Annual Report

STEM. The proboscis of a clam.

(New Jersey.)

STICKER.-An oyster opener who rests the oyster against the bench
while he thrusts the knife between the valves. This is the
method in Boston, and obviates the strain across the loins, but
takes longer than side-opening. (See Stabber.)

STICKUP.-A long, thin oyster, growing in mud, etc. (Dennis Creek,
New Jersey.) See Strap-oyster, etc.

STING-TAIL. The sting ray Dasybatis centrura. (New York.)
STOOLS. Material spread on the bottom for oyster spawn to cling to.
See Cultch, etc.

STRAP-OYSTER.-The long, slender form which grows in mud. See
Coon-heel, etc. (New Jersey.)

STRIKE. To become tenanted by living oysters; or when infant
oysters attach themselves to any object they are said to "strike."
See Set, etc.

TEA-CLAM.-The quahaug, Venus mercenaria, of small size; about
one and a quarter inches in diameter. They will go from 1,200
to 1,400 to the barrel. (Keyport, New Jersey.)
TEN-FINGER.-A thief.
TILE-COATING.-At Vannes, France, the coating of spat-collectors is
composed as follows: The tiles are first dipped into a solution of
hydraulic lime and water; when dry they are again dipped into
a very thin mixture of common lime and water; when dry they
are ready for use.
TOLERATION.-License to gather oysters or operate beds; paid by

every individual annually. (Brookhaven, Long Island.) The
money paid is called a Toleration fee.

TONGS-An instrument used in gathering oysters from the bottom. Something of an idea of it may be got by supposing two gardenrakes with very long handles, with the tooth-sides of each rake facing each other; let the handles be secured by a loose rivet about two or three feet from the teeth, so that by operating the extreme ends of the handles the whole contrivance shall act as a pair of tongs. The instrument is so constructed that when the tong handles or "stales," as they are called, are held perpendicular to the bottom, the teeth are at an angle of forty-five degrees, and by working the upper end of the stales together above water, at the same time pressing the teeth against the bottom, the oysters are thus raked together, and may be hoisted to the surface and

emptied into the boat. Various patented forms have been made, but in general, those in actual use are made by the local blacksmith and are one of two patterns-iron-headed or woodenheaded-according to intended service. The latter form is the most common. Ordinarily the heads must be of the best oak, and the whole tongs are worth $3.50 to $5. The teeth are about one and a half inches apart and not over one to one and a half inches long. The stales are sawed out of a white-pine board three-quarters of an inch thick. Though seeming so thin, they last as long as the heads. A pair of tongs lasts only about a year. The wooden heads are better, because they do not dig into the sand as do the iron heads, and because they are lighter to work. Tongs are used of from seven to twenty-four feet in length, and the latter, worked as they are, in twenty-one and twenty-two feet of water, require not only considerable skill, but a good allowance of strength, to handle with success. This tong is a very ancient contrivance in America, for Charlevoix, in the middle of the seventeenth century, found them "on the coasts of Acadia.” TRASH. All cullings, small oysters, refuse, etc., thrown over from the oyster-gathering on to idle ground, and which will be overhauled one or two years later. (Delaware.)

UMBO.-Pl. umbones, scientific name of the beak, or boss of a bivalve. WINKLE.-A mollusk, the Sycotypus canaliculatus. (Massachusetts.)

ADDENDA.

NOTE I.-As respects the statement in Chapter III., that an eyeless oyster is sensitive to sight, says Nature, February 23d, 1883, p. 399—“In a recent communication to the Vienna Academy, Prof. Grader, of Czernowitz, describes a long series of experiments with regard to the 'skin-vision' of animals, affording exact proof that certain animals, without the aid of visual organs proper, can make not only quantitative but qualitative distinctions of light." By quantitative, is meant the intensity or brilliancy of the light, and by qualitative, the kind of light as indicated by the several colors of the spectrum. The animals experimented on were the earth-worm, and a common newt, Triton cristatus. "In one set of experiments, the animals were in the normal state; in another, the anterior end of the worm, and the eyes of the triton were removed."

NOTE II. As to Dr. Houghton's brandy and ale experiments with oysters, given in Chapter V., Dr. C. L. Dana, in a recent number of the Medical and Surgical Reporter, controverts them. He asserts that "American oysters grow hard in ale or beer, instead of dissolving." He disbelieves Dr. Wm. Robert's idea that the oyster digests itself by the ferment of its own diastase. He says: "The oyster does not, and cannot digest itself." He also denies that raw oysters are always more digestible than the cooked. "Oysters roasted in the shell, or simply boiled a short time, will be digested nearly, if not quite as rapidly as the same number of raw." This last statement is simply his opinion, hence is not worthy the consideration due the first and the second averments, which seem based upon experiments.

NOTE III.-De Broca's statement in effect, that though more nutritious than that of Europe, "the American oyster is insipid," appears to smack a little of conceit, like the sentiment of that writer in the early Colonial days, that they had great store of large oysters, which with a pinch of "copper-filings," would be quite as savory as those at home. Probably then, as now, conceit went a good way.

349

STATION (From.)

Statement Showing Shipments of Oysters (Pounds) to New York, Philadelphia and Other Points from Stations in New Jersey During the Year 1882.*