50 ECONOMIC ZOOLOGY 



till depleted, so that the canneries were compelled to move south to 

 new beds. 



The only effort, apparently, to conserve the supply that has been 

 made has been to declare an occasional closed season. Enough experi- 

 mental work has been done to indicate that culture of this clam might 

 be carried on at a good profit. 



Scallop, Pecten irradians and P. tenuico status, Fig. 39. These two 

 species are found along the Atlantic coast, the former in more shallow 

 waters, from Cape Cod to Texas, the latter in deeper waters, north of 

 Cape Cod. The southern form seldom exceeds 3 inches in diameter 

 and is the more common of the two, the. northern species may reach 

 a diameter of 7 inches. 



PIG. 38. Hard-shell clam or quahog, 

 Venus mercenaria. X/^. 



PIG. 39. Scallop shell, Pecten 

 irradians. X- 



The only part that is usually eaten is the small, cylindrical adductor 

 muscle, though the rest is perfectly good food. These meats are 

 freshened by soaking them in fresh water; this process swells them 

 greatly and of course increases the value of animals sold by bulk, 

 though it makes them spoil much more quickly. 



Pecten does not lie buried as do the preceding two forms, but moves 

 about more or less actively by opening and shutting its shell, so that it 

 is dredged by means of a "pusher," a rectangular iron frame with a bag 

 at the back. 



Owing to their perishability and the limited supply scallops are 

 not used to any great extent at a distance from the coast. As the price 

 is sometimes as high as $5 a gallon, wholesale, they may be consid- 



