,,the ,,curiosities ,,of ,,food2 ,,or ,,the ,,dainties ,,and ,,delicacies ,,of ,,different ,,nations ,,obtained ,,from ,,the ,,animal ,,kingdom4 ,,by ,,peter ,,lund ,,simmonds1 ,f4,r4,g4,s41 ,f4,s4,s41 ,,author ,,of 8,a ,,dictionary ,,of ,,trade ,,products10 8,,the ,,commercial ,,products ,,of ,,the ,,vegetable ,,kingdom10 ,,etc41 ,,etc4 ,cassius4 ,will you dine with me to-morrow8 ,casca4 ,ay1 if ,i be alive1 and your mind hold1 and your dinner worth the eating4 ,,julius ,c,,sar4 ,horatio4 ,o day and night1 but this is wondrous strange6 ,hamlet4 ,and therefore as a stranger give it welcome4 ,there are more things in heaven and earth1 ,horatio1 ,than are dreamt of in your philosophy4 ,,hamlet1 ,act #a1 scene #e4 ,illustration ,,london3 ,,richard ,,bentley1 ,,new ,,burlington ,,street4 #ahei4 ,,london3 ,,printed ,,by ,g4 ,,phipps1 ,,ranelagh ,,street1 ,,eaton ,,square4 ,,preface4 ,the sustentation of the body1 and the repairing of its waste by an adequate supply of wholesome and nutritious daily food1 is a subject of general importance1 and necessarily occupies a large share of attention4 ,but all nations have not the advantages of skilful cattle-breeders1 slaughter-houses1 well-supplied meat and poultry markets1 and butchers' shops graced with all the tempting joints of beef1 mutton1 and pork1 which gladden the eyes of an ,englishman1 and keep up his stamina for labour4 ,the traveller1 the settler1 and the savage1 must be content to put up with what they can most readily obtain1 and to avail themselves of many an unusual article of food1 which would be rejected under more favourable circumstances1 and with a greater choice for selection4 ,the subject of ,food1 in a physiological point of view1 has been often discussed4 ,popular and learned treatises on all the art and mysteries of ,cookery have been sold by thousands4 ,we have had pleasant details furnished us too on the ,food and the ,commissariat of ,london4--,but with respect to the animal substances1 eaten by other people in foreign countries1 we have known little--except from mere scraps of information4 ,the basis of the present volume is a lecture on the ,curiosities of ,food1 which ,i delivered at several of the metropolitan literary institutions4 ,having been favourably received1--from the novelty of the subject1 and the singularity of the specimens from my private museum by which it was illustrated1--,i have been led to believe that it might prove generally interesting in a more amplified shape4 ,in order1 however1 to bring the details within a convenient compass1 ,i have limited myself to a description of the ,curiosities of ,animal ,food2 but should the work be well received1 ,i may follow it up hereafter by a companion volume1 on the ,curiosities of ,vegetable ,food4 ,in the arrangement of the materials for this work1 one of two modes of description was open to me1 either to dress up the details in characteristic pictures of the food-customs and viands in use in different quarters1 and by different people2 or to group the whole scientifically under natural history divisions4 ,as the subject is curious and striking enough in its simplicity without the aid of fiction or embellishment1 ,i have preferred adopting the latter arrangement1 and have followed it as closely as the miscellaneous character of the selections and quotations would permit4 ,many of the articles of food named are so outrageously repulsive1 and the consideration of the subject1 in a collected form1 is altogether so new1 that ,i have preferred citing authorities in all instances1 so as to relieve myself from the charge of exaggeration1 or the imputation of untenable assertions4 ,for this reason1 and from the varied and very extended nature of the field of enquiry1 ,i can claim no merit for original writing in this work4 ,i have merely desired to present the public with a readable volume2 and ,i think its perusal will show that in this1 as in other cases1 truth is often stranger than fiction4 ,after a perusal of these pages1 it can scarcely be said that1 #8there is nothing new under the sun1' for many of the articles of food which ,i have described as being served up in different parts of the world1 will be certainly new to many4 ,probably1 some of the hints thrown out will make the fortune of any restaurateur in the city or at the west-end1 who chooses to dish up one or more of the reputed delicacies1 under a proper disguise1 and with a high-sounding name4 ,p4,l4,s4 #h1 ,winchester ,street1 ,pimlico1 ,december #aheh4 ,,contents4 ,,preliminary ,,remarks4 ,john ,bull's partiality for ,beef1 #b4 ,comparative quantities of meat eaten in ,paris1 ,new ,york1 and ,london--,different parts of ,animals eaten by choice1 #e4 ,want of courage to taste new ,food1 #f4 ,various kinds of ,food eaten in different countries--,man's omnivorous propensities1 #g4 ,weight of ,food eaten in a man's life-time--instances of gluttony1 #aj4 ,ethnological view of the question1 #aa4 ,jerked beef consumed in ,cuba--,varieties of--tasajo1 rebenque1 charqui1 sesina1 #ab4 ,mode of preparing the sun-dried meat in ,chile--,grasa or melted fat1 #ac4 ,biltonge or dried meat of the ,cape ,colony--,pastoormah--dried ,elephant's flesh--,hung ,beef1 #ad4 ,mode of preparing ,pemmican1 #ae4 ,gelatine--,beef and ,bone ,soup1 #ag4 ,jellies unnutritious--,portable ,soup1 #ah4 ,meat ,biscuit--,mode of making it1 #ai4 ,utilization of the ,blood of ,animals for food1 #ba4 ,m4 ,brocchieri's experiments--,anecdote of an unlucky ,pig doomed to perpetual blood-letting1 #bc4 ,arctic luxuries--,climatic difficulties1 #be4 ,a ,tuski ,feast1 #bg4 ,a ,greenland ,banquet1 #bi4 ,animal ,food in the ,arctic ,regions1 #cj4 ,a ,sledge made of frozen ,salmon1 #cd4 ,frozen ,food brought to the ,st4 ,petersburg ,market1 #ce4 ,a ,russian ,dining-room1 #cf4 ,cooking at ,cape ,coast ,castle--,food customs and delicacies of the ,aborigines of various ,countries1 #ch4 ,raw-flesh eaten in ,greenland and ,abyssinia1 #db4 ,australian ,food delicacies1 #de4 ,,quadrumana4 ,monkeys eaten in ,south ,america1 ,africa1 and the ,eastern ,archipelago1 #df4 ,mode of cooking them4 ,cheiroptera1 or hand-winged ,animals--,the ,fox ,monkey1 and ,bats eaten in the ,east1 #ej4 ,carnivora--,hyena eaten by ,arabs--,pole-cat in ,north ,america--,foxes in ,italy--,prairie ,wolf in ,north ,america1 #ea4 ,the ,lion by the ,arabs--,the ,tiger by the ,malays--,the ,puma by the ,americans1 #eb4 ,no reason why ,carnivorous ,animals should not furnish wholesome and palatable ,food--,bear's ,flesh--,a draught of a ,quart of ,bear's ,grease1 #ec4 ,bear's ,paws and ,steaks--,flesh of the ,badger1 #ed4 ,dogs eaten in olden times by the ,greeks and ,romans1 and still considered a delicacy in ,china1 ,zanzibar1 ,australia1 and the ,pacific1 #eg4 ,anecdote of a ,dog ,feast4 ,marsupialia1 or ,pouched ,animals--,the ,kangaroo--,food delicacies from it--,mode of cooking1 #eh4 ,aboriginal practices and ,food in ,australia1 #fj4 ,kangaroo-,rat--,opossum--,wombat1 #fc4 ,rodentia--,marmot--,mouse--,musk-,rat1 #fd4 ,field-,rat--,rats eaten in ,west ,indies1 ,brazil1 ,australia1 ,china1 c41 #fe4 ,chinese ,dishes and ,chinese cooking1 #ff4 ,california bills of fare1 #fi4 ,abundance of ,rats in ,hong ,kong and in ,scinde1 #fb4 ,salted ,rats an article of export from ,india to ,china1 #gj4 ,bandicoot1 ,coffee ,rat1 ,dormouse1 ,lemming1 and ,jerboa eaten as ,food1 #ga4 ,beaver--,porcupine1 #gb4 ,anecdote on ,rabbits1 #gc4 ,arctic ,hare--,water ,dog--,guinea ,pig--,agouti--,paca and ,viscascha1 #gd4 ,edentata1 or ,toothless ,animals--,native ,porcupine of ,australia--,ant-eater and ,armadillo1 #gf4 ,,pachydermata1 ,,or ,,thick-,,skinned ,,animals4 ,baked ,elephants' ,paws--,mode of cooking them1 #gf4 ,cutting-up the ,elephant1 #gh4 ,african ,haggis--,hippopotamus ,flesh and ,fat--,zee-koe ,speck1 #hj4 ,products of the ,hog--,reading ,bacon and eating ,bacon1 #ha4 ,swine feeding on ,corpses in the ,ganges1 #hb4 ,pigs fed on ,mutton1 #hc4 ,acres of ,pork in ,america1 #hd4 #8,going the whole ,hog1' #he4 ,origin of roast ,pig1 #hf4 ,spanish ,pigs1 #ij4 ,toucinho1 or fat ,pork1 used in ,brazil--,peccary1 ,rhinoceros1 and ,tapir eaten1 #ib4 ,horse-flesh1 the recent endeavours to popularize it as an article of ,food1 #id4 ,m4 ,st4 ,hilaire's exertions in the cause--,historical progress--,horse-flesh eaten in ,africa1 ,america1 ,asia1 and ,europe1 #ig4 ,experimental trials and cooking1 #ajj4 ,horse-flesh eaten unknowingly in many cases1 #ajd4 ,anecdote of ,sausages--,evidence before ,parliamentary committee respecting ,horse ,sausages1 #aje4 ,unwholesome ,meat1 #ajf4 ,blowing ,veal1 #aji4 ,asses' ,flesh--,the ,quagga #aaj4 ,,ruminantia ,,and ,,cetacea4 ,camel's ,flesh1 #aaa4 ,axis ,deer--,moose ,deer--,caribboo--,venison not ,meat in ,north ,america--,reindeer1 #aab4 ,giraffe--,eland--,hottentot cooking--,antelope ,tribe--,the ,hartebeest--,sassaby--,ourebi--,boshbok --,rheebok--,gnu1 c41 #aac4 ,alpaca ,tribe--,sheep's ,milk--,large ,tailed ,cape ,sheep--,dried ,flesh of the ,argali--,goat's ,flesh1 #aae4 ,bison ,beef--,buffalo ,humps--,musk-,ox1 #aaf4 ,cetacea--,manatus1 #aag4 ,flesh and ,tongue of the ,sea-,lion1 #aah4 ,walrus ,meat--,sea-,bear--,seal ,flesh1 #aai4 ,flesh of the ,whale eaten in various quarters--,porpoise1 an ancient dainty--,mode of serving it at the tables of ,english ,nobility1 #abj4 ,,birds4 ,no ,carnivorous ,birds eaten--,insessores or ,perching ,birds--,becafico--,edible nest of the ,eastern ,swallow or ,swift1 #abb4 ,mode of collecting1 localities1 statistics1 and details in the ,eastern ,archipelago1 #abc4 ,the ,guacharo ,bird1 #abh4 ,the ,diablotin or ,goat-sucker--,spitted ,larks1 #abi4 ,crows1 ,thrushes1 and ,robin ,redbreasts eaten in ,italy--,the ,rice ,bunting1 #acj4 ,the ,toucan--,parrot ,pie--,,gallinaceous ,fowls--,peacock ,enkakyll1 #aca4 ,wild ,turkey of ,new ,granada--,value of ,poultry and ,eggs consumed1 #acb4 ,fixed ,tariff for ,poultry and ,game1 c41 in ,london in #abgb--,price of ,eggs1 ,pigeons1 c41 in #acac1 #acc4 ,prices of ,poultry and ,game in #aege1 #acd4 ,prices of ,food and ,poultry in #aeca1 #ace4 ,ancient ,receipt for making a ,game ,pie in #acid1 from the ,books of the ,salter's ,company--,prices of ,cattle and ,dairy produce in #aedh1 #acg4 ,consumption and ,statistics of ,eggs--,comparative use in ,paris and ,london--,imports from ,ireland--,modes of testing the quality of ,eggs1 #ach4 ,preservation of ,eggs--,salted ,eggs--,pickled ,eggs--,painted ,eggs--,condensed ,egg1 #adj4 ,roman ,preserves for fattening ,poultry--,wild ,game in ,jamaica1 #adb4 ,canadian mode of cooking ,partridge1 #adc4 ,red-legged ,partridge run down on foot--,quail--,turtle ,dove--,passenger ,pigeon1 #add4 ,hogs fed upon the ,squabs--,canvas-back ,duck1 #adf4 ,cock of the wood--,wild ,birds of ,new ,zealand1 #adg4 ,,grallatores4 ,ostrich and ,emu ,eggs1 #adh4 ,bustards1 #adi4 ,clucking ,hen and ,mangrove ,hen of ,jamaica1 #aej4 ,bittern--,snipe ,woodcock--,flamingoes' tongues1 #aeb4 ,,natatores4 ,sea-gulls eaten by the ,chinese--,livers and ,hearts of ,penguins--,puffins pickled with ,spices1 #aec4 ,the ,mutton-,bird of ,australia--,habits of the ,bird--,mode of taking them by the ,new ,zealanders1 #aed4 ,birds eaten in the ,arctic ,regions--,grouse ,pie--,dovekey and ,auk ,pie--,guillemot ,soup1 #aef4 ,eggs of ,sea ,fowl--,large sale of them in ,san ,francisco1 and at the ,cape of ,good ,hope1 #aeh4 ,penguins' ,eggs in ,tristan d',acunha1 #afj4 ,the ,rookeries--,exciting ,sport1 #afa4 ,annual ,egg gathering visits to the ,pedro ,keys from ,jamaica--,description of the ,islets--,birds which frequent them--,recognised customs among the ,boatmen--,the ,egg ,bird1 #afc4 ,turtle ,eggs1 #afg4 ,wild and ,domestic ,geese--,half-hatched ,eggs eaten by the ,esquimaux1 #afh4 ,cygnets--,pintail ,duck--,widgeon and ,teal1 #afi4 ,,reptilia4 ,enumeration of the ,reptiles in the ,four ,orders1 eaten as ,food1 #afi4 ,land ,tortoises and their ,eggs1 #agj4 ,terrapin or ,box ,tortoise--,cruel mode of killing them1 #aga4 ,tenacity of ,life--,fluviatile ,tortoises--,the ,hiccatee of ,honduras1 #agb4 ,shooting a ,turtle--,abundance of large ,land ,tortoises in the ,gallipagos ,islands--,very