THE ECONOMIC MOLLUSC A OF ACADIA. 
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pounds, are consumed annually. The consumption in other 
places is enormous also, and many hundreds of people are 
employed in collecting them. The average selling price is 
one penny a pint. It is eaten in France and probably in other 
parts of Europe. There, as with us, it is boiled in salt and 
water, and the animal extracted with a pin. In France, and 
perhaps elsewhere, pins are placed beside the plates of diners 
when these animals are served. 
In Acadia our people are beginning to appreciate it. We 
do not know that it is as yet eaten by the fishermen, but in 
St. John, Mr. J. A. Turner estimates about one hundred and 
fifty bushels per year are consumed. Of these, a few come 
from Nova Scotia, but the greater quantity are collected by 
hand at and near Point Lepreaux. They sell for about two 
dollars per bushel wholesale in St. John. A few have been 
exported to Montreal. 
It Nova Scotia, in Willis’ time, twenty-five to thirty years 
ago, it was not used for food. At present large quantities 
are sola in the Halifax markets. They are gathered on the 
neighboring coasts and sell for five or six cents per quart. 
At Bedford Basin, Point Pleasant and other places, the resi- 
dents on the shores gather them for their own use. 
In Prince Edward Island, Mr. J. H. Duvar says it is not 
eaten. 
It would doubtless form good bait, but is more valuable 
for other purposes. Its habit of cleaning sea-weeds from hard 
surfaces, utilized as mentioned above by oyster-culturists, may 
become of importance to us if there ever should be on our 
Gulf of St. Lawrence coast, as nature appears to have 
intended there should, a system of Oyster-culture. 
As the Periwinkle becomes better known, it will be exten- 
sively used, and a time will come when the demand will press- 
hard upon the supply. Though it can never approach the 
Oyster or the Lobster in value, we should none the less take 
lesson from the fate of their fishery. As Periwinkles are so 
small, the young are almost valueless and are hence not likely 
to be taken; but the reproductive season should be carefully 
determined for our waters, and during that time they should 
