138 THE NAUTILUS. 



3Iya arenaria Linn. Rhode Island is tlie metropolis of the clam 

 both in production and consumption. The Rhode Island clam bake 

 is a peculiar institution known all over the country. From June 

 to September every day sees hundreds of bushels consumed at the 

 various shore resorts, called here " down the river ;" and there are sev- 

 eral places in Providence where steamed clams are served in the 

 shell every day in the year. . The beds are inexhaustible and the 

 more they are dug over, the faster they seem to propagate. 



Ostrcea Virginica Gmel. and Ostrcea borealis Lam. are both very 

 abundant and are consumed in great quantities. 0. Virginica are 

 brought here from the Soutli in schooner loads and planted in the 

 bay to grow, while 0. borealis, the finest oyster in the world, is na- 

 tive to our shores. 



Venus mercenaria Linn, is also very al)undant and can be seen in 

 our markets at all times. 



Madra solidissima Chem. is abundant on the ocean shores and is 

 used by the natives for making chowders. 



Peeten irradians Lam. There are about two hundred boats en- 

 gaged in scallop dredging and each boat is allowed by law to take 

 only twenty-five bushels per day from September 1st to April 1st, 

 making only five thousand bushels per day for seven months in the 

 year. The adductor muscle only is eaten, while the rest of the ani- 

 mal (the " rim," so called) is thrown away. If cats are allo%ved to 

 eat the rims their ears drop off. This fact is well known to all scallop 

 dredgers and a good many earless cats can be seen at Pawtuxet and 

 East Greenwich at any time, caused by eating scallop "rims" of 

 which they are very fond. 



Mi/tilus edulis Linn, is also a common article of food, both boiled 

 and pickled. 



Littorina Uttorea Linn, is very abundant and is relished by En- 

 glish people who had become accustomed to them in the old country. 



Ensatella (or Ensis^ Americana GowXdii?, (imiQ plenty and is eaten 

 by the dwellers on the shore. 



Buccinnm undatum Linn, and Peeten tenuicostatum M. &: A. are 

 found only on the ocean shores and at Block Island and are eaten 

 ■whenever they can be obtained, but they are not very plenty here. 



Neverita duplicata Say and both the Fulgnrs, carica and canalicu- 

 lata are occasionally thrown into a clam bake, and I have seen them 

 eaten, but never indulged personally. I should think they would 

 prove rather tough. 