generally eaten in the ,pacific1 ,australia1 ,south ,america1 and ,europe--,tortoise oil1 #agd4 ,salted ,turtle--,chasing the ,turtle--,horrible process of removing the ,shell1 #age4 ,dampier's ,description of ,land ,tortoises in the ,west ,indies in #afhd--;,first ,introduction of ,turtle to ,england--,statistics of ,consumption--,noted ,city ,houses for ,turtle ,soup1 #agf4 ,turtling in the ,grand ,caymans1 ,west ,indies1 #agg4 ,mock ,turtle and ,real ,turtle--,ascension the ,head ,quarters for keeping ,turtle1 #agh4 ,adventures of ,old #8,nelson'--,turtle should be sent home in a ,sealed ,cask--,jaguars of ,south ,america fond of ,turtle and their ,eggs--,a ,brazil ,native will eat #bj or #cj ,turtle ,eggs at a meal1 #ahj4 ,description of the ,eggs--,hawk's-bill ,turtle eaten1 but sometimes unwholesome--,collecting ,turtle ,eggs on the ,orinoco1 by the ,indians--,preparation of an ,oil called #8,mantega' from them--,gives ,employment to several thousand ,persons1 #aha4 ,quantity made and ,value--,not very pure--,uses of ,turtle ,oil for ,culinary and ,illuminating ,purposes1 #ahb4 ,the ,iguana--,description of it--,repulsive ,appearance--,very ,delicate ,eating1 #ahc4 ,mode of cooking it--,first ,repugnance of the ,early ,spaniards to it1 as related by ,peter ,martyn1 #ahd4 ,mode of ,catching the ,reptile by ,natives1 #ahe4 ,hunted by ,dogs in the ,bahamas ,islands--,met with and esteemed in ,australia1 #ahf4 ,aboriginal ,appreciation of it--,eaten by ,natives of ,ceylon1 #ahg4 ,eggs of this ,lizard an esteemed ,delicacy--,should be introduced to our ,tables--,all kinds of ,lizards eaten by the ,blacks of ,australia1 #ahh4 ,lizard ,family obnoxious to ,poisons--,lizards brought to the ,rio ,janeiro market--,hatching a ,crocodile by a ,fancy ,poultry ,breeder1 #aij4 ,eggs of the ,alligator eaten--,effect of ,imagination on the ,stomach1 at a ,dinner given by ,dr4 ,buckland1 #aia4 ,australian ,crocodile eats like ,veal1 #aib4 ,origin of the ,australian #8,bunyip' ,fiction--,flesh of the ,crocodile musky1 #aic4 ,various ,opinions of ,alligator ,meat1 #aid4 ,an ,alligator ,hunt in ,south ,america1 #aie4 ,eggs and ,skin of the ,alligator eaten--,oil prepared from the ,fat1 #aif4 ,lizards1 ,serpents1 and ,snakes1 #aig4 ,swallowing ,live ,lizards supposed to cure the ,cancer--,boa-constrictor eaten1 #aih4 ,fried ,rattlesnake or #8,musical ,jack1' #aii4 ,roasted ,snakes in ,australia1 #bjb4 ,extending use of ,frogs for ,food in ,europe1 ,america1 and the ,east--,toads frequently sold for frogs1 #bjd4 ,mode of skinning and preparing them--,eaten boiled in ,brazil1 without any ,preparation1 #bjf4 ,,fish4 ,abundance of ,fish--,modes of preserving them--,analyses of their ,flesh1 #bjh4 ,presence of ,iodine1 #baj--;,fish ,chowder--,fish ,glue and ,isinglass--,fish-maws1 immense ,trade in1 #baa4 ,caviar and the dried ,roes of ,fish1 #bab4 ,ancient ,customs1 ,prices1 and ,kinds of ,fish used1 #bae4 ,fish ,ordinaries1 #baf4 ,the ,russian ,piroga1 an oily ,fish-cake--,dried loaves of putrid pounded ,fish eaten in ,africa and ,south ,america1 #bah4 ,bony ,fishes--,unwholesome and ,poisonous ,fishes--,assumed ,causes for the ,fish ,poison1 #bai4 ,fish ,liver and ,gall1 #bba4 ,classification of ,fishes--,neglect of our ,fisheries1 #bbb4 ,ocean ,fishes dry eating--,mode of drying the ,bonito--,the hard horny pieces1 under the name of ,cummelmums1 used to rasp over ,rice1 #bbc4 ,shark's ,flesh sold in the ,havana ,market--,shark ,hunting--,excitement of the ,sport1 #bbd4 ,the ,picked ,shark--,spotted ,dog-,fish--,pigs fed on them--,shark oil1 #bbh4 ,fisheries for the ,sharks in ,india for the ,fins--,extensive ,trade in these to ,china--,dogs trained to bring ,sharks ashore1 #bbi4 ,anecdotes of ,sharks1 #bca4 ,the ,sturgeon1 a ,royal ,fish--,flesh not much esteemed--,sturgeon's ,skull-cap and ,shark's ,fin ,stew1 ,chinese ,delicacies1 #bcf4 ,lampreys--,eel ,pies and stewed ,eels--,spearing ,eels--,jews prohibited from eating them1 #bch4 ,comparison between ,british ,fish and ,mediterranean ,fish1 #bdj4 ,finnon ,haddock--,fresh ,herrings--,pickled ,herrings--,red ,herrings and ,bloaters--,origin of ,smoked ,herrings--,herring ,pies sent from ,yarmouth periodically to the ,queen1 #bdb4 ,conger ,eel dried and grated to powder for making ,fish ,soup--,congers formerly reared in ,vivaria by the ,romans1 #bdd4 ,the ,sand-,eel and ,sand-launce--,smelts--,whitebait1 #bde4 ,substitutes for ,whitebait in distant ,seas1 #bdf4 ,the ,anchovy--,an ,irishman's ,blunder1 #bdi4 ,the ,sardine ,fishery1 #beb4 ,west ,indian ,fishes--,hog ,fish--,snapper--,queen ,mullet--,paracuta--,callipeva--,red ,mullet--,king ,fish1 c41 #bec4 ,the ,sun ,fish--,pacou--,gourami--,caffum1 #bef4 ,the ,pirarucu--,the ,sheep's ,head--,the ,green ,cavalla--,the ,john and ,goggle-,eye--,the ,flying ,fish1 #bei4 ,sprats--,coveeching ,fish--,mud ,fish1 #bfa4 ,lut-fisk of ,sweden--,fish exported from ,new ,brunswick--,the ,sea-perch--,the striped ,bass--,brook ,trout and ,sea ,trout1 #bfc4 ,gaspereaux or ,alewives--,salmon-trout--,skate--,capel an--,halibut ,fins--,smoked ,eels in ,new ,brunswick and ,port ,phillip1 #bff4 ,white ,fish of the ,north ,american ,lakes--,gizzard ,fish--,mashkilonge--,trout and other ,lake ,fish1 #bfh4 ,modes of ,fishing--,scoop ,nets and ,gill ,nets--,angling through the ,ice1 #bga4 ,extreme ,fatness of ,lake ,fish1 #bgd4 ,fish ,soup1 #bge4 ,fish of the ,pacific ,coasts--,robalo1 ,corvino1 ,lisa1 ,bagre1 #bbg4 ,a ,hawaiian ,restaurant--,raw ,fish eaten--,salmon the ,king of ,fresh-water ,fish1 #bgh4 ,salmon ,fisheries of ,oregon and ,california1 #bgi4 ,chinese ,fisheries--,fish of the ,australian and ,indian ,seas--,tamarind-fish--,mango-fish--,bla ck and white ,pomfrets--,bombay ,duck1 #bhd4 ,fish of the ,cape ,colony--,gelbeck or ,cape ,salmon1 ,snook1 ,silver fish1 ,harders1 ,jacob ,evertsen1 ,kabeljauw1 ,hottentot ,fish1 ,windtoy1 ,bamboo ,fish1 ,galleon1 ,lake1 c41 #bhf4 ,,insects4 ,insects furnish many good ,delicacies--,fairy ,cates1 #bib4 ,coleoptera--,larv or ,grubs of ,beetles eaten in various localities--,roman ,epicures used to ,fatten them1 #bic4 ,goliath ,beetles eaten in ,africa--,turkish ,women cook ,beetles in ,butter to fatten themselves1 #bie4 ,orthoptera--,locusts extensively eaten in ,africa and ,arabia--,modes of ,collecting and ,cooking them1 #bif4 ,animals and ,birds feed greedily on them--,descriptions given by various ,travellers1 #cjj4 ,locusts eaten in ,eastern ,asia--,grasshoppers tried and found to be good eating--,a ,grasshopper ,roast in ,california1 #cjd4 ,neuroptera--,termites1 or ,white ,ants1 eaten by the ,africans and ,south ,american ,indians--,yellow and ,red ,ants in ,brazil--,ants ,distilled for ,brandy in ,sweden--,cocoons of the ,wood ,ant collected and sold for ,feeding ,birds1 #cje4 ,caviar of ,insect ,eggs in ,mexico--,axayacat--,mode of ,collecting--,cakes and ,bread1 called ,hautle1 made from them--,curry of ,ants' ,eggs1 #cjf4 ,hymenoptera--,bees eaten in ,ceylon--,caterpillars of the ,butterfly--,silk-worm ,chrysalids ,bugong ,moth1 a great ,delicacy to ,natives of ,australia--,sage-,apples or ,galls1 in the ,levant1 #caa4 ,hemiptera--,the ,cicada or ,chirping ,flies eaten in ,america and ,australia--,caterpillars eaten like ,sugar ,plums1 #cad4 ,,arachnida4 ,spiders eaten in ,various ,quarters as ,centipedes are in others1 #caf4 ,,crustacea4 ,flesh of ,crustaceans ,difficult of ,digestion--,varieties of ,consumed--,land ,crabs--,their ,habits--,varieties--,mode of ,cooking them--,an ,ingredient in the ,famous #8,pepper-pot1' #caf4 ,abundance of ,land ,crabs at the ,bahamas--mentioned by ,virgil--,mason ,crab of ,chile eaten1 #cba4 ,the ,lobster--,where principally ,caught--,preserved ,fresh ,lobsters1 #cbb4 ,salted ,lobsters--,pond or ,saltern1 for keeping them1 at ,southampton--,a ,tale with a ,moral1 #cbg4 ,turning ,lobsters on their ,backs1 #cbh4 ,live ,crablets eaten by the ,chinese1 #cbi4 ,shrimps and ,prawns--,enormous ,consumption of them--,instructions for ,cooking them1 #cej4 ,dried ,prawns and ,shell-fish--,large ,trade in them in the ,east1 #ccb4 ,balachong or ,gnapee1 #ccc4 ,,mollusca1 c4 ,oysters--#8,natives and ,scuttlemouths'--,racoon or ,parasitic ,oysters1 #ccd4 ,large ,trade in ,oysters in ,america1 at ,new ,york1 ,baltimore1 ,boston1 and ,new ,orleans1 #cce4 ,bottled ,oysters at the ,cape--,mussels--#8,old ,maids'--,scallops--,clams and ,clam ,digging--,largely used for ,bait1 #cdb4 ,periwinkles--,large ,consumption of1 in ,london--,whelks1 ,boiled and ,pickled1 #cde4 ,snails a ,fashionable ,article of ,diet--,roman ,taste for them--,a ,snail ,pie--,the ,vineyard ,snail--,modes of ,dressing them1 #cdf4 ,attempt of ,two ,philosophers to relish them1 #cdg4 ,snail ,soup--,the ,parrot's-bill ,barnacle eaten1 #cdi4 ,annelida--,palolo1 a ,pacific ,delicacy1 #cej4 ,diet of ,worms--,cuttle-fish eaten1 #ceb4 ,arcas and ,monodonta eaten--,sea ,eggs or ,urchins1 #cec4 ,holothuria--the ,sea ,slug ,soup of the ,chinese--,bche-de-mer or ,tripang1 #ced4 ,the ,times' ,correspondent's ,opinion of this ,dish1 #cee4 ,extensive ,fisheries for the ,animal1 #cef4 ,details of the ,preparation and ,statistics of the ,trade1 #ceh4 ,varieties and ,prices1 #cfd4 ,,concluding ,,remarks4 ,ignorance as to some of our ,common ,food--,ox ,tongues--,polonies--,confidence inspired by the ,pie-man eating one of his own ,pies1 #cfg4 ,we eat many things which would be refused by others1 #cfh4 ,bounty and ,wisdom of the ,creator in providing for ,man--,difficulty of determining what are ,food ,delicacies1 #cfi4 ,new ,varieties of ,food may be ,provided ,artificially--,fresh ,hides of ,cattle a ,delicacy in ,java--,buffalo ,hides and other ,skins made into ,jellies at ,home--,buckskin ,breeches1 boiled and stuffed with ,sea-weed for ,food--,resum of the ,dainties of ,different ,people--,verification of the ,proverb--#8,one half the world does not know how the other half lives4' ,,the ,,curiosities ,,of ,,food4 ,what is the prevailing food of the people8 ,is it chiefly animal or vegetable1 and whence is it derived in the two kingdoms8 ,do they trust to what the bounty of ,nature provides1 or have they the means of modifying or controlling production1 whether in the cultivation of vegetables1 or the rearing of animals8 ,describe their modes of cooking1 and state the kinds of condiments they employ4 ,have they in use any kind of fermented liquor8 ,what number of meals do they make1 and what is their capacity for temporary or sustained exertion8 ,these are some of the enquiries to which a traveller is directed to pay attention1 if he wishes to furnish and diffuse useful information4 ,i do not intend to go over this wide field of investigation in the systematic and scientific manner shadowed forth by these enquiries1 but merely desire to assist the reader to pass a leisure hour1 although he may probably glean some useful information at the same time4 ,i propose bringing under notice some of the ,animal food in which people in various countries indulge1 not that ,i wish persons to test these meats1 or to live upon them1 unless they please4 ,i do not deal in them1 and have no interest in their collection or sale1 but ,i merely desire to introduce them to notice that the reader may ascertain the opinions entertained of them1 think over them1 and know how much better an ,englishman is fed than any one else in the world4 ,so that1 despite our habit of grumbling1 there is at least this undeniable fact before us1 that the middle classes are in very easy circumstances2 and that ,english workmen earn good wages1 or they could not consume the quantity of animal food they do at the present prices4 ,according to ,vauban1 ,bossuet1 and ,la ,grange1 the richest and most comfortable nation is that which eats the most meat4 ,at the present prices of this article here1 it certainly must be so1 for a poor nation could not indulge in the luxury4 ,beef and mutton1 and mutton and beef1 no matter what their price1 ,john ,bull will not dispense with2 and although they are #dj or #ej per cent4 dearer now than they were ten years ago1 and although we import animals largely from abroad1 and our cattle-breeders do their best to