THE ARCTIC 
143 
Most of them live in fairly shallow water. Edible shellfish are 
relatively abundant on the Arctic and Bering Sea coasts of 
America, but are scarce in the Arctic regions of Europe and 
Asia. In regions where there is great variation in water level 
between high and low tides, shellfish can usually be obtained 
easily at low water, either by digging them with a stick on the 
tide fiats or by collecting them from exposed pools and off-shore 
reefs. On open sandy beaches with a low tide range, shellfish 
are often cast up by storm waves. Before eating them, how- 
ever, make sure they are not spoiled. Generally speaking, the 
bivalves, such as clams and mussels (Fig. 49-1, J, L, M, N) are 
more palatable than those with spiral shells, like snails, though 
all are edible. 
One of the most common edible mollusks of the Far North 
is the small blackish-purple mussel (Fig. 49 U -X). In North Pacific 
waters this mussel is poisonous at certain times of the year 
and in regions south of the Aleutian Islands should not be 
eaten. In the Arctic and on the shores of the Bering Sea, 
however, they may be eaten safely. 
Chitons ( Fig. 49-K ) attach themselves to rocks and have to be 
pried off. They are oval in shape and have the shell divided 
into eight separate overlapping plates. 
The eggs of the spiny sea urchins (Fig. 49-H) are excellent 
food. In early days enormous quantities were consumed by 
the natives of the Aleutian Islands and South Alaska. Sea 
urchins are easily collected among the rocks and in tide pools 
at low water. The bright yellow eggs or roe are obtained by 
breaking the shell between two stones. One adult may contain 
as much as a tablespoonful of eggs. 
