Oh, they'll eat anything in California. At Pismo Beach in the 70's, I once
had a clam platter consisting of fried clams of several species, including
the beautiful Pismo Clam (Tivela). As I recall, the Razor Clam, with a
relatively strong flavor, was my favorite.

I've heard that Donax variabilis can be made into a tasty chowder, if you
like sand. Don't know anyone who's tried it. I wouldn't recommend it these
days on the Alabama coast during the tourist season, because of water
contamination. Most of that coastline (formerly one of the nation's most
beautiful with dunes made of bright white quartz sand) has been built up in
the past 20 years and is now self-described as the 'Redneck Riviera'. The
dunefield has been leveled and largely covered by beach houses, condos,
hotels, and their attendant parking lots. Obviously some people don't know
what a beach is for.

I've been following the comments on Donax and SF Bay with interest. Sylvia
Edwards made the observation that Donax v. becomes locally abundant on a
Florida Panhandle shore after rains makes a lake spill over into the sea.
Why? Linda, thanks for providing Peter with specimens -- I can't send my
dead-collected study specimens, and I suspect he wants them live-collected
anyway. I return the live ones after counting them.

The smaller Donax species are hard to distinguish, to the point where I
suspect that only a lady Donax can tell the laddies of different species
apart. Or David Campbell in his molecular genetics lab!

More on bay ecology later. VERY interesting comments and information.
Incidentally, what has become of Elkhorn Slough and Bodega Bay, California
in recent years?

Cheers,
Andy

Andrew K. Rindsberg
Geological Survey of Alabama

-----Original Message-----
From: Conchologists of America List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of [log in to unmask]
Sent: Wednesday, February 04, 2004 12:03 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: San Francisco Bay


Kay;-
  Canned Donax?  I rather imagine it may have been a matter of "Who'd buy?"
  Art
>
> From: Kay Peterson <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: 2004/02/04 Wed AM 10:53:21 EST
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: San Francisco Bay
>
> I have read that there was at one time a plan to open a plant at Long
> Beach, California, to can the little Donax gouldii.  This must have
> been in the '20s or 30's.  Evidently the supply wasn't as plentiful as
> hoped, or else the population crashed.
>
> Kay
>
>

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