The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-06-20
DON'T sNEER AT THE CLAM.
For He Is a Real Art Workman o
the First Water.
From he Washington stu


From The Washington StGr.
"The clam in point Of merit seems always
to have been overshadowed by the oyster"
said an ichthyologst to the writer. "Y ct
the more humble mollusk, which finds q
domicile in sand or mud, is q worry useful as
well as admirable creature.
"You know the squirt clam, which Is so
Justly popular in New England, where it is
sometimes called the sand gaper' or old
maid 1t is an animal unattractive enough
in appearance when newly dug. but put it
into a pan OF shallow sea wator aud you
will presently observe some Things about it
that will surprise you.
LAS soon as the CLAN, thus restored to it's
natural element has reRained confidence, IL
stretches out It's tube OF neck to a length
of several inches. perhaps nearly foot.
Then it is seen that this AnpoEtant organ
has two openings at the cad, fringed with
| appendages like little feelers.
1.-TWO tubes pass through the neck to the
body of the clam, and il you watch you
will see a current Of water flowing into one
tube and out Of the other. This current il
produced by the notioA of the small hair
like ella lining the ipterior Of the animal
THE clam has viscera, u heart, q stomach
into which the mouth opens almost directly
but did not intend Co give you an ana :
tomical lecture.
These squirt or long CLANS are found
plentifully as far north AS the a rctic ocean,
where the seals, walrus and polar bears aud
foxes feed upon them greedily. Their habitat
extends as far south as Cape Hatteras below
which they are scarce.
Thy thrive also along the northern coast
of Europe and on the shores of Japan,
Alaska and Northeastern Asia. The young
clam, as 500 I as he is old enough to estah-
Itch 4ruaI linz I'm Ia 10
| foot, which is at the opposite end from the
neck, and proceeds to dig with it.
This foot is really a very remarkable in
| strument inasmuch as the animal can alter
| its shape at will, so that it becomes a spade,
a hook. q sharp wedge or a pointed craving
tool. Wi it the clam digs down for six
or eight inches in toe saud, leaving ex-
! tended behind him bis siphon like neck
1T is by means OF this siphon that the
clam maintains communication with the
Surface. Having neither the means nor the
/ inclination for roaming, it depends for food
| upon microscopic articles which are sucked
| in with the current of water through tho
tube, the water bringing oxygen also to the
| gills.
''lts burden unloaded. the water flows out
through the discharging tn les, carrying
| with it all excrementltlous matter. This
| current Is continuous, SO that it il never
| long between drinks with this bivalve.
| which fact may, perhaps, account for the
origin Of the phrase, happy as q clam
THE spawning season of 'squirL' clans
comes in June and July. In issuing from
the ovaries of the female the eggs find their
way into the cavities of the outer gills
where they are frucuified.
There they develop into little clans just
| big enough to be seen with the naked eye
when they are discharged by thousands
| into the water, and left to take care OF
themselves. AS individuals, their chance
of surviving is small, inasm Ich as ish and
many other enemies are always on the look
| out for them.
However, each one anchors itself to the
bottom by slender thread, holding on with
all its might against the currents, and max
ing the beat of the situation. After awhile
though Just when is not known, they make
burrows in the sand or mud. thus rendering
themselves comparatively secure against
foes Of all sorts
Hogs on Long Island and elsewhere
know how to dig for CLAIMS very we'll
They go out upon the fats at low water
and root wherever the pressure OF their
weight causes squirt to appear. This il
a very cheap and profitable way Of keeping
swine.
SIN winter the CLANS bury themselves
deeply. but icicles are often found In their
shells. These mollusks, which, as human
1000 ana DalL, constitute an important ele-
ment Of the marine wealth of the United
States. have recently been trAnsplanted to
the Pacific coast. being carried across the
continent with the oyster seed which is an
nually transported in large quantities from
the eastern states. They have thrived
greatly, succeeding where the oysters have
failed, and have stocked San Francisco bay
with new food supply.
! THE Pilgrim fathers and other early COL
onists IN this country found the Indian
'treading' and diving round for clans,
otherwise known In the aboriginal tongue as
| quahaugs.
They adopted the former method, and &c
this day their deScs ldants in New England
can be seen all along the cost wadingin the
water and feeling with their toes for the
mollusks, which lie buried usually in mud
that i5 thickly overgrown with sea weed.
The animal always lies with the edge of it,
shell out of the mud, in order to breathe
and the feeling of it to the toe is unmistak-
| able.
| Diving aud 'treading' for quahsugs
| among the Indians used 70 be performed by