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LANDING PARTY. Army and Navy personnel hit 

 the beach from an LCI water taxi and head for 

 the recreation area and a swim at Bikini. OPPO- 

 SITE. Something for the spear fishermen, surveying 

 groups, and other technicians on the outer coral 

 reefs at Bikini to watch out for — the giant Tri- 

 dacna, a marine bivalve of the oyster family. The 

 rugged, jaw-like shell halves are operated by 



powerful muscles permitting them to fasten a 

 death grip on any object that gets between them, 

 whether it be some form of marine life or the leg 

 of a luckless underwater swimmer. Ranging in 

 color from white and pastel pink to deep orange 

 red, these heavy oysters are beautifully camou- 

 flaged by the coral background on which they live. 

 They attain weights of as much as 500 pounds. 



