The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1892-05-04
SOME POINTS ON CLANS.
FACTS ABOUT THEM WHICH ARE
NOT POPULARITY KNOWN.


TN talk on clans an ichthyologist
said to a Washington Star man:
"The clam in point Of merit seems
& always to have been over-shadowed
by the oyster. Yet the more humble
mollusk, which finds a domicile in sand
or mud, is very useful rs well as adj
mirable 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 Il is an
animal unattrative enough in appearance
when newly dug up. But put it into
pan Of shallow sea water and you will
presently observe some things about it
that will surprise you
'As soon as the clam, thus restored to
its natural element, has regained conf
dence it stretches out its tube or neck
to a length OF several inches, perhaps
nearly foot. Then it is seen that thus
important organ has two openings at the
end, fringed with apperdages like little
feelers. Two tubes pass through the
neck to the body of the clam, and, il you
watch, you will see current of water
flowing into one tube aud out the other.
This current is produced by the motion
CT small hairlike 'cilia' lining the interior
of the animal. The clam has viscera, a
heart, a stomach into which the mouth
opens almost directly-but did not in
tend to give you an anatomical lecture.
"These squirt or 'long' clans are
found plentifully as fur north as the Arc
tic Ocean, where the seals, walrus, polar
bears and foxes feed upon them greedily.
Their habitat extends as far south as
Cape Hatteras, below which they are
scarce. They thrive also along the north
ern coasts OF Europe and on the shores
of Japan, Alaska and northeastern
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,
inasmuch as the animal can alter its
shape at will so that it becomes a spade,
hook, sharp wedge or pointed gray
ing tool. With it the clam digs down
for six or eight inches into the sand,
leaving extended behind him his siphon-
like neck.
at is by no means OF this siphon that
the clam maintains communication with
the surface. Having neither the means
nor the inclination for roaming, it de-
pends for food upon microscopic articles
which are sucked in with the current of
water through the tube, the water bring
ing oxygen also to the gills. Its burden
unloaded, the water flows out through
the dischargiDg tubes, carrying with it
all eXcrementitious matter. This cur
rent 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 a clam
''Hogs on Long Island and elsewhere
know how to dig for clans very we'll.
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 clans bury
themselves deeply, but icicles arc often
found in their shells. These mollusks,
which. as human food and for bait, con-
stitute an important element of the ma
rine 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 great
ly, succeeding where the oysters have
failed, and have stocked San Francisco
Bay with new food supply.
"The Pilgrim Fathers aud other early
colonists in this country found the In
dians 'treading' and diving for round
clans, otherwise known in the aborigi-
nal tongue as 'Quhaugs.' They adopted
the former method, and to this day
their descendants in New England 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 animal always lies
with the edge of its shell out of the mud
in order to breathe aud the feeling of it
to the foot IS uumistakeablc. Diving
and 'treading' for quahaugs among the
Indians used to be performed by the
squaws and older children, such labor
being beneath the dignity Of the niou.
At present oyster tongs, rakes and
dredges are employed for the purpose.
The aborigines manufactured money out
of the shells, as well as arrow points,
scrapers, spoons, paint holders and other
utensils.
'The Indians in the old days were
great eaters of CLANS, as is proved by the
enormous deposits of the shells which
remain along the shores of bays and estu.
aries. They dried clans as well as
oysters in the sun on pieces Of bark,
thus preserving them for purposes of
trade. The coast tribes conquered by
the powerful Six Nations paid large
tribute of clans, which were regarded
rs a great luxury in the interior--not
only the interior of the Indian, mean,
but of the country. In the summer and |
fall the savages came to the seashore for
the purpose Of celebrating their great
festival Of the green corn, on which oc- !
casion clans, succulent ears of corn and !
seaweeds were roasted together. 1t is
from this custom that the modern clam |
bake was derived.