206 Our Cockle Species. 



The Cockle Family (Cardiidce). Different Sorts. Several 

 kinds of the cockle tribe inhabit our sands. (1) The COMMON 

 COCKLE (Gardium edule) ranks primarily in numbers and 

 mercantile value. (2) The SPINED COCKLE (C. echinatum), 

 sometimes called the Horse Cockle, is a large sized form, nigh 

 three inches in diameters when full grown. This has been 

 recorded as got sparingly from several places in both counties, 

 viz., in the neighbourhood of Deal, Pegvvell Bay and Margate, 

 and also in the Crouch and Blackwater estuaries. It is of a 

 roundish form, and, as its name implies, bears short spines. 

 Unless by naturalists, who distinguish differences, it is regarded 

 among the cocklers and others as only a big common cockle, 

 and passes current accordingly in their gatherings. (3) The 

 NORWEGIAN COCKLE (C. norvegicuiri), some 2| to nearly 3 inches 

 diameters when adult, has the shell only faintly ribbed, and to 

 the eye is altogether more elongated in shape than is the C. edule. 

 We only know of it from Shellness (Cockerell) ; it may be 

 found elsewhere, though hitherto passed over so far as we are 

 aware. (4) The LITTLE COCKLE (G.exiguum) is, broadly speaking, 

 a common form in the oozy ground of the Blackwater, the 

 Crouch and in the Thames estuary (off Margate, &c.). 

 Possibly it otherwise may be more numerous than hitherto 

 credited. It is seldom above half an inch in diameter, and is 

 markedly triangular in shape. If obtained by the cocklers 

 among an ordinary gathering it seldom or ever is brought 

 back by them, for its small size enables it to pass through 

 their sieves. Hence it does not come under usual food product ; 

 its chief use doubtless being as fish-food. 



The COMMON COCKLE (C. edule) Distribution has a wide 

 distribution with us, somewhat similar to that of the mussel, 

 but with this difference that it is chiefly confined to the 

 expanse of sands which, dry or otherwise, constitute so 

 prominent a feature of part of our coasts. Take for example 

 the great sandy bay stretching at least from Romney con- 

 siderably eastward of Dymchurch. Again, Deal to Ramsgate, 



