156 EDIBLE BRITISH MOLLUSKS. 



cimen is about 3 inches, by 24 in breadth. Mya arenaria 

 is larger than M. truncata, longer and more pointed at 

 the gaping end, equally coarse and rugged in appearance, 

 its colour varying according to the nature of the soil in 

 which it buries itself. Montagu states that this species 

 is eaten at Southampton, and called " old maid ;"* 

 but upon making inquiry there I cannot discover that 

 they are now known by that name. In Chichester har- 

 bour and in Fareham Creek the poorer classes collect 

 them for eating, and call them " pullers." At Youghal 

 the name for them is " sugar-loons," and in Dublin 

 " colliers," and at both places they are considered good 

 bait, and fit to eat ; but at Youghal they warn you to 

 be careful to take off the skin which covers the outside 

 of the shell and tube, as it is supposed to be poisonous. 

 However, it is probably harmless, except in cases where 

 it causes indigestion ; but I believe that Mya arenaria 

 has been known really to disagree with some people, and 

 Miss Ball mentions a friend being very uncomfortable 

 after eating one. The Hampshire people do not seem 

 to have noticed this peculiarity. I cannot let this op- 

 portunity pass without expressing my sincere thanks to 

 Miss Ball, for much valuable information, which she 

 kindly sent to me from Ireland, respecting the various 

 edible mollusks. 



Mya arenaria {Mye des sables) may occasionally be 

 seen exposed for sale in the market at Bordeaux. 



Myadce are widely distributed, and are not only food 

 for man, but for the walrus and other northern animals, 

 besides birds and fishes, which relish them greatly. Cap- 

 tain Tuckey, in his expedition to the river Zaire, or 

 Congo, found that a species of Mya was much sought 



* Forbes and Hanley, ' Britisli Mollusca.' 



