OPENING ADDRESS. ~ pias: 13 
Cockles (Cardiwm edule). 
In the Estuary of the Dee from Bagillt downwards on 
the Welsh side this Mollusc forms an important item 
among the industries carried on by women and children. 
This is especially the case at Bagillt and Greenfield. It 
is found on sandy banks which are uncovered at low water 
of moderate tides. They are also sought for at Rhyl and 
probably Abergele but no further, the sand banks not being 
sufficiently entensive to the westward. They are usually 
dug out with an old knife. No regulations have as yet 
been made for their protection. 
Clams (Mya arenaria.). 
These are found in considerable abundance in the some- 
what muddy sand banks opposite Bagillt Wharf. They 
are sometimes, though rarely now, collected for food, but 
are little esteemed. The shells of Mya truncata are 
commonly washed up at Colwyn Bay, but it is not sought 
for. An attempt was made in 1882 to acclimatize the 
American Clam (Venus mercenaria) supplied to me by our 
late President, Mr. T. J. Moore, for that purpose. Some 
were put down in the Dee opposite Bagillt Wharf, some 
in a tidal pool at the same place, used for flushing out the 
wharf, some in the Voryd by the railway bridge, and some 
on the shore at Colwyn Bay. I have never seen live 
Specimens nor dead shells at any of these places. The 
tidal pool was cleaned out in 1887 or 8, and I offered a 
reward for any Clam (American) that could be found, but 
not even a single valve was discovered, though the whole 
of the mud to the depth of 2 feet was dug out. I may 
refer here to the notice on V. mercenaria by Mr. Moore 
(L.M.B.C. Report I, p. 368.) 
Oysters (Ostrea edulis). 
I am not aware that there is any natural bed of this 
valuable mollusc in the district of sufficient extent to be 