meet the demand1 cattle and sheep will not increase and multiply fast enough to bring down the price for the consumer4 ,a writer in ,household ,words thus alludes to our national weakness4--#8,next to the ,habeas ,corpus and the ,freedom of the ,press1 there are few things that the ,english people have a greater respect for and a livelier faith in than beef4 ,they bear1 year after year1 with the same interminable1 unvarying series of woodcuts of fat oxen in the columns of the illustrated newspapers2 they are never tired of crowding to the ,smithfield ,club cattle-show2 and ,i am inclined to think that it is their honest reverence for beef that has induced them to support so long the obstruction and endangerment of the thoroughfares of the metropolis by oxen driven to slaughter4 ,beef is a great connecting link and bond of better feeling between the great classes of the commonwealth4 ,do not ,dukes hob and nob with top-booted farmers over the respective merits of short-horns and ,alderneys8 ,does not the noble ,marquis of ,argentfork give an ox to be roasted whole on the village green when his son1 the noble ,viscount ,silvercoral1 comes of age8 ,beef makes boys into men4 ,beef nerves our navvies4 ,the bowmen who won ,cressy and ,agincourt were beef-fed1 and had there been more and better beef in the ,crimea a year or two ago1 our soldiers would have borne up better under the horrors of a ,chersonesean winter4 ,we feast on beef at the great ,christian festival4 ,a baron of beef at the same time is enthroned in ,st4 ,george's ,hall1 in ,windsor's ancient castle1 and is borne in by lacqueys in scarlet and gold4 ,charles the ,second knighted a loin of beef1 and ,i have a shrewd suspicion that the famous ,sir ,bevis of ,southampton was but an ardent admirer and doughty knight-errant in the cause of beef4 ,and who does not know the tradition that even as the first words of the new-born ,gargantua were #8,a boyre1 boyre1' signifying that he desired a draught of ,burgundy wine--so the first intelligible sounds that the infant ,guy of ,warwick ever spake were #8,beef1 beef6' ,when the weary pilgrim reaches the beloved shores of ,england after a long absence1 what first does he remark--after the incivility of the custom-house officers--but the great tankard of stout and the noble round of cold beef in the coffee-room of the hotel8 ,he does not cry #8,io ,bacche6 ,eve ,bacche6' because beef is not ,bacchus4 ,he does not fall down and kiss his native soil1 because the hotel carpet is somewhat dusty1 and the action would be1 besides1 egregious2 but he looks at the beef1 and his eyes filling with tears1 a corresponding humidity takes place in his mouth2 he kisses the beef2 he is so fond of it that he could eat it all up2 and he does ordinarily devour so much of it to his breakfast1 that the thoughtful waiter gazes at him1 and murmurs to his napkin1 #8,this man is either a cannibal or a pilgrim grey who has not seen ,albion for many years4' ,it has been well observed1 that there are few things in which the public have so great and general an interest1 and concerning which they possess so little real knowledge1 as of the provision trade and the wholesale traffic in animals live and dead1 in their own and other countries4 ,when1 where1 and how raised1 and what processes meat passes through before it reaches their tables1 are questions which1 though highly important1 are very seldom asked by the consumers--all that they usually trouble themselves with is1 the current retail price1 and the nature of the supply4 ,few of us think as we sit down to our rump steak or pork chop1 our sirloin or leg of mutton1 of the awful havoc of quadrupeds necessary to furnish the daily meals of the millions4 ,i will not weary the reader with statistics1 although ,i have a long array of figures before me1 bearing upon the slaughter of animals for food in different countries4 ,it will be sufficient to generalize4 ,if the hecatomb of animals we have each consumed in the years we have lived1 were marshalled in array before us1 we should stand aghast at the possibility of our ever having devoured the quantity of animal food1 and sacrificed for our daily meals the goodly number of well-fed quadrupeds of the ovine1 bovine1 and porcine races1 or the fish1 fowl1 reptiles1 and insects1 which would be thus re-embodied4 ,the average quantity of animal food of all kinds consumed in ,france is stated on good authority--that of ,m4 ,payen--to be as low as one-sixth of a pound per diem to each person4 ,even in the cities and large towns1 especially ,paris1 the amount of food upon which a ,frenchman lives is astonishingly small4 ,an ,englishman or an ,american would starve upon such fare4 ,in proportion to its population1 ,new ,york consumes as nearly as possible the same quantity of meat as ,london1 about half-a-pound a day to each person2 more beef1 however1 is consumed there and less mutton1 and the latter fact may be accounted for by the comparative inferiority of quality4 ,it is curious to notice the various parts of animals that are eaten1 or selected as choice morsels by different persons or classes4 ,sheep's head1 pig's head1 calf's head and brains1 ox head1 the heads of ducks and geese1 ox tongue1 reindeer tongue1 walrus tongue1 crane's tongue1 c4 ,fowls and ducks' tongues are esteemed an exquisite ,chinese dainty4 ,the pettitoes of the sucking pig1 or the mature feet and hocks of the elder hog1 sheep's trotters1 calf's feet1 cow heel1 bear's paws1 elephant's feet1 the feet of ducks and geese1 and their giblets2 ox tail1 pig's tail1 sheep's tail1 kangaroo tail1 beaver's tail4 ,and the entrails again are not despised1 whether it be bullock's heart or sheep's heart1 liver and lights1 lamb's fry or pig's fry1 tripe and chitterlings1 goose liver and gizzard1 the cleaned gut for our sausages1 the fish maws1 cod liver1 and so on4 ,the moufle1 or loose covering of the nose1 of the great moose deer or elk is considered by ,new ,brunswick epicures a great dainty4 ,the hump of the buffalo1 the trunk of the elephant1 are other delicacies4 ,deer's sinews1 and the muscle of the ox1 the buffalo1 and the wild hog1 jerked or dried in the sun1 and then termed1 #8dendeng1' is a delicacy of the ,chinese1 imported at a high price from ,siam and the eastern islands4 ,the eggs of different animals1 again1 form choice articles of food1 whether they be those of the ordinary domestic poultry1 the eggs of sea fowl1 of the plover1 and of game birds1 of the ostrich and emu1 of the tortoises and other reptilia1 as alligator's eggs1 snake's eggs1 and those of the iguana1 or the eggs of insects1 and of fishes4 ,amid all the multiplicity of special dainties1 appreciated by different peoples1 the prejudices of the stomach are1 perhaps1 more unconquerable than any other that tyrannize over the human mind4 ,it is almost impossible to get people to adventure1 or experimentalize upon a new kind of food4 ,there is a great want of courage and enterprise on this head among ,englishmen4 ,john ,bull is resolved to eat1 drink1 and do only what he has been accustomed to4 ,he wants none of your foreign kickshaws1 frogs1 and snails in fricasses1 or sea slug1 or bird's nest soup1 or horse flesh steak4 ,it is true he has gradually adventured upon1 and now appreciates1 a few select foreign delicacies4 ,real lively turtle and caviar1 reindeer tongue1 an imitation ,indian curry1 and such like1 have become luxuries2 and1 probably1 under the mysterious manipulations of ,gunter1 ,soyer1 and other distinguished chefs de cuisine1 some other foreign delicacies have found1 or may yet find1 their way upon ,english tables4 ,they will probably displace ere long the four standard ,scotch dishes1 a haggis1 a sheep's head1 tripe1 and black puddings1 or the common dishes of the ,devonshire peasant and ,cornish fisherman1 parsley and squab pies1 in which fish1 apples1 onions1 and pork are incongruously blended4 ,queen ,elizabeth and her ladies breakfasted on meat1 bread1 and strong ale4 ,our modern ladies take tea or coffee1 and thin slices of toast or bread4 ,the ,esquimaux drink train oil1 and the ,cossacks koumis1 an ardent spirit made from mares' milk4 ,the inhabitants of ,france and ,germany eat much more largely than we do of vegetable diet2 and drink1 at all times of the day1 their acid wines4 ,in ,devonshire and ,herefordshire1 cyder is the common beverage1 and in the ,highlands of ,scotland1 oatmeal porridge is1 in a great measure1 the food1 and whiskey the drink of the inhabitants4 ,the ,irish peasant lives1 or used to do1 chiefly on potatoes1 and most of the ,hindoos of the maritime provinces on rice4 ,yet all this variety1 and much more1 is digested1 yields nutriment1 and promotes growth2 affording undeniable evidence that man is really omnivorous1 that he can be supported by great varieties of food4 ,a recent writer speaking of human diet says1 #8it is a remarkable circumstance1 that man alone is provided with a case of instruments adapted to the mastication of all substances1--teeth to cut1 and pierce1 and champ1 and grind2 a gastric solvent too1 capable of contending with any thing and every thing1 raw substances and cooked1 ripe and rotten1--nothing comes amiss to him4' ,if animals could speak1 as sop and other fabulists make them seem to do1 they would declare man to be the most voracious animal in existence4 ,there is scarcely any living thing that flies in the air1 swims in the sea1 or moves on the land1 that is not made to minister to his appetite in some region or other4 ,other creatures are1 generally1 restricted to one sort of provender at most4 ,they are carnivorous or graminivorous1 piscivorous1 or something ivorous2 but man is the universal eater4 ,he pounces with the tiger upon the kid1 with the hawk upon the dove1 with the cormorant upon the herring1 and with the small bird upon the insect and grub4 ,he goes halves with the bee in the honey cell1 but turns upon his partner and cheats him out of his share of the produce4 ,he grubs up the root with the sow1 devours the fruit with the earwig1 and demolishes the leaves with the caterpillar2 for all these several parts of different vegetables furnish him with food4 ,life itself will not hinder his appetite1 nor decay nauseate his palate2 for he will as soon devour a lively young oyster as demolish the fungous produce of a humid field4 ,this propensity is1 indeed1 easily abused4 ,viands of such incongruous nature and heterogeneous substance1 are sometimes collected1 as to make an outrageous amalgamation1 so that an alderman at a city feast might make one shudder2 but this is too curious an investigation1 it is the abuse of abundance too1 and we know that abuse is the origin of all evil4 ,the fact should lead us to another point of appreciation of goodness and beneficence4 ,the adaptation of external nature to man has often been insisted on2 the adaptation of man to all circumstances1 states1 and conditions1 is carrying out the idea4 ,the inferior animals are tied down1 even by the narrowness of their animal necessities1 to a small range of existence2 but man can seldom be placed in any circumstance in which his universal appetite cannot be appeased4 ,from the naked savage snatching a berry from the thorn1 to the well-clad1 highly civilized denizen of the court1 surrounded by every comfort1 every luxury2 from the tired traveller1 who opens his wallet and produces his oaten cake beside the welling lymph which is to slake his thirst1 to the pursy justice1 #8in fair round belly with capon lined1' who spreads the damask napkin on his knees1 tucks his toes under the table1 and revels in calapash and calapee1--what an infinite diversity of circumstances6 ,man1 with all his natural and artificial necessities1 all his social and domestic dependencies1--more dependent1 indeed1 upon his fellows than the fowls of the air1 from the grand exuberance of nature1 and his remarkable adaptation to it in the point alluded to1 finds subsistence under circumstances in which other animals might starve4 ,perhaps we might properly urge the advice of a recent writer4--#8,make use of every material possible for food1 remembering that there are chemical affinities