22 REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 
aries, and islands, and nearly all the shore is protected from the 
heavy seas. In order to ascertain how much of the shore in this 
State is suitable for the growth of clams, a preliminary survey of 
the bay was made. 
Through the courtesy of the United States Fish Commission, 
the steam launch Blue Wing was detailed to aid in collecting this 
information, together with data concerning the location of fish- 
traps, and the density and temperature of the water in various 
parts of the Bay. <A considerable extent of the shore was ex- 
amined directly, but for most of the information we are indebted 
to numerous fishermen and other residents, who from long experi- 
ence have particular knowledge of certain localities. 
There are in the aggregate more than fifty miles of shore which 
is considered good clam ground, and this is not limited to any 
portion of the Bay, but is found in all parts, wherever in fact there 
is soil enough for the clams to bury themselves. It is not by any 
means necessary that the ground should be soft, for hard clay and 
exceedingly stony ground often yield a good crop of clams. In 
many localities, also, no clams occur aboye the mean low-water 
mark, while they are comparatively abundant lower down and can 
be dug in the ordinary manner when the tide is uncommonly 
low. Nowhere, however, are the clams abundant to-day, and it is 
the common testimony from all parts of the Bay that, although 
they were exceedingly abundant from ten to twenty-five years 
ago, they are now comparatively scarce. The shores are, at pres- 
ent, almost depleted, and the difficult process of “ churning ” them 
in several feet of water is often resorted to by those who make a 
business of supplying clams to the market. 
The set of clams was exceptionally large last summer (1899) in 
various parts of the Bay, for example about Green’s Island (Con- 
imicut), at Wickford, in the Kickemuit river, and on Oakland Beach, 
It will be interesting to observe how long the clams will remain 
abundant in these localities. 
Since the above was written, on February 5 and 6, (1900), there 
were a great many bushels of extremly large clams m the markets. 
