich at any time, caused by eating scallop " rims" of 

 which they are very fond. 



Mytilus edulis Linn, is also a common article of food, both boiled 

 and pickled. 



LUtorina lUtorea Linn, is very abundant and is relished by En- 

 glish people who had become accustomed to them in the old country. 



Ensatella (or Ensls) Americana Go\\\di\&<\mie plenty and is eaten 

 by the dwellers on the shore. 



Buccinum undatum Linn, and Pecten tenuieostatum M. & A. are 

 found only on the ocean shores and at Block Island and are eaten 

 whenever they can be obtained, but they are not very plenty here. 



Never ita duplicata Say and both the Fulgurs, carica and canalicu- 

 lata are occasionally thrown into a clam bake, and I have seen them 

 eaten, but never indulged personally. I should think they would 

 prove rather tough. 



