Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1892-12-14


and Polar bears and foxes feed upon
tn EN- greedily. Their habitat extends
as far south as Cape Hatteras, below
which they are scarce. They thrive
also along the northern coast of Europe
and on the shores of Japan, Alaska and
northeastern Asia. The young clam,
as soon as he is old enough to establish
a dwelling for himself, protrudes his
foot, which is at the opposite end from
from the neck, and proceeds to dig with
it. This foot is really a very remark
able instrument inasmuch as the ami
NAL can alter its shape at will so that
1t becomes a spade, hook, sharp
wedge or pointed craving tool. With
it the clam digs down for six or eight
inches into the sand, leaving extended
behind him his 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 de-
ponds for food upon microscopic arti-
cles which are sucked in with the cur
rent of water through the tube, the
water bringing oxygen also to the gills.
It's burden unloaded, the water flows
out through the discharging tubes, car
rying with it all excrementitious mat
ter. This current is continuous, so that
it is never long between drinks with
this bivalve, which fact may, perhaps,
account for the origin of the phrase,
happy as clam.
The spawning season of squirt"
clans comes in June and July. In issu-
ing from the ovaries of the female the
eggs find their way into the cavities
of the outer gills, where they are
fructifed. There they develop into
little CLAIMS 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, inasmuch
as fishes and many other enemies nre
always on the lookout for them. How
ever, each one anchors itself to the
bottom by a slender thread, holding on
with all its might against the currents,
and making the best 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 atlow water
and root wherever the pressure of their
weight causes squirt to appear. This
is very cheap and profitable way of
keeping swine.
In winter the clans bury themselves
deeply, but icicles are often found in
their shells. These mollusks, as human
! food and for bait, constitute an i'm.
| portant element of the marine wealth
of the United States, have been re-
Gently transplanted to the Pacific
| coast, being carried across the CONT
nent with the oyster seed which is an
nually transported in large quantities
from the eastern states. They have
thriven greatly, succeeding where the
| oysters have failed, and have stocked
San Francisco bay with now food sup
ply.
The Pilgrim fathers and other early
colonists in this country found the In
dian 'treading" and diving for round
clans, otherwise known in the aborig-
inal tongue as quahaugs. They adopt
ed the former method, and to this
| day their descendants in New En-.
land can be seen all along the coast
wading in the water and feeling with
their toes for the mollusks, which lie
| buried usually in mud that is thickly
overgrown with seaweed. The ami
NAL always lies with the edge of its
shell out of the mud, in order tc
breathe, and the feeling of 1t to the
| foot is unmistaka BILE.
| Diving and threading" for quahaug,
among the Indians used to be per.
formed by the squaws and older chill
dren, such labor being beneath the dig
nifty of the men. At present oyster
tongs, rakes and dredges are employed
for the purpose. The aborigines man
ufactured money out of the shells, a.
well as arrow points, scrapers, spoons
paint-holders and other utensils. II
their time
the dainty Indian maise
Was eat with clam shells out Of trays.
The Indians in the old days wer,
great eaters of clans, as is proved b.
the enormous deposits of the shells
which remain along the shores of bay
and estuaries. They dried CLAIMS q
well as oysters in the sun on pieces o
bark, thus preserving them for pur
poses of trade. The coast tribes. con
quered by the powerful Six Nations
paid large tribute of CLANS, which
were regarded as a great luxury in tn
interior. In the summer and fall TIA
savages came to the seashore for tn
purpose Of celebrating their grea
festival Of the green acorn, on which
occasion CLANS, succulent ears of corl
and seAweeds were roated together
It IL from this custom that the modern
ClAmbake IL misunderstanding Star