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BULLETIN - OF THE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 
of food, but it is apt to induce severe pain,” while Ingersoll 
says it is by some considered unwholesome. Willis, however, 
states that it is considered a wholesome and nutritious article 
of food. Prof. Verrill writes that in large specimens the meat 
is usually tough, but the younger ones are quite as good as 
either the hard or soft Clam ( V. mercenaria or M. arenaria). 
It is eaten by the fishermen of the Atlantic coast of the United 
States. They dig it with shovels at lowest tides, but those 
beyond reach of this method are taken by sharp sticks which 
are thrust between their valves by men wading. The latter 
keep pushing the stick into the sand and when it passes 
between the open valves of an animal they close upon it and 
the animal is easily drawn up. Its comparative scarcity and 
the difficulty of getting it prevent it from being of as much 
value as the other Clams, yet it has been estimated to be worth 
for bait in the United States, from $30,000 to $40,000 
annually.* 
The heavy shells are utilized for many purposes. The 
Indians used them as hoes for their corn in New England, 
and fishermens’ wives use them for scoops, skimmers, etc. 
They are often used for painting on, and are not infrequently 
for sale in seaport towns decorated with marine views of 
varying degrees of excellence. 
In our Provinces it is sometimes eaten by the fishermen, 
but we cannot find that it is ever exposed for sale in the mar- 
kets, except rarely in Halifax. Verkruzen states that it is 
eaten at St. Mary’s Bay, Nova Scotia, and the fishermen 
on the Charlotte County coast occasionally eat it. It would 
be used more, no doubt, could it be more easily obtained. 
22. Mactra ovalis Gould. 
Mactra yonder osa Stimp. 
Mactra solidissima [of Willis]. f 
[ Mactra , a kneading-trough ; ovalis, oval]. 
*Another estimate gives its value as $7,500 annually. 
+ The writer has not seen Mr. Willis’ annotated list of Nova Scotia Mollusca, 
but from the list of edible forms, copied by Knight, he appears to mean what we 
call M ovalis when he mentions M. solidissima. 
