72 
BULLETIN OF THE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 
collecting sediment among themselves, packed closely together as they" 
are, and by their own decay and decomposition. The beds are found' 
both between tide-marks and in shallow water, and the latter produce 
the larger specimens. Indeed, the largest are found isolated, for the 
crowded, tangled mass in the beds does not allow of large growth. 
Though ordinarily fixed by the byssus, they can travel a little when 
needful. The foot is thrust far out in advance to attach new threads by 
which it draws itself along, breaking off the old ones behind. It lives 
upon microscopical animals and plants, chiefly upon the latter. It has 
some enemies, chief among them, the food fishes, all of which are 
exceedingly fond of it. Crows, the Purple-shell (P. lapillus), the Star- 
fish, and (in England) the Sea-urchin, all are destructive to it. 
The height of the reproductive season appears to be April and May. 
The young, after leaving the body of the parent, swim about for a few 
days and then settle upon some firm surface. They grow very rapidly;, 
there are cases knowm in w T hich they have grown to full size (three to 
four inches long), in one year. In most cases, however, they require 
two or three years. 
Economics. Our edible Mussel is, without any question, 
identical in all respects with that of Europe. And without 
any question, also, it is adapted for the same uses. In Europe,, 
the uses to man of this species may be roughly classed under 
four heads, the following being their order of importance. 
a. As bait in the fisheries. 
b. As human food. 
c. As a fertilizer. 
d. Minor uses for ornaments, etc. 
In America the order is quite different. The third in the 
list certainly stands first, but it is difficult to state the order of 
the other three, which apparently stand about on an equality. 
In Europe, it is a Mollusc of great importance, being second 
only to the Oyster; we almost ignore it. There, it entirely 
replaces our common Clam, which, though abundant, is 
rarely used either for food or for bait. Is it not a curious 
fact that each country should prize the one the other neglects?' 
Why do they not each value both? It would be interesting 
to learn how this condition of affairs came about in this 
country; in other words, how the early settlers, always- 
conservative of old customs, and used to European ways, 
abandoned them and took to new? Did they imitate the- 