and properties by which nutriment may be extracted from almost every organic substance1 the greatest art being in proper cooking4 ,make soup of every kind of flesh1 fish1 and leguminos4--,every thing adds to its strength and flavour4' ,man eats to satisfy his hunger1 and to supply warmth to the body2 but the lover of good things1 who finds a pleasure in eating1 may also be told that there is a beautiful structure of nerve work spread out on the tongue1 which carries upwards to the brain messages from the nice things in the mouth4 ,moderation in food is1 however1 one of the great essentials to health4 ,sydney ,smith1 in a letter to ,lord ,murray1 tells him that1 having ascertained the weight of food that he could live upon1 so as to preserve health and strength1 and what he had lived upon1 he found that between ten and seventy years of age1 he had eaten and drunk forty-four one-horse wagon loads of meat and drink more than would have preserved him in life and health1 and that the value of this mass of nourishment was about #g1jjj4 ,sir ,john ,ross tells us that an ,esquimaux will eat twenty pounds of flesh and oil daily4 ,but the most marvellous account of gormandizing powers is that published by ,captain ,cochrane1 who in his ,narrative of a ,pedestrian ,journey through ,russia and ,siberian ,tartary1 says1 that the ,russian ,admiral1 ,saritcheff1 was told that one of the ,yakuti consumed in twenty-four hours1 #8the hind quarter of a large ox1 twenty pounds of fat1 and a proportionate quantity of melted butter for his drink4' ,the ,admiral1 to test the truth of the statement1 gave him #8a thick porridge of rice1 boiled down with three pounds of butter1 weighing together twenty-eight pounds2 and although the glutton had already breakfasted1 yet did he sit down to it with great eagerness1 and consumed the whole without stirring from the spot2 and1 except that his stomach betrayed more than ordinary fulness1 he showed no sign of inconvenience or injury6' ,the traveller ,i have just quoted also states1 that he has repeatedly seen a ,yakut1 or ,tongouse1 devour forty pounds of meat a day2 and he adds1 #8,i have seen three of these gluttons consume a reindeer at one meal4' ,it has been well remarked by ,dr4 ,dieffenbach1 in the ,transactions of the ,ethnological ,society1 that the labours of modern chemistry have thrown a new and most interesting light on the food of the various races of men1 or inhabitants of parts of the globe which are widely different from each other in their geographical and climatological relations4 ,the substances which serve as food1 or the quantity which is taken1 appear to the superficial observer often of a most extraordinary nature1 because they are apparently so heterogeneous from what we are accustomed to2 so that travellers relating such facts1 do not withhold their astonishment or reprobation4 ,but it has been demonstrated1 that the general use of certain articles1 for instance1 tea and coffee1 betel-nut1 tobacco1 and wine1 depends upon the presence in those substances of elements which are often identical1 and which are necessary to the maintenance of the animal economy1 more or less1 according to the presence or absence of other elements in the food1 the different occupation1 mode of living1 and so on4 ,these points have been well illustrated and explained in the ,chemistry of ,common ,life1 of the late ,professor ,johnston4 ,the fact of the ,esquimaux consuming large quantities of train oil and blubber ceases to be astonishing1 when we reflect that these highly carbonized substances serve to furnish fuel for his increased respiration4 ,in one word1 it is necessary in the present state of chemical and physiological science1 to collect analyses of all the substances which are consumed by a particular race1 either as food or drink1 or by an habitual custom1 as so called matters of luxury1 or as medicine4 ,the ethnologist has the great merit of working here hand in hand with chemists and physiologists1 and fills up in this manner a most important chapter in the natural history of man2 as it shows how instinct and necessity have led him to adopt different customs1 and to make use of different articles of consumption in different climates4 ,among the ordinary domestic animals1 there is little of novelty in the food they supply to man4 ,but ,i may notice in passing1 before proceeding to an investigation of unusual or extraordinary articles of consumption1 a few things that may not be generally known4 ,jerked beef1 or tasajo1 as it is termed in ,cuba1 is imported to the extent of #bjj to #cej thousand quintals a year into that island1 for feeding the slaves on the plantations4 ,that imported from ,buenos ,ayres and ,monte ,video is preferred for consumption on the sugar estates1 to that which is received from ,rio ,grande1 ,venezuela1 ,campeachy1 and the ,united ,states1 it being more substantial1 coming in larger and thicker pieces1 better cured and salted1 and also of handsomer appearance4 ,the class imported from ,venezuela and ,campeachy1 comes in thin pieces called rebenque1 which is not generally liked1 and only bought in small parcels1 for consumption in the city of ,havana4 ,the beef which is cured in the ,river ,plate1 from ,december to ,may1 or in summer1 is preferred in ,cuba1 by reason of its being more nutritive than that which is cured in the other or winter months2 the colour is yellowish1 and it keeps a longer time4 ,in ,south ,america1 the jerked beef is called charqui1 and when salted1 and smoked or dried in the sun1 sesina4 ,the commerce is very large in this species of provision4 ,the mode of preparing it in ,chili is as follows3--,when the horned cattle are sufficiently fat1 or rather at the killing season1 which is about the months of ,february and ,march1 from #ejj to #ajjj1 according to the size of the farm1 are slaughtered4 ,the whole of the fat is separated from the meat and melted1 forming a kind of lard1 called grasa1 which is employed for domestic purposes4 ,the tallow is also kept separate1 and the meat is jerked4 ,this process is performed by cutting the fleshy substance into slices of about a quarter-of-an-inch thick1 leaving out all the bones4 ,the natives are so dexterous at this work that they will cut the whole of a leg1 or any other large part of a bullock1 into one uniformly thin piece4 ,the meat thus cut is either dipped into a very strong solution of salt and water1 or rubbed over with a small quantity of fine salt4 ,whichever mode is adopted1 the whole of the jerked meat is put on the hide1 and rolled up for ten or twelve hours1 or until the following morning4 ,it is then hung on lines or poles to dry in the sun1 which being accomplished1 it is made into bundles1 lashed with thongs of fresh hide1 forming a kind of network1 and is ready for market4 ,in this operation it loses about one-third of its original weight4 ,the dried meat1 or charqui1 finds immediate sale at ,lima1 ,arica1 ,guayaquil1 ,panama1 and other places4 ,about #fjjj quintals of charqui1 with a proportionate quantity of tallow and fat 7grasa7 are shipped from ,talcahuana to ,lima alone4 ,besides the large quantity consumed in ,chili1 it furnishes a great part of the food of the slaves in ,brazil1 the negroes in some of the ,west ,india ,islands1 and seamen1 being the general substitute for salt beef and pork4 ,the grasa and tallow are also readily sold throughout ,south ,america1 and are of more value than the meat4 ,the slaughtering season is as much a time of diversion for the inhabitants of that country as a sheep shearing is in ,england4 ,the females too are all busied cutting up the fat1 frying it for grasa1 and selecting some of the finer meat for presents and home consumption4 ,the tongue is the only part of the head that is eaten1 the remainder being left to rot4#a ,dried meat enters largely into consumption in several other countries4 ,in the ,cape ,colony dried meat is called biltonge4 ,in the ,east1 especially in ,siam1 the dried sinews of animals are considered a great delicacy2 and dried elephant's flesh we shall find is stored up for food1 under the name of pastoormah4 ,beef is preserved in ,asia ,minor with garlic and pepper1 and dried in the sun for winter food4 ,it is prepared in ,wallachia and ,moldavia1 and largely shipped from ,varna in the ,black ,sea4 ,besides providing all ,anatolia1 ,aleppo1 and ,damascus1 #fjjj cwt4 or more is yearly sent from ,kaissariah to ,constantinople4 ,hung beef from ,germany is well known at our tables4 ,portable and concentrated animal food is of great consequence to explorers and travellers1 and therefore it may be well to allude here to the article pemmican1 which is so much used by arctic travellers and the ,hudson's ,bay ,company's traders4 ,this is meat of any kind dried and pounded1 and saturated with fat4 ,there is as much nourishment in one pound of pemmican as in four pounds of ordinary meat4 ,it may be eaten as it is1 or partially cooked1 and has a pleasant taste4 ,sometimes it is mixed with a sufficient quantity of ,indian meal and water to cause it to adhere1 and then fried or stewed4 ,the ,north ,american ,indians dry their venison by exposing thin slices to the heat of the sun1 on a stage1 under which a small fire is kept1 more for the purpose of driving away the flies than for promoting exsiccation2 and then they pound it between two stones on a bison hide4 ,in this process the pounded meat is contaminated by a greater or smaller admixture of hair and other impurities4 ,the fat1 which is generally the suet of the bison1 is added by the traders1 who purchase it separately from the natives1 and they complete the process by sewing up the pemmican in a bag of undressed hide1 with the hairy side outwards4 ,each of these bags weighs #ij lbs41 and obtains from the ,canadian voyageurs the designation of #8un taureau4' ,a superior pemmican is produced by mixing finely powdered meat1 sifted from impurities1 with marrow fat1 and the dried fruit of the ,amilanchier4 ,sir ,john ,richardson having been employed by government to prepare pemmican on a large scale1 at the ,victualling ,yard1 ,gosport1 for the use of the different arctic expeditions1 it will be interesting to describe the process he adopted1 as given in his ,arctic ,searching ,expedition1 or a ,journal of a ,boat ,voyage1 c4-- #8,the round or buttock of beef of the best quality having been cut into thin steaks1 from which the fat and membraneous parts were pared away1 was dried in a malt kiln1 over an oak fire1 until its moisture was entirely dissipated1 and the fibre of the meat became friable4 ,it was then ground in a malt mill1 when it resembled finely grated meat4 ,being next mixed with nearly an equal weight of melted beef suet or lard1 the preparation of plain pemmican was complete2 but to render it more agreeable to the unaccustomed palate1 a proportion of the best ,zante currants was added to part of it1 and part of it was sweetened with sugar4 ,both these kinds were much approved of in the sequel by the consumers1 but more especially that to which the sugar had been added4 ,after the ingredients were well incorporated by stirring1 they were transferred to tin canisters1 capable of containing #he lbs4 each2 and having been firmly rammed down and allowed to contract further by cooling1 the air was completely expelled and excluded by filling the canister to the brim with melted lard1 through a small hole left in the end1 which was then covered with a piece of tin and soldered up4 #8,as the meat in drying loses more than three-fourths of its original weight1 the quantity required was considerable1 being #ce1fea lbs4 7reduced by drying to about #hjjj lbs472 and the sudden abstraction of more than one thousand rounds of beef1 from ,leadenhall ,market1 occasioned speculation among the dealers1 and a rise in the price of a penny per pound1 with an equally sudden fall when the extra demand was found to be very temporary4' ,we import about #ac or #ad tons of gelatine a year from ,france1 besides what is made at home1 and the greater part of what passes under this name is1 ,i believe1 used for food4 ,the ,americans1 some years ago1 tried to pass off upon us isinglass made from fish bones1 but it would not go down4 ,gelatine of all kinds has usually been considered wholesome and nourishing2 and while few object to cow-heel or calf's foot jelly1 very many are possibly unaware of the sources of much of the gelatine vended in shapes so beautifully transparent1 but which is made from bones and hide clippings1 and parchment shavings4 ,it is said that a pair of lady's gloves have ere now made a ragout2 and there is a hiatus in the parchment specifications at the ,patent ,office1 caused by an unlucky boy1 who changed them away for tarts1 in order that they might be converted into jellies4 ,the dust of the ivory turner in working up elephants' tusks forms an excellent material for jellies1 and is commonly sold for this purpose1 at about #f;d4 per lb4 ,m4 ,payen has recently been at pains to disprove the vulgar notion that bones make good soup4 ,the celebrated ,gelatine ,commission1 some years ago1 declared1 as the results of many experiments1 that gelatine was not nutritious2 and this result has been repeated in almost every text-book of physiology as conclusive1 and is adopted by ,m4 ,payen1 who tests it in another series of experiments4 ,he boiled in one pot a portion of beef completely divested of bone1 and in another the bone taken from the beef1 with only a little salt4 ,after five hours' slow boiling1 the liquid from the beef was perfectly limpid1 and of a light amber colour1 leaving that aroma and delicate taste known to belong to good beef tea4 ,the liquid from the bones was whitish-gray1 troubled and opaque1 having a very slight odour1 and a not agreeable taste4 ,nothing could be more opposed than the two soups thus produced4 ,in another experiment1 he repeated this process with the addition of some vegetables1 and even some drops of caramel4 ,the beef-soup here maintained its delicious aroma1 agreeably combined with that of the vegetables2 its limpidity was the same1 but its colour of course stronger4 ,the bone-soup had a dominant odour of vegetables1 but its troubled and opaque aspect made it very unappetising4 ,from these experiments ,m4 ,payen concludes that the prejudice in favour of the addition of bones to the soup is a prejudice1 and that1 in fact1 bones are not at all nutritious4 ,liebig also1 in his ,letters on ,chemistry1 pp4 #dbd and #dbe1 says3--#8,it has now been proved by the most convincing experiments1 that gelatine1 which by itself is tasteless1 and when eaten excites nausea1 possesses no nutritive value2 that even when accompanied by the savoury constituents of flesh1 it is not capable of supporting the vital process1 and when added to the usual diet as a substitute for plastic matter1 does not increase1 but on the contrary diminishes the nutritive value of the food1 which it renders insufficient in quantity and inferior in quality2 and that its use is hurtful rather than beneficial1 because it does not1 like the non-nitrogenous substances provided by nature for respiration1 disappear in the body without leaving a residue1 but overloads with nitrogenous products1 the presence of which disturbs and impedes the organic processes4' ,and he further observes1 that #8the only difference between this and joiner's glue is its greater price4' ,jellies no doubt were considered most nutritious during the ,peninsular war1 but we have learned many things since then1 of which our poor soldiers ought to have the benefit4 ,portable soup is prepared in a very simple manner4 ,the meat is boiled1 and the scum taken off as it rises1 until the soup possesses the requisite flavour4 #8,it is then suffered to cool1 in order that the fat may be separated4 ,in the next place it is mixed with the whites of five or six eggs1 and slightly boiled--this operation serves to clarify the liquid1 by the removal of opaque particles1 which unite with the white of egg1 at the time it becomes solid by the heat1 and are consequently removed along with it4 ,the liquor is then to be strained through flannel1 and evaporated on the water bath1 to the consistence of a very thick paste1 after which it is spread rather thin upon a smooth stone1 then cut into cakes1 and lastly dried in a stove1 until it becomes brittle4 ,these cakes may be kept four or five years1 if defended from moisture4 ,when intended to be used1 nothing more is required to be done than to dissolve a sufficient quantity in boiling water4'#b ,for some years past there have been imported into the ,continent rather large quantities of dried meat from the southern countries of ,america1 where it is known under the name of assayo4 ,it gives a soup nearly similar to that of fresh meat4 ,another sort of food which is prepared in ,texas1 the meat-biscuit1 is generally used in the ,american navy2 but1 although greatly appreciated at the ,great ,exhibition of ,london1 it has not yet entered into general use in ,europe4 ,it is made of boiled beef free from grease1 the liquor of which is evaporated to the consistency of syrup1 and this is mixed with wheaten flour in sufficient proportion to form a solid paste4 ,this paste is then spread out by a rolling pin1 is pierced with a number of little holes1 is cut into the ordinary dimensions of sea biscuits1 and then baked and properly dried4 ,the biscuit is eaten dry1 or may be broken1 boiled in twenty or thirty times its weight in water1 for from twenty-five to thirty minutes1 and then seasoned with salt or other things4 ,the following is the process of manufacturing this biscuit3-- ,there are four wooden caldrons or tubs for boiling the meat and evaporating the liquid or broth--the two for boiling the meat1 holding #b1cjj gallons1 will each boil #g1jjj lbs4 of meat in twelve to sixteen hours4 ,the other two1 for evaporating1 will contain some #a1djj gallons each4 ,all the tubs are heated or boiled by steam passing through long coiled iron pipes1 supplied at pleasure1 either from the escape steam from the engine1 or direct from the boiler4 ,when the meat is so far boiled or macerated1 that the liquid or broth contains the entire nutriment1 the meaty1 or solid portions are separated by a simple process of filtering1 so that the broth goes into the evaporator pure and free from fibrous matter4 ,it is then evaporated to a degree of consistency resembling the golden or ,stewart's sugar house syrup1 its uniform density being determined by a liquid or syrup gauge4 ,two pounds of this syrup or extract contains the nutriment of some eleven pounds of meat 7including its usual proportion of bone7 as first put into the caldron4 ,this is then mixed with the best and finest flour1 kneaded and made into biscuit by means of machines4 ,the biscuit is baked upon pans in an oven so constructed as to produce an uniform firmness4 ,the proportion is as two pounds of extract are to three pounds of flour1 but by baking1 the five pounds of dough is reduced to four pounds of biscuit1 and this will make what the inventor claims--the nutriment of over five pounds of meat in one pound of bread1 which contains1 besides1 over ten ounces of flour4 ,the biscuit resembles in appearance a light coloured sugar-cake4 ,it is packed in air-tight casks or tin canisters of different sizes1 part of the biscuit being pulverized by grinding in a mill for the purpose1 and then packed with the whole biscuit4 ,in discussing the extension of our resources of animal food1 it is strange to notice that while we eat the blood of pigs and fowls1 we throw aside as waste the blood of oxen1 sheep1 goats1 calves1 c4 ,now blood contains all the principles out of which the tissues are formed1 and must1 one would therefore imagine1 be eminently nutritious4 ,why prejudice has excluded these1 while admitting the blood of pigs1 is an anomaly which ,i cannot understand4 ,in ,france1 where there are not1 as in ,america1 large quantities of animals which are killed simply for the sake of their hides1 it would be impossible to prepare or supply at a low price either the assayo or the meat biscuit2 but the idea of using the blood of animals killed1 which blood is at present wasted without profit1 or1 at best1 is used as manure1 might have occurred to some one4 ,m4 ,brocchieri has conceived this idea4 ,in treating the blood of our slaughter-houses by means which he has invented1 and uniting to flour of the best quality1 the albumen and fibrine which he extracts from it--he makes bread and biscuits which are easily preserved1 and which may be employed to make very nutritious soups4 ,at the ,great ,exhibition1 in #ahea1 he produced bon-bons made of the blood of the ox1 cow1 sheep1 and hog2 biscuits and patties of the blood of the bull1 and delicacies made of calves' blood4 ,i have specimens of these preserved in my private museum1 although ,i have not ventured to taste them4 ,generally speaking in ,england1 we do not do much with the blood of animals1 at least1 in the shape of food--unless it be in those strings of black-puddings1 with tempting little bits of fat stuck in them1 which stare us in the face in some shops4 ,but ,m4 ,brocchieri has attempted to utilize the nutritious principles of the blood of animals killed for food1 by reducing it to a concentrated and dried state1 for preservation during long periods4 ,the first step is to prepare a liquid1 considered innocuous and antiseptic by the inventor1 by which various bloods are kept fluid and apparently fresh4 ,samples of these were shown1 and the series of specimens illustrated the solid parts forming the crassamentum or clot1 in a dried and semi-crystalline state4 ,these solid constituents1 including the gelatine1 albumen1 and fibrine are next produced1 combined with small proportions of flour1 in the form of light1 dry masses1 like loaves1 cakes1 or biscuits4 ,these are inodorous1 almost flavourless1 and may be made the bases of highly nutritious soups4 ,they are very uniform in composition1 containing half the nitrogen of dried blood1 or forty-four per cent4 of dry flesh1 the equivalent of double the nutritive value of ordinary butcher's meat4 ,both the bull's and calf's blood gave #ff per cent4 of nitrogen1 equal to forty-three per cent4 of flesh-forming principles4 ,combined with sugar1 the cakes have been made into bon-bons4 ,the evidence1 as to the value of the process1 in preserving the samples in an undecomposed state1 is now satisfactorily arrived at4 ,it was stated in #ahea1 that the preparations had been advantageously employed in long voyages4 ,the samples ,i have in my collection have now been kept seven years1 and have not shown any tendency to decay4 ,thus proving that the first attempt has been successful1 in rendering available for food1 and portable in form1 the otherwise wasted blood of cattle4 ,this notice of blood recalls to my recollection a laughable story told in a ,french work1 of the life of an unfortunate pig4 #8,a ,french cur1 exiled to a deserted part of our forests--and who1 the whole year1 except on a few rare occasions1 lived only on fruit and vegetables--hit upon a most admirable expedient for providing an animal repast to set before the curs of the neighbourhood1 when one or the other1 two or three times during the year1 ventured into those dreadful solitudes1 with a view of assuring himself with his own eyes that his unfortunate colleague had not yet died of hunger4 ,the cur in question possessed a pig1 his whole fortune3 and you will see the manner in which he used it4 ,immediately the bell announced a visitor1 and that his cook had shown his clerical friend into the parlour1 the master of the house1 drawing himself up majestically1 said to his housekeeper3 #8,brigitte1 let there be a good dinner for myself and my friend4' ,brigitte1 although she knew there were only stale crusts and dried peas in her larder1 seemed in no degree embarrassed by this order2 she summoned to her assistance #8,toby the ,carrot1' so called because his head was as red as that of a native of ,west ,galloway1 and leaving the house together1 they both went in search of the pig4 ,this1 after a short skirmish1 was caught by ,brigitte and her carroty assistant2 and1 notwithstanding his cries1 his grunts1 his gestures of despair1 and supplication1 the inhuman cook1 seizing his