The Hard Clam 323 



Mya. The edges of its shell form a joint that is al- 

 most air-tight. It is safely shipped far inland, even in 

 the hottest part of the summer, and consequently is the 

 form most commonly used in fresh water clam-bakes a 

 rather poor imitation all through, of the genuine New 

 England institution, but an enjoyable affair for all 

 that. 



The hard clam, like Mya, has suffered a marked de- 

 crease in numbers during the last few years. In 1898 

 a single company that had been marketing ten thousand 

 cans of hard clams daily for years, was compelled to 

 abandon the Great South Bay of Long Island for the 

 Carolina sounds, because of an almost complete failure 

 in the supply. Most other bottoms where hard clams 

 were formerly abundant have failed because of ex- 

 cessive digging. 



There are still great beds of these clams in the South 

 that have never been disturbed. South of the Chesa- 

 peake they are very little used as food. In 1904 great 

 numbers of them were discovered by the writer on the 

 muddy west shore of the Chandeleur Islands, near the 

 delta of the Mississippi. Oystermen and fishermen along 

 that coast stated that they were never dug even for bait. 

 New Orleans possesses a great supply of fine oysters, 

 but should also become acquainted with New England 

 clam chowder, that she might so conveniently make her 

 own. 



The chief features of the development of Venus have 

 recently been determined by Mr. D. L. Belding, who 

 finds that, after being fertilized in the water (from 

 early June to the middle of August in New England), the 

 eggs segment or divide in much the same manner as in 

 the oyster, and produce a swimming form. Before the 



