The morning call., 1892-02-06
EVOLUTIONIZED CLANS.
FORMULATING BiYalVes, DevOur-
ing Fields of Grain.

The article in the Expositor OF last Tues
day, containing the account of the evolu-
tionZed clans that are devastating the
grain fields on the borders of Lake TuIare,
has occasiOned considerable comment and
has been widely copied and commented
upon by the exchanges says the Fresno Ex-
positor.
Numerous inquiries have been received
from persons in the city and elsewhere for
further information on the subject. The
following is a sample inquiry:
Editor ETpOsttOT: Will you kindly give me
the name aud mail address Of the gentleman who
great collector OF curtOs, and should like to be
acquainted with the gentleman who found the
clans, as II IS something entirely new to me. L
shall be happy TO reciprOcate The favor. Very
respectfully, Nj,
Clay street. San Francisco.
For the benefit of Mr.. j. and others, It
may be stated that j. b. Daniels Of Sanger.
who is a el-known lover of the strange
in nature and an ardent seeker Of curiosi-
ties, paid visit to Mr.. Ennis ranch on
Thursday, returning this morning.
Mr.. Daniels says he found the clans just
as stated by Mr.. Enns-running about on
their triangular legs and nibbling the tender
sprouts OF grain. lie says there are hun
dreda Of the strange creatures, but that they
are timid and disposed to avoid the pres
ence OF human beings. MI Daniels says
he tried to catch several Of them but they
have learned TO use their little legs with re-
markable celebrity and can easily outrun
man.
he had shotgun along and fred into q
school of them that were browsing on =
little ridge. and. though he succeeded 10 hit
ting several, they were so mutilated that
they were worthless as specimens.
Desiring to secure some of them, he sent
his assistant back to LemOore, about five
miles, and procured large, dOme-shaped
wire rat-tTap. r They then plucked large
handful Of young wheat and placed it inside
the trap where the bait belongs. Placing
the trap in spot where the clans were
likely to come, they retired to a convenient
hillOck and sat down and awaited develop
ments.
Presently they heard the trap spring shut.
Going TO it they found three of the eYOlu-
tiOnZed clans inside, running to and fro in
an eDdeavOr to escape. Mr. Daniels says
they were as savage as Norway rats. and
they snapped their shells and made horrible
grimaces with their mass of Shiny structure.
However, they could do no harm through
the meshes of the trap.
AS it was growing dark the party then re-
turned to Lilis Station, on the Mendoza aud
Goshen branch, and took the train for
Goshen Junction. Tho clans were we'll
supplied with wheat sprouts, which they
chewed incessantly, Mr. Daniels having
taken the pTecautOn to gather a guuny-
sack full before leaving Mr.. Ennis ranch
He now has the specimens at his Office in
Sanger and is preparing to ship them to
the Smithsonian Institution, together with
other cuTiosities he has collected from time
to time.
Mr.. Daniels says he had no difficulty in
finding the locality as described by Mr..
Ennis, as the lake shore is utterly stripped
OF its promising grain crop by reason of
this most singular freak of nature. The
Tanchers are making no attemp pit to save the
grain, as the clans are so abundant that
nothing but strong wire fence would pre-
vent their encroaching on the growing
crops. They are content to await results,
trusting to derive some Decuniary profit by
gathering and selling specimens Of the evo-
lutIOnZed clam.
Several of the farmers have contracted
to trap tie CLANS and furnish them to Mr.
Daniels, and he stated to the ExpOsitor re-
porter that he would soon be prepared to
fiji orders for the unique biyalves He will
return to the Ennis ranch on Monday.