head1 opened a large vein in his throat1 and relieved him of two pounds of blood2 this1 with the addition of garlic1 shalots1 mint1 wild thyme1 and parsley1 was converted into a most savoury and delicious black-pudding for the cur and his friend1 and being served to their reverences smoking hot on the summit of a pyramid of yellow cabbage1 figured admirably as a small ,vesuvius and a centre dish4 ,the surgical operation over1 ,brigitte1 whose qualifications as a seamstress were superior1 darned up the hole in the neck of the unfortunate animal3 and as he was then turned loose until a fresh supply of black-puddings should be required for a similar occasion1 this wretched pig was never happy4 ,how could he be so8 ,like ,damocles of ,syracuse1 he lived in a state of perpetual fever2 terror seized him directly he heard the cur's bell1 and seeing in imagination the uplifted knife already about to glide into his bosom1 he invariably took to his heels before ,brigitte was half-way to the door to answer it4 ,if1 as usual1 the peal announced a diner-out1 ,brigitte and ,gold-button were soon on his track1 calling him by the most tender epithets1 and promising that he should have something nice for his supper--skim-milk1 c41--but the pig with his painful experience was not such a fool as to believe them4 ,hidden behind an old cask1 some fagots1 or lying in a deep ditch1 he remained silent as the grave1 and kept himself close as long as possible4 ,discovered1 however1 he was sure to be at last1 when he would rush into the garden1 and1 running up and down like a mad creature1 upset everything in his way4 ,for several minutes it was a regular steeplechase--across the beds1 now over the turnips1 then through the gooseberry-bushes--in short1 he was here1 there1 and everywhere2 but1 in spite of all his various stratagems to escape the fatal incision1 the poor pig always finished by being seized1 tied1 thrown on the ground1 and bled3 the vein was then once more cleverly sewn up1 and the inhuman operators quietly retired from the scene to make the cur's far-famed black-pudding4 ,half-dead upon the spot where he was phlebotomized1 the wretched animal was left to reflect under the shade of a tree on the cruelty of man1 on their barbarous appetites2 cursing with all his heart the poverty of ,morvinian curates1 their conceited hospitality1 of which he was the victim1 and their brutal affection for pig's blood4' ,sir ,george ,simpson1 speaking of some of the northern tribes of ,indians in ,america1 says1 the flexibility of their stomachs is surprising4 ,at one time they will gorge themselves with food1 and are then prepared to go without any for several days1 if necessary4 ,enter their tents2 sit there if you can for a whole day1 and not for an instant will you find the fire unoccupied by persons of all ages cooking4 ,when not hunting or travelling1 they are in fact always eating4 ,now it is a little roast1 a partridge or rabbit perhaps2 now a tit-bit1 broiled under the ashes2 anon a portly kettle1 well filled with venison1 swings over the fire2 then comes a choice dish of curdled blood1 followed by the sinews and marrow-bones of deer's legs1 singed on the embers4 ,and so the grand business of life goes unceasingly round1 interrupted only by sleep4 ,dining within the arctic circle1 when such a thing as dinner is to be had1 is a much more serious matter than when one undergoes that pleasing ceremony at a first-rate eating house1 hotel1 or club4 ,in arctic banquets1 the cheerful glass is often frozen to the lip1 or the too ardent reveller splinters a tooth in attempting to gnaw through a lump of soup4 ,we1 in these temperate climes1 have never had the pleasure of eating ship's rum1 or chewing brandy and water4 ,it is not only necessary to #8first catch your fish1' but also essential to thaw it2 and there is no chance of the fish being limber1 although it is not unusual for heat to bring them to life after they have been frozen stiff a couple of days4 ,in the arctic circle even the very musquitoes1 which1 by the way1 are frightfully large and numerous1 become torpid with the intense cold1 and are frozen into hard masses1 which the heat of the sun1 or fire1 may restore to animation4 ,dr4 ,sutherland1 in his voyage in ,baffin's ,bay1 says--#8,it was necessary to be very careful with our drinking cups4 ,tin never suited1 for it always adhered to the lips1 and took a portion of the skin along with it4 ,a dog attempting to lick a little fat from an iron shovel stuck fast to it1 and dragged it by means of his tongue1 until by a sudden effort1 he got clear1 leaving several inches of the skin and adjacent tissue on the cold metal4 ,one of the seamen1 endeavouring to change the size of the eye of the splice in his tack-rope1 put the marling spike1 after the true sailor fashion1 into his mouth2 the result was that he lost a great portion of his lips and tongue4' ,we hear frequent jokes of the partiality of the ,russians for tallow candles1 and1 like all inhabitants of the polar regions1 the ,esquimaux are very fond of fat1 the physiology of their craving for fat is now known to everybody4 ,my esteemed friend1 the late ,mr4 ,hooper1 one of the officers of ,h4,m4,s4 ,plover1 in his account of his residence on the shores of ,arctic ,america1 states1 that #8one of the ladies who visited them was presented1 as a jest1 with a small tallow candle1 called a purser's dip4 ,it was1 notwithstanding1 a very pleasant joke to the damsel1 who deliberately munched it up with evident relish1 and finally1 drew the wick between her set teeth to clean off any remaining morsels of fat4' ,he gives also in detail1 the history of a ,tuski repast of the most sumptuous nature1 to which he and his companions were invited1 and ,i must find room for some portion of it4 #8,first was brought in1 on a huge wooden tray1 a number of small fish1 uncooked1 but intensely frozen4 ,at these all the natives set to work1 and we essayed1 somewhat ruefully it must be confessed1 to follow their example2 but1 being all unused to such gastronomic process1 found ourselves1 as might be expected1 rather at a loss how to commence4 ,from this dilemma1 however1 our host speedily extricated us1 by practical demonstration of the correct mode of action2 and1 under his certainly very able tuition1 we shortly became more expert4 ,but1 alas6 a new difficulty was soon presented2 our native companions1 we presume1 either made a hasty bolt of each morsel1 or had1 perhaps1 a relish for the flavour of the viands now under consideration4 ,not so ourselves--it was sadly repugnant to our palates2 for1 aided by the newly-acquired knowledge that the fish were in the same condition as when taken from the water1 uncleaned and unembowelled1 we speedily discovered that we could neither bolt nor retain the fragments1 which1 by the primitive aid of teeth and nails1 we had rashly detached for our piscatorial share4 ,it was to no purpose that our host pressed us to #8fall to2' we could not manage the consumption of this favourite preparation 7or rather lack thereof71 and succeeded with difficulty in evading his earnest solicitations4 ,the next course was a mess of green stuff1 looking as if carefully chopped up1 and this was also hard frozen4 ,to it was added a lump of blubber1 which the lady presiding1 who did all the carving1 dexterously cut into slices with a knife like a cheesemonger's1 and apportioned out at different quarters of the huge tray before mentioned1 which was used throughout the meal1 together with a modicum of the grass-like stuff1 to the company2 the only distinction in favour of the strangers and guests of high degree being1 that their slices were cut much thinner than for the rest4 ,we tasted this compound1 and 444 we didn't like it3 at this no one will wonder--the blubber speaks for itself2 and the other stuff1 which really was not very unpalatable1 we discovered in after-times to be the unruminated food of reindeer which had been slaughtered--at least1 so we were told3 but ,i am not quite clear on this point4 ,our dislike to the dish had no offensive effect upon our host1 who only seemed to be astonished at our strange want of taste1 and1 with the rest of the guests1 soon cleared the board2 the managing dame putting the finishing stroke by a rapid sweep of her not too scrupulously clean fingers over the dish1 by way of clearing off the fragments to prepare for the reception of the next delicacy4 ,after this interesting operation she conveyed her digits to her mouth1 and1 engulfing them for a brief period1 withdrew them1 quite in apple pie order once more4 ,the board was now again replenished1 this time with viands less repellent to our unnurtured tastes4 ,boiled seal and walrus flesh appeared1 and our hospitable friends were greatly relieved when they beheld us assist in the consumption of these items1 which1 being utterly devoid of flavour1 were distasteful only from their extreme toughness and mode of presentation2 but we did not1 of course1 desire to appear too singular or squeamish4 ,next came a portion of whale's flesh1 or rather whale's skin4 ,this was perfectly ebony in hue1 and we discovered some apprehensions respecting its fitness as an article of food2 but our fears were groundless4 ,it was cut and re-cut crosswise into diminutive cubes2 venturing upon one of which we were agreeably surprised to find it possessing a cocoa-nut flavour1 like which it also cut1 #8very short2' indeed1 so much astonished were we on this occasion1 that we had consumed a very considerable number of these cubes1 and with great relish too1 before we recovered from our wonder4 ,the dish was ever afterwards a favourite with me4 ,on its disappearance1 a very limited quantity of boiled reindeer meat1 fresh and fat1 was served up1 to which we did ample justice2 then came portions of the gum of the whale1 in which the ends of the bone lay still embedded2 and ,i do not hesitate to declare that this was perfectly delicious1 its flavour being1 as nearly as ,i can find a parallel1 like that of cream cheese4 ,this1 which the ,tuski call their sugar1 was the wind-up to the repast and ourselves1 and we were fain to admit that1 after the rather unpleasant auspices with which our feast commenced1 the finale was by no means to be contemned4' ,a merchant at a banquet to which he was invited with several respectable ,greenlanders1 counted the following dishes3--,dried herrings2 dried seal's flesh2 the same boiled2 half-raw1 or putrid seal's flesh1 called ,mikiak2 boiled auks2 part of a whale's tail in a half-putrid state1 which was considered as a principal dish2 dried salmon2 dried reindeer venison2 preserves of crow-berries mixed with the chyle from the maw of the reindeer2 and lastly1 the same enriched with train oil4 ,dr4 ,kane1 enumerating arctic delicacies1 says1 #8,our journeys have taught us the wisdom of the ,esquimaux appetite1 and there are few among us who do not relish a slice of raw blubber or a chunk of frozen walrus-beef4 ,the liver of a walrus 7awuktanuk71 eaten with little slices of his fat--of a verity it is a delicious morsel4 ,fire would ruin the curt1 pithy expression of vitality which belongs to its uncooked juices4 ,charles ,lamb's roast pig was nothing to awuktanuk4 ,i wonder that raw beef is not eaten at home4 ,deprived of extraneous fibre1 it is neither indigestible nor difficult to masticate4 ,with acids and condiments1 it makes a salad which an educated palate cannot help relishing2 and as a powerful and condensed heat-making and antiscorbutic food1 it has no rival4 ,i make this last broad assertion after carefully testing its truth4 ,the natives of ,south ,greenland prepare themselves for a long journey in the cold by a course of frozen seal4 ,at ,upernavik they do the same with the narwhal1 which is thought more heat-making than the seal2 while the bear1 to use their own expression1 is #8stronger travel than all4' ,in ,smith's ,sound1 where the use of raw meat seems almost inevitable from the modes of living of the people1 walrus holds the first rank4 ,certainly this pachyderm1 whose finely-condensed tissue and delicately-permeating fat--7oh6 call it not blubber7--assimilate it to the ox1 