River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-11-08
THE RAZOR CLAM
A Peculiar BivaIve which Looks Like !
Shaving Implement.

A Peculiar Bivaive which Looks Like =
Shaving Implement.
Catching the razor clam is furnish
ing an abundance of novel and excit-
ing sport to those who still linger in
looseRocSs, the secluded resort a few
miles below Biddleford which Nine.
Rhea blessed with her presence couple
of seasons ago, and thereby became a
worshiped divinity in the eyes of the
rough and warm-hearted people of this
section who go down to the sea in
ships. Do you know what the razor
is? No? Well, it Is nothing like an
ordinary clam that finds its way into
our stews and boils and bakes; on the
contrary. it Is as different as black is
from white. The razor clam closely
resembles the handle of a razor in
! shape and general appearance, and
| from that fact it got its name. II is
found in but few pla ,es on the Maine
coast, Goose Rocks being the only spot
in the vicinity. and at only certain sea-
| sons.
The razor clam is black in color and
is cunning as a fox. and it takes pa
thence and a quick hand to catch one.
This peculiar species of the bivalve is
good deal like the Irishman's flea,
and many a man who has gone out to
capture the sagacious little fellow has
made the disappointing discovery that
when he thought he had him he was
not there.
The razor clam, in its season, is to be
found with about half an inch of his
/ shell showing above the sand. and at
such time a stretch of beach looks
much like corniield in the fall of the
year after the harvesters have gone
over it. A football upon the sard in
their vicinity will occasion a sudden
| disappearance of the whole army, and
sometimes a whole hour will elapse
before there will be a temperance.
| First one little bit of black shell will
pop up through the sand, then another
and another, and so on until the beach
/ again bristles with them. In catching
| the razor clam one has to exercise the
utmost caution. 1t is necessary to
creep on the beach on hands and
/ knees, and when near enough to the
little black object to seize it with a
firm grip and hold on for dear life:
\ The razor clam is muscular, and if the
hunter relaxes his hold an iota he is
sure to lose his game, which slips
from his hand and goes into the sand
like flash of lightning. never to be
recovered by any amount of digging.
! In this respect the razor clam diff
fers from his sluggish relative, for he
is an adept at digging himself, and
when pursued with the aid of a shovel
or clam-rake he works his way through
the sand with surprising rapidity and
is soon beyond reach.
1t is these characteristics that rem
ders the sport of catching the razor
clam intensely exciting and much
sought after. 1t is a laughable sight
of warm afternoon, when the razor
| clam is abroad, to see the beach at the
| Goose Rocks alive with men solemnly
and cautiously creeping along on their
hands and knees, suddenly making a
dive at a bit of black shell showing
above the sand and holding it and tug
| ing away for dear life, and then, after
an earnest exertion and the exercise Of
no little strength, pulling six-inch
black object out of the mud.-LeUiS-
ton NE. J Journal.