194 



THE INDIANS' CLAM. 



hearth ; under these would be a layer of shells, ashes 

 and bones, and then another hard beaten hearth. 

 The great extent and depth of these mounds indicate 

 either that there was a great rush of visitors to these 

 primitive watering-places, or else that they were used 

 as camping-grounds for many centuries. Perhaps 

 both suppositions are correct. 



It is interesting to examine the shells of these old 

 heaps, and thus see what species formerly abounded 

 on the adjacent mud-flats. I have found various 

 kinds of shells, but by far the most abundant ones 

 are those of the species named Macoma nasuta, Conr., 

 Ma-co'-ma na-su'-ta, shown in Fig. 165. Although 

 so abundant then, this species seems now to be dying 

 out, and its place is being rapidly occupied by the 



Fig. 165. 



introduced Rhode Island clam, of which I will pres- 

 ently speak, but not a specimen of that shell is found 

 in the mounds. 



Macoma nasuta is a common species on the coast, 

 extending from Kamtchatka to Mexico. It inhabits 

 muddy flats, burying quite deeply, and reaching the 

 water by two small, red siphons. The shell is 

 smooth, flat and thin; rounded in front, but narrowed 