is beyond all others1 and is the very best fuel a man can swallow4 ,it became our constant companion whenever we could get it2 and a frozen liver upon our sledge was valued far above the same weight of pemmican4' ,mr4 ,augustus ,petermann1 in a paper upon ,animal ,life in the ,arctic ,regions1 read before the ,royal ,geographical ,society1 thus enumerates the food resources3-- #8,though several classes of the animal creation1 as for example1 the reptiles1 are entirely wanting in this region1 those of the mammals1 birds1 and fishes1 at least1 bear comparison both as to number and size with those of the ,tropics3 the lion1 the elephant1 the hippopotamus1 and others not being more notable in the latter respect than the polar bear1 the musk ox1 the walrus1 and1 above all1 the whale4 ,besides these1 there are the moose1 the reindeer1 the wolf1 the polar hare1 the seal1 and various smaller quadrupeds4 ,the birds consist chiefly of an immense number of aquatic birds4 ,of fishes1 the salmon1 salmon trout1 and herring1 are the principal1 the latter especially crowding in such myriads as to surpass everything of that kind found in tropical regions4 #8,nearly all these animals furnish wholesome food for men4 ,they are1 with few exceptions1 distributed over the entire regions3 their number1 however1 or the relative intensity of the individuals1 is very different in different parts4 ,thus1 on the ,american side1 we find the animals decreasing in number from east to west4 ,on the shores of ,davis' ,straits1 in ,baffin's ,bay1 ,lancaster ,sound1 ,regent ,inlet1 c41 much less in number are met with than in ,boothia ,felix1 and ,parry groups4 ,the abundance of animal life in ,melville ,island and ,victoria ,channel1 is probably not surpassed in any other part on the ,american side4 ,proceeding westward to the ,russian possessions1 we find considerable numbers of animals all round and within the sea of ,kamtschatka1 as also to the north of ,behring's ,straits4 ,the yearly produce of the ,russian ,fur ,company1 in ,america1 is immense1 and formerly it was much greater4 ,pribylon1 when he discovered the small islands named after him1 collected1 within two years1 #b1jjj skins of sea otters1 #dj1jjj sea bears1 7ursine seals17 #f1jjj dark sea foxes1 and #a1jjj walrus-teeth4 ,ltke1 in his ,voyage ,round the ,world1 mentions that1 in the year #ahjc1 #hjj1jjj skins of the ursine seal alone were accumulated in ,unataski1 one of the depts of the ,russian ,fur ,company1 #gjj1jjj of which were thrown into the sea1 partly because they were badly prepared1 and partly to keep up the prices4 ,but in no other part of the arctic zoological region is animal life so abundant as in the northern parts of ,siberia1 especially between the ,rivers ,kolyma and ,lena4 #8,the first animals that make their appearance after the dreary winter1 are large flights of swans1 geese1 ducks1 and snipes2 these are killed by old and young4 ,fish also begin to be taken in nets and baskets placed under the ice4 #8,in ,june1 however1 when the river opens1 the fish pour in in immense numbers4 ,at the beginning of this century1 several thousand geese were sometimes killed in one day at the mouth of the ,river ,kolyma4 ,about twenty years later1 when ,admiral ,wrangel visited those regions1 the numbers had somewhat decreased1 and it was then called a good season when #a1jjj geese1 #e1jjj ducks1 and #bjj swans were killed at that place4 ,the reindeer chase forms the next occupation for the inhabitants4 ,about the same time1 the shoals of herrings begin to ascend the rivers1 and the multitudes of these fish are often such that1 in three or four days1 #dj1jjj may be taken with a single net4 #8,on the banks of the ,river ,indejiska the number of swans and geese resorting there in the moulting season1 is said to be much greater even than on the ,river ,kolyma4' ,the choicest dish of the ,greenlanders is the flesh of the reindeer4 ,but as those animals have now become extremely scarce1 and several of them are soon consumed by a hunting party1 they are indebted to the sea for their permanent sustenance1 seals1 fish1 and sea-fowl4 ,hares and partridges are in no great estimation as delicacies4 ,the head and fins of the seal are preserved under the grass in summer1 and in winter a whole seal is frequently buried in the snow4 ,the flesh1 half frozen1 half putrid1 in which state the ,greenlanders term it mikiak1 is eaten with the keenest appetite4 ,the ribs are dried in the air and laid up in store4 ,the remaining parts of the seal1 as well as birds and small fishes1 are eaten1 well boiled or stewed with a small quantity of sea-water4 ,on the capture of a seal1 the wound is immediately stopped up to preserve the blood1 which is rolled into balls like forcemeat4 ,the intestines of small animals are eaten without any further preparation than that of pressing out the contents between the fingers4 ,they set a great value on what they find in the reindeer's maw1 making it into a dish which they call ,nerukak 7the eatable71 and send presents of it to their friends4 ,the entrails of the rypeu1 mixed with fresh train oil and berries1 compose another mess which they consider as a consummate delicacy4 ,their preserves for winter are composed of fresh1 rotten and half-hatched eggs1 crake berries1 and angelica1 thrown together into a sack of seal skin1 filled up with train oil4 ,they likewise suck out the fat from the skins of sea-fowls2 and1 in dressing seal skins1 they scrape off the grease which could not well be separated in the skinning1 to make a kind of pancake4 ,in the second voyage of ,sir ,john ,ross to the arctic regions1 it is related of the steward1 that he purchased a sledge of the ,esquimaux1 and on examining it1 it was found to be made of salmon1 with skins sewed over them2 but the cross pieces were the leg bones of the reindeer4 ,it was not an erroneous conjecture of some of the crew1 that when these poor creatures are driven to extremity for food1 they turn to and make a dainty meal of their sledges1 as1 with the exception of the reindeer bones1 the whole of them is eatable4 ,when we refer to the description which the late ,sir ,john ,franklin gives of the different articles of food by which he and his party were maintained1 the component parts of the sledge of an ,esquimaux would1 under circumstances of extreme want1 be considered a real dainty4 ,there cannot be any comparison between a meal of tripe de roche and the stinking marrow of a reindeer bone1 and a piece of dried salmon1 which by its exposure to the frost has been kept from putridity2 indeed1 the epicures amongst the ,esquimaux do not hesitate to declare1 that the flavor of the salmon is rather enhanced by its long keeping1 on the same principle we suppose that the flavour of game of this country rises in the estimation of the epicure in proportion as the bird or animal approaches to putridity4 ,at all events1 it must be a novel and curious exhibition1 to observe a party of ,esquimaux cutting up a sledge1 and carving out pieces of salmon1 according to their respective tastes1 and seasoning them with some of the oil extracted from the blubber of the whale4 ,the latter condiment is to the ,esquimaux what ,burgess' anchovy is to the citizen of ,london2 and instances are not rare1 in which an ,esquimaux has been known to devour four pounds of seal flesh1 or of salmon1 well soaked in whale oil1 at one meal1 with about half-a-gallon of water as the beverage4 ,much of the animal food comes frozen to the markets of ,st4 ,petersburg4 ,the sledges which bring it are used as stalls to sell it4 ,the matting is thrown aside1 and the poultry and frozen carcases are arranged so as to attract buyers4 ,whole sledge loads of snow-white hares find their way to the market4 ,the little animals are usually frozen in a running position1 with their ears pointed1 and their legs stretched out before and behind1 and when placed on the ground1 look at a first glance as if they were in the act of escaping from the hunter4 ,bear's flesh is also sometimes offered for sale in the market1 and here and there may be seen a frozen reindeer lying in the snow1 by the side of a booth1 its hairy snout stretched forth upon the ground1 its knees doubled up under its body1 and its antlers rising majestically into the air4 ,it looks as if on our approaching it1 it would spring up and dash away once more in search of its native forests4 ,the mighty elk is likewise no rare guest in this market1 where it patiently presents its antlers as a perch for the pigeons that are fluttering about1 till1 little by little1 the axe and the saw have left no fragment of the stately animal1 but every part of the carcase has gone its way into the kitchens of the wealthy4 ,the geese are cut up1 and the heads1 necks1 legs1 and carcases sold separately by the dozen1 or half dozen1 strung upon small cords4 ,those who cannot afford to dine on the breast of a goose1 purchase a string of frozen heads1 or a few dozen of webbed feet1 to boil down into soup4 ,the frozen oxen1 calves1 and goats1 stand around in rows4 ,sucking pigs are a favourite delicacy with the ,russians4 ,hundreds of these1 in their frozen state1 are seen ranged about the sledges1 mingled with large frozen hogs4 ,the bones and meat being all rendered equally hard by the frost1 the animals are sawn up into a number of slices1 of an inch or two in thickness1 and by this operation a quantity of animal sawdust is scattered on the snow1 and afterwards gathered up by poor children1 who haunt the market for that purpose4 ,fish1 which is offered for sale1 is sawn and sold in the same frozen condition4#c #8,if one is to judge from the restaurants at ,moscow1' writes a correspondent of the ,times1 #8there is no better place in the world to come to in order to try the temper4 ,the best of them is dear and bad beyond comparison1 and the only things good are the wine and the bread4 ,it must be admitted that the latter is excellent1 light1 sweet1 white1 and wholesome1 and our ,london bakers would do well if they came to ,moscow for an apprenticeship in the art of making bread4 ,it is very hard to have to pay #al4 for cabbage soup1 filet du cheval1 a bit of bad fish1 one stewed pear1 and a bottle of light ,french wine2 but it is harder still to wait for twenty minutes between every dish1 while leaden-eyed waiters are staring at you with a mixture of contempt and compassion because of your ignorance of the ,russian tongue4 ,tired1 cross1 and dyspeptic1 the stranger seeks a ,russian dining room where the arts of ,french cookery have never been employed to render bad meat still worse4 ,there1 amid the odours of tobacco--for a ,russian not being able to smoke in the streets makes up for it chez lui--you resign yourself to an unknown bill of fare and the caprices of your bearded attendant4 ,it is fair to say of the said waiter1 that he is clad in a milk-white and scrupulously clean robe1 which descends in easy folds from his neck to his heels1 so that he looks like a very high priest of the deity of gastronomy1 and that you need not be as uneasy about his fingers and hands as you have good cause to be at the ,russo-,french restaurants4 ,first you will be presented with a huge bowl of cabbage soup1 a kind of pot-au-feu1 which must be eaten1 however1 with several odd adjuncts1 such as cakes stuffed with chopped vegetables1 a dish of guelots1 chopped fat1 fried brown and crisp1 and lastly a large ewer full of sour milk4 ,then comes a vol-au-vent of fowl and toad-stools4 ,next1 if you are alive1 porosenok1 or a boiled sucking pig1 with tart sauce2 then a very nasty little fish1 much prized in ,moscow1 and called sterlet2 a fid of roast beef and a dish of birds about the size of pigeons1 called guillemots2 a compote of fruit closes the meal4 ,i have forgotten to say how it begins4 ,before dinner a tray is laid out with caviare1 raw salt herrings1 raw ham and sardines1 bottles of brandy1 vodka1 anisette1 and doppel kmmel1 a sweet spirit with a flavour of mint4 ,it is de rigueur to eat some of this1 and as the caviare is generally good1 it is the best part of the dinner4' ,the ,governor of ,cape ,coast ,castle1 in his official report