156 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY. 
PSEUDOLAMELLIBRANCHIATA. 
OsTREIDAE. 
Ostrea virginicci Gmelin. O.virginiana Smith and Prime (’TO), 
p. 384. Verrill (’73), p. 697. 0. borealis Smith and Prime (’70), 
p. 384. 0. costata Smith and Prime (’70), p. 384. S. 
Abundant, but largely artificially planted. Owing to the low 
specific gravity of the water and the abundant food this is a famous 
fattening ground and the industry is the principal one of the place. 
In 1898 the natural “set” was very small (as it had been for sev¬ 
eral years), owing, as the fishermen believed, to severe thunder¬ 
storms during the period when the “.fry” were “swimming” which 
they variously estimate at from July 25 to August 7. In 1899 the 
“ set ” was heavy. The method of cultivation here is simply to 
clear the ground of “wrack” and “sludge” and plant “native” 
oysters (mostly from Bridgeport, Conn., which has oysters in abun¬ 
dance but no such fattening-ground as this) on grounds in the 
outer waters specially prepared by “cleaning up ” and then spread¬ 
ing gravel of such a size that each oyster may attach itself to a 
separate base instead of growing in bunches. As the young 
approach marketable size they are moved farther up the harbor to 
fatten. 
Pectinidae. 
i 
Pecten irradians Lam. Smith and Prime (’70), p. 384. Verrill 
(’73), p. 695. S. 
Abundant on eel-grass beds in outer harbor. The spat covered 
the eel-grass on Aug. 4th. Scallops are to some extent cultivated 
like oysters here, but the industry does not attain to the importance 
it does in Buzzard’s Bay and on some parts of Cape Cod. 
EUL AMELLIBRAN CHIAT A. 
Astartidae. 
Astarte undata Gould. Verrill (’73), p.684. A.sidcata Flem. 
Smith and Prime (’70), p. 387. 
One live specimen from gravel and shelly bottom in 4 fatli. 
This was one of the surprises of dredging, as the species is here at 
