30 MUSSELS OF CUMBEKLAND RIVEK AND TBIBUTAEIES. 



working here for a week before our visit, and two more began on the 

 day of our arrival. The Ohio River pigtoe is the most common but- 

 ton shell. 



At Granville our party was caught in a very heavy rain^ almost a 

 cloudburst, and went from there down to Carthage on high and 

 turbid water which rendered any satisfactory mussel survey impos- 

 sible. 



Sullivans Island was investigated by Mr. Boepple when the condi- 

 tions were more favorable. He foimd a large mussel bed in a strong 

 current on a bottom of rough gravel and yellow clay. Although he 

 secured 22 species, and among them a large number of Ohio River 

 pigtoes and southern muckets, the bed is worked only for fish bait 

 and pearls. Two small beds at Buffalo Bar and Sand Shoals are not 

 of commercial value. 



Caney Fork, one of the most important tributaries of the Cumber- 

 land, joins the latter river just above Carthage. In Buffalo Valley, 

 near Flat Pond, July 27, Mr. Boepple found a mussel bed covering the 

 entire width of the fork and miles long. He used a crowfoot 

 dredge and scissors fork in water 5 to 10 feet deep on a bottom of 

 coarse gravel mixed with sand and yellow clay. This bed has been 

 fished for pearls and baroques during the last 15 years, and according 

 to accounts it has yielded well. None of the shells have ever been 

 sold, and fully a carload of merchantable species was seen scattered 

 along the banks. 



At Rock Springs there is a much smaller bed in a swift current, 

 with water 2 J to 8 feet deep, the bottom being flat rocks on one side 

 and much fine sand and gravel on the other. This bed has also been 

 fished for 15 years for pearls and baroques, and while the shells are 

 exceptionally good for button purposes they have never been utilized. 

 The spectacle-case {M. monodonta) was once common here, but has 

 been nearly exterminated by being used for fish bait. Another bed 

 at Lancaster IslaJid shows similar conditions; the button shells are 

 of first quality, but have never been utilized. 



At the lower en»d of Goodall Island in the main river below Carthage 

 there are two smaU beds separated by a short interval. The current 

 is slow but steady, while the bottom is of firm gravel mixed with 

 yellow clay. There was a pile of about half a ton of shells here. 

 Down nearer to Lock 7 there is a third bed in water from 14 to 16 

 feet deep, which was fished for pearls up to 1908, two 5^ears before the 

 lock was finished. The Ohio River pigtoe is the principal commercial 

 species here, with a good sprinkling of second-grade button shells. 

 The effect on this bed of the dam at the lock seemed to be to kill off 

 the mussels at the lower end, but to allow the upper end to broaden 

 out considerably. The clammer here opened aU his shells with a knife 

 instead of steaming them, since he was working principally for pearls. 



