VENUS MERCENARTA 15 



anatomy of the gill, which is much more complicated than is 

 indicated in the figures. 



The question of food is an important one when we are searching 

 for means of rearing this clam by some culture method. In order 

 to force the growth of oysters in French claires, water is held in 

 reservoirs back of the beds till the contained diatoms may have 

 multiplied greatly, and is then allowed to run over the beds. Such 

 methods are expensive, and under proper natural conditions, Venus 

 will grow very much faster than either the European or American 

 oyster. Enough has been said of the food of Venus to make it 

 clear that, if it were raised on beaches or flats, we should not 

 expect to find so rapid a growth as if it were never exposed, for 

 feeding is impossible without water currents. I hope to show, 

 however, that growth seems to be very rapid even under these 



circumstances. 



Growth experiments 



Before speaking of these experiments, it will be well to make 

 it clear that the planting was done on a small scale, and was 

 pursued under the most adverse circumstances. I believe that the 

 results as we have them are perfectly certain and they are most 

 satisfactory as they are; but I am also sure that under favorable 

 conditions growth would have been very much greater. 



A trip was made to Riverhead, and the shore examined carefully 

 as far as Greenport. Many clams are found along this shore, 

 and several sites were located, which, so far as currents and char- 

 acter of bottom were concerned, seemed to be ideal. In every 

 case, however, I was assured that clams would not be allowed to 

 remain unmolested for a week. So certain did this seem, that the 

 very much less favorable harbor at Cold Spring, on the sou; id, 

 was selected. Here also it appeared that no portion of any of the 

 beaches would be free from molestation by clam-diggers. The 

 only thing to be done was to ask the privilege of a small space on 

 an oyster bed which extended close to the low water mark. This 

 was granted by Captain Jones, who has my sincere thanks for 

 this favor, and also for the kindly interest which he showed in the 

 work. 



The rights of the oystermen seem to be strictly respected. I 

 ventured to run some of my beds up on the narrow beach nearly 



