Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1892-07-09
POINTS ABOUT CLANS.
THY DRINK AND BREATHE ~ A
PECULIAR MANNER.

-
PECULIAR MANNER.
The CI,m Can Use It. Foot rs Spade.
u iinuk. sharp W dye or Pointed
Craving Foot Other R"In,r kahio
E.ntu,s. Of Thi. Uscful Mollu.k.
"rhe clam ia point of merit SEEMS al
WAYS to have been overSladuN ed by tho
., st,,r," said ichtliyologist to a Sfnr
vr, T.. yet the more humble mollusll
., hich finds a domicile in sand or mud,
is very useful as we'll as admirable
creature. You know the squirt clam,
which is so justly popular in New Eng
land, where it is sometimes called tho
sand sapar' or 'ol,l maid 1t is All ami
NAL unattractive enough in appearance
when newly dug up, but put it int" q
a pan of shallow sea water, and you Will
presently observe something about it
that will surprise yon.
As soon as the clam, thus restored to
its natural element, has regain"d conh-
,,ruce. it stretches out its tube or 'ncc'
to length of several inches, perhaps
nearly foot. Then it is seen that this
important organ has two openings at tho
end, frinyed with appendages like little
feelers. 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 is produced by the
motion or small. hair like ella lining
the interior of the animal. The clam
or m ~
which the mouth opens almost directly
but I did not intend to give you an
anatomical lecture.
"These squirt or long CLAIMS are
found plentifully as far north as the
Arctic Ocean where the seals, walrus
and Polar bears and foxes feed upon
them greediIy. Their habitat extends as
far south as Cape Hatteras, below which
they ars scarce. They thrive also along
the northern coast of Europe and on the
shores of Japan, Alaska and Northeast
ern Asia. The young clam, as soon as
he is old enough to establish dwelling
for himself, protrudes his foot, which is
at the opposite end from the neck, and
proceeds to dig with it. This foot is
really very remarkable instrument, ill.,
asmuch as the animal can alter its shape
at will, so that it becomes a spade, a
hook, a sharp wedge or pointed grav-
ing tool With it the clam digs down
for six or eight inches into the sand,
leaving extended behind him his siphol-
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 the tube, the water bringing
oxygen to the gills Its burden unloaded,
the water flows out through the discharg-
ing tubes, carrying with it all excremen-
titious matter. This current is continu-
GUS, so that it is never long between
drinks with this bisalve, which fact may,
perhaps, account for the origin of the
phrase happy as clam
Hogs on Long Island and elsewhere
know how to dig for clans very well.
They go out upon the flats at low water
and root wherever the pressure of their
weight causes squirt to appear This
is very cheap and profitable method of
keeping swine. In winter the CLAIMS bury
themselves deeply, but icicles are often
found in their shells. These molusks,
which, as human food and for bait, con-
stitute an important element of the ma
rne wealth of the United States, have
been recently transplanted to the Pacific
coast, being carried across the continent
with the oyster seed which is annually
transported in large quantities from the
Eastern States. They have thriven
greatly, succeeding where the oysters
have failed, and have stocked San Fran
cisco Bay with new food supply.
"The Pilgrim fathers and other early
,olonists in this country found the In
dian treading' and diving for round
CLAIMS, otherwise known in the aboriginal
tongue as quahaugs. They adopted the
former method, and to this day their de-
scendants in New England can be seen
all along the coast wading in the water
and feeling with their toes for the mol
lusks, which lie buried usually in mud
that is thickly overgrown with seaweed.
The animal always lies With the edge of
It's shell out of the mud, in order to
breathe, and the feeling of it to the foot
is unmistakable. Diving and 'treading'
for quahaugs among the Indians used to
be performed by the squaws and older
children, such labor being beneath tho
dignity of the men. At present oyster
tongs, rakes and dredges are employed
for the purpose. The aborigines manu-.
featured money out of the shells, as
well as arrow points, scrapers, spoons,
paint holders and other utensils. In
their time
the dainty Indian maize
Was eat with clam shells out of wooden trays.
"The Indians in the old days were
great eaters of CLAIMS, as is proved by the
enormous deposits of the shells which re-
main along the shores of bays and estua-
ries. They dried CLAIMS, as well rs oys-
ters, in the sun on pieces of bark, thus
preserving them for purposes of trade.
The coast tribes, conquered by the pow
erful Six Nations, paid large tribute OF
CLAIMS, which we're regarded as II great
luxury in the interior-not only the in-
terror of the Indian, l mean, but of the
country. In the summer and fall the
5lvag, cane to the seashore for the pur-
pose of celebrating their great festival of
the green corn, on which occasion CLAIMS,
succulent ears of corn and seaweeds
were roasted together, 1t is from thi.
custom that the modern clambake is de-
rived. ."-Washington Star.
,i,o,c, e,l,ti,, of aluI, tn which