184 Edible Mollusca of the Oregon Coast 
intended to serve as a material check upon the actual taking of 
clams during the closed season mentioned above. The tourist 
season at the popular resorts of Seaside and Gearhart is at its 
height during the summer months. <A greatly increased popula- 
tion at the beaches results in a very great destruction of both 
mature and immature razor clams for local consumption. Inexpe- 
rienced diggers often crush the shells and fail to take the animals 
from the sand, or mutilate them in their strenuous efforts and 
cast them away as useless. Disregard of size of clams taken 
results in the destruction of many small individuals which should 
have been given a chance to mature. This constant strain upon 
the species has probably been offset, however, by repeated suc- 
cessful spawning seasons, as the clams on this beach are about 
as plentiful at the present time as in previous’ years. Neverthe- 
less, there is little in the present restrictions and practice to serve 
as a guarantee against possible depletion of the species in the 
future. 
2. Paphia staminea (Conrad). 
The “little neck clam” is frequently seen in the markets of 
Portland and other inland cities of the northwest, the greatest 
supply coming from the gravel beds of the southern shores of 
Puget Sound. The species is well distributed, however, along the 
northwest coast and in Oregon occurs in the larger bays as Tilla- 
mook, Netarts, Yaquina and Coos (Figures I, Il, IV). It is“mee 
the dominant species in any of these localities but may _ be 
taken in considerable numbers from the gravel beds of Netarts 
Bay and from the mud flats of Coos Bay south of Empire City. 
Dredging operations in 1919, for the purpose of deepening the 
channel of Yaquina Bay, largely destroyed the clam beds on the 
north shore of the bay above the town of Newport. Among other 
species commonly found here was Paphia staminea. ‘This species 
is not found in sufficient quantities in any locality on the coast of 
Oregon to supply more than a limited local demand. 
3. Schizothaerus nuttalli Conrad. 
ryn be r . so . c . : . . 
Phe “Washington clam” is a species of wide distribution on 
[8] 