to the ,colonial ,office1 in #ahef1 speaking of the food and cooking in the interior1 remarks3--#8,an officer of government1 who has been about two years here1 says1 that he reckons he has eaten1 during that time1 #gjj fowls1 it being difficult at out-stations to cater in anything else but fowls4 #8,in cooking1 the natives seem to have almost a homeopathic prepossession for trituration4 ,they pound and grind by hand labour1 between stones1 their maize1 and bake it2 so with their yams1 and1 ,i believe1 cassada2 they pound also their plantains and make soup of them4 #8,fish with a strong flavour and snails are favorites4 ,the latter grow to a large1 ,i had almost said formidable1 size4 ,i have in my possession the shell of one which ,i found buried about a foot in the ground1 within a few yards of ,government house1 and which measures in length about five inches1 and in circumference1 in the widest part1 about seven inches4 ,a collection of these snails was once sent to me as a compliment1 but ,i need hardly say1 that ,i cannot speak of their taste from experience1 though ,i do not know why ,i should not as well as ,i can of land crabs1 which1 when properly cooked1 are1 ,i think1 general favorites with us4 ,on the subject of cooking1 ,i may observe1 that the country cooked dishes 7if of materials of a nature1 and in a state1 admitted in the category of our edibles7 brought to table in the black native-made earthen pots in which they are cooked on the fire1 are almost without exception favorites with the ,europeans4' ,the ,african ,bushmen1 who have few or no cattle1 live upon what they can get4 ,hunger compels them to eat every thing1 roots1 bulbs1 wild garlic1 the core of aloes1 the gum of acacias1 berries1 the larv of ants1 lizards1 locusts1 and grasshoppers--all are devoured by these poor wanderers of the desert4 ,nothing comes amiss to them4 ,the principal diet of the ,kaffir is milk1 which he eats rather than drinks in a sour and curdled state4 ,one good meal a day1 taken in the evening1 consisting of the curdled milk and a little millet1 is almost all that he requires1 and with this he is strong1 vigorous1 and robust1 proving that large quantities of animal food are by no means necessary for the sustenance of the human frame4 ,singularly enough a ,kaffir1 like a ,jew1 will never touch pork4 ,to him it is unclean1 though why he thinks so ,i suspect he cannot tell4 ,fish is likewise abstained from by him1 as it is said to have been by the ,egyptian priesthood4 ,yet with these antipathies he will eat the flesh of an ox1 cooked or raw1 when he can obtain it1 not excepting portions of the animal from which one would imagine he would turn away with disgust4 ,to such tribes as the ,shangalla negroes1 occupying the wild tracts bordering on ,abyssinia1 roots are their daily food1 and locusts and lizards their luxuries4 ,the ,indians of ,brazil do not reject any kind of food1 and devour it almost without being cooked2 rats and other small vermin1 snakes1 and alligators1 are all accepted4 ,the aborigines of ,australia live chiefly on the native animals they can procure--the kangaroo1 the wallaby1 bandicoot1 kangaroo rat1 opossum1 and wombat2 every bird and bird's egg that can be procured2 and in the case of tribes near the sea1 cray-fish1 and shell-fish1 form the staple article of their diet4 ,under the influence of ,christianity1 the fish1 flesh1 or fowl1 which the ,pacific ,islanders previously regarded as incarnations of their gods1 are now eaten without suspicion or alarm4 ,one1 for instance1 saw his god in the eel1 another in the shark1 another in the turtle1 another in the dog1 another in the owl1 another in the lizard2 and so on throughout all the fish of the sea1 and birds1 and four-footed beasts1 and creeping things4 ,in some of the shell-fish1 even1 gods were supposed to be present4 ,a man would eat freely of what was regarded as the incarnation of the god of another man1 but the incarnation of his own particular god he would consider it death to injure or to eat4 ,the god was supposed to avenge the insult by taking up his abode in that person's body1 and causing to generate diseases4 ,the ,sonthal1 or lowlander of ,bengal1 being unfettered by caste1 eats without scruple his cow or buffalo beef1 his kids1 poultry1 pork1 or pigeons1 and is not over particular as to whether the animals have been slain1 have died a natural death1 or have been torn by wild animals4 ,when the more substantial good things of life1 such as meat and poultry are scarce1 he does not refuse to eat snakes1 ants1 frogs1 and field rats4 ,in ,eastern ,tibet regular meals are not in vogue2 the members of a family do not assemble to dine together1 but #8eat when they're hungry1 drink when they're dry4' #8,we remember1' says a writer in ,blackwood1 #8to have heard a graphic description of the ,tibetan cuisine1 from a humorous shikaree1 or native ,nimrod of our ,himalayan provinces4 ,the ,bhoteea folk 7he said7 have a detestable way of eating4 ,they take a large cooking pot full of water1 and put in it meat1 bread1 rice1 and what not1 and set it on the fire1 where it is always a-simmering4 ,when hungry1 they go and fish out a cupful of whatever comes uppermost1 perhaps1 six or seven times a day4 ,strangers are served in the same way4 ,if a man gets hold of a bone1 he picks it1 wipes his hands on his dress1 and chucks it back into the pot4 ,so with all crumbs and scraps1 back they go into the pot1 and thus the never-ending still-beginning mess stews on4' ,if we visit ,burmah1 we find there a rather indiscriminate use of all that can satiate the appetite1 without much regard to selection4 ,immense quantities of pressed fish are prepared1 called gnapee1 which constitutes a main article of their diet4 ,in some cases the fish is washed and pounded1 and this description generally consists of prawns4 ,in the coarser sorts the pieces of fish are entire1 half putrid1 half pickled4 ,they are all fetid and offensive to ,europeans4 ,a kind of red ant is eaten fried1 or with their dried fish1 and a worm1 which in the lower provinces of ,burmah is found in the heart of a shrub1 is considered such a delicacy1 that every month a great quantity is sent to the capital to be served up at the table of the emperor4 ,it is eaten either fried or roasted4 ,according to ,sir ,john ,bowring1 the ,chinese have no prejudices whatever as regards food2 they eat anything and everything from which they can derive nutrition4 ,dogs1 especially puppies1 are habitually sold as food4 ,in the butchers' shops large dogs skinned and hanging with their viscera1 may be seen by the side of pigs and goats4 ,even to the flesh of monkeys and snakes they have no objection4 ,the sea slug is an aristocratic and costly delicacy1 which is never wanting1 any more than the edible birds-nests1 at a feast where honour is intended to be done to the guests4 ,these birds-nests are worth twice their weight in silver4 ,they are glutinous compositions formed by a kind of swallow1 in vast clusters1 found in ,java1 ,sumatra1 and the rocky islets of the ,indian ,archipelago4 ,dried sharks' fins and fish maws are also highly prized4 ,but while the rich fare sumptuously1 the mass of the poor subsist on the veriest garbage4 ,the heads of fowls1 their entrails and fat1 with every scrap of digestible animal matter1 earth-worms1 sea reptiles of all kinds1 mice1 and other vermin are greedily devoured4 ,lots of black frogs1 in half dozens1 tied together1 are exposed for sale in shallow troughs of water4 ,the hind-quarters of a horse will be seen hung up in a butcher's shop1 with the recommendation of a whole leg attached4 ,unhatched ducks and chickens are a favorite dish4 ,nor do the early stages of putrefaction create any disgust4 ,rotten eggs are by no means condemned to perdition4 ,fish is the more acceptable when it has a strong fragrance and flavour to give more gusto to the rice1 which forms the two meals of the population1 morning and evening4 ,in the shops1 fat pork chops will be found dried and varnished to the colour of mahogany1 suspended with dry pickled ducks' gizzards1 and strings of sausages cured by exposure to the sun4 ,in ,hong ,kong1 rice with salt fish and fat pork is the principal article of ,chinese diet2 and for drink1 tea and hot samshew1 a spirit distilled from rice1 and very unpalatable to ,europeans4 ,nearly all the beasts of the forest are eaten by the ,dyaks of ,borneo2 even monkeys1 alligators 7if small71 snakes1 and other reptiles are esteemed4 ,like the ,french1 they regard frogs as a delicate dish1 and bestow considerable pains in procuring them4 ,the ,greenlanders1 although they do not usually eat their meat raw1 have a superstitious custom1 on every capture1 of cutting out a piece of the raw flesh and drinking the warm blood4 ,and the woman who skins the seal1 gives a couple of pieces of the fat to each of the female spectators4 ,an ,european writer states1 that he frequently followed the example of the ,greenlanders in the chase1 and assuaged his hunger by eating a piece of raw reindeer's flesh2 nor did he find it very hard of digestion1 but it satisfied his appetite much less than cooked meat4 ,the inhabitants of the high table-lands of ,abyssinia1 are also accustomed to eat raw flesh--the climate being as cold as that of the northern parts of ,scotland4 ,my friend1 ,mr4 ,c4 ,johnston1 in his travels in that country1 thus puts in a plea for the practice by the ,abyssinians4 ,in a country but poorly wooded1 the chief supply of fuel being the dung of cattle1 an instinctive feeling1 dependent upon the pleasures of a state of warmth1 has taught the ,abyssinians that the flesh of animals eaten raw1 is a source of great physical enjoyment1 by the cordial and warming effects upon the system produced by its digestion1 and to which ,i am convinced bon vivants more civilized than the ,abyssinians would resort1 if placed in their situation4 ,travellers who have witnessed their brunde feasts1 can attest the intoxicating effects of this kind of food1 and they must have been astonished at the immense quantities that can be eaten in the raw state1 compared to that when the meat is cooked1 and at the insensibility which it sometimes produces4 ,eating raw meat1 which among the ,esquimaux is for the most part an absolute necessity1 by the ,abyssinians is considered a luxury1 or in fact1 as a kind of dissipation2 for eating it in that state is only indulged in by them at festivals1 and it is then taken as a means of enjoyment1 and is not more barbarous or disgusting than getting tipsy upon strong drinks4#d ,another writer on #8,life in ,abyssinia1' thus describes the native mode of eating meat4--#8,there is usually a piece of meat to every five or six persons1 among whom arises some show of ceremony as to which of them shall first help himself2 this being at length decided1 the person chosen takes hold of the meat with his left hand1 and with his sword or knife cuts a strip a foot or fifteen inches long1 from the part which appears the nicest and tenderest4 ,the others then help themselves in like manner4 ,if ,i should fail in describing the scene which now follows1 ,i must request the aid of the reader's imagination4 ,let him picture to himself thirty or forty ,abyssinians1 stripped to their waists1 squatting round the low tables1 each with his sword1 knife1 or #8shotel' in his hand1 some eating1 some helping themselves1 and some waiting their turn1 but all bearing in their features the expression of that fierce gluttony which one attributes more to the lion or leopard than to the race of ,adam4 ,the imagination may be much assisted by the idea of the lumps of raw pink and blue flesh they are gloating over4 ,but ,i have yet to describe how they eat the strip of meat which ,i have just made one of the party cut off4 ,a quantity of #8dillikh' or #8aou-a-z' being laid on his bread1 he dips one end of the meat into it1 and then1 seizing it between his teeth1 while he holds the other end in his left hand1 he cuts a bit off close to his lips by an upward stroke of his sword1 only just avoiding the tip of his nose1 and so on till he has finished the whole strip4' ,australian delicacies