708 NATURAL HISTORY OF AQUATIC ANIMALS. 



England immense quantities of this bivalve are collected and salted to be used as bait in the 

 cod fishery. Statistics and a full discussion of the habits and artificial culture of this Chun will 

 be found in the special chapter devoted to the Clams. 



Washed up by storms from the deep sands down at least to ten fathoms below the low-water 

 line and hence known as the "Beach," "Sea," or "Surf" Clam, the huge Spisula solidissima 

 furnishes occasional repasts to the dwellers along the whole Atlantic shore. It is chiefly eaten in 

 Massachusetts, however, and its flesh is tough and by some persons considered unwholesome. It 

 is often cast up in such great quantities as to become available for manure, mixed with various 

 other marine animals of all sorts and sizes and much sea-weed. The large, smooth, white valves 

 are collected in considerable quantities to be decorated inside with pictures in oil or India ink, 

 which are again sold in the picture stores, often for a good price. This Clam is also preserved as 

 bait. On the Pacific coast an allied species (Spisula falcata) serves the various purposes to 

 which the eastern one is applied. 



Following this comes the Quahaug ( Venus mercenaria), which is known in the markets as 

 " Hard Clam," " Round Clam," or, in New York, simply " Clam." From Cape Cod to Florida it is 

 very abundant, but must be gathered by raking, since it does not burrow in the shore-sands like 

 the Soft Clam. A commerce still larger than in the case of the Soft Clam is carried on with 

 this species as bait, and also for food, in which respect it ranks next to the Oyster in the United 

 States. 



On the Pacific coast where eastern shell-fish are constantly sent for transplantation and for 

 immediate consumption there are various bivalves used as food, such as Semele decisa, the " Flat 

 Clam"; Macoma nasuta, the "Tellens," of San Francisco; ScMzothcerus Nuttalli, the "Gaper"; 

 Chione succincta, aud allied species, which replace eastern "Little Necks"; and Saxidomus aratus, 

 to relish which was learned from the Indians. 



In regard to this latter mollnsk (Saxidomus aratus) it is interesting to note that its shell was 

 broken into pieces by the Indians of the California coast and worked into flat, circular disks by 

 rubbing upon stone. Eighty of these disks strung upon sinews were in recent use by the Indians 

 of Lake County, California, as a medium of exchange in trade, aud were valued at one dollar. In 

 Sonoma County Saxidomus gracilis seems to have served the same purpose. 



Another form of aboriginal money was made from the valves of the ponderous Hen Clam of 

 southern California (Pachydesma crassatelloides), already mentioned. This money was called 

 " hawok," and took the shape of perforated disks which could be strung as beads. The larger 

 pieces, according to Stearns, were worth twenty-five cents, and were cut from the thicker parts 

 of the shell ; while the thinner portions supplied beads worth only four cents each. Further 

 information will be found upon this in my magazine article above referred to. 



The Pachydesma and its neighbor, the Cardium Nuttalli, are considered edible by the west 

 coast people; but on the Atlantic shore, where occur several large species of "Cockle" (as the 

 members of the genera Cardium, Astarte, Venericardia, and the like, are called), they are rarely or 

 never used as food. This neglect seems curious, since this inollusk is eaten in great abundance in 

 England, and may be bought everywhere in London during summer. " Prodigious quantities of 

 this shell-fish are also consumed in Holland, where their cheapness recommends them to the 

 common people as a principal article of food during the winter." In New England Cyprina islandica 

 is eaten now aud then, but bears a poor reputation in comparison with the Quahaug. In the 

 Southern States the large " Painted Clam " (Callixta giyantca) is equally available as food, and the 

 Onathodon cuneatus of the Gulf of Mexico is already an article of diet, as well as useful in road- 

 making, to which utility many other mollusks contribute in all sea-shore towns. 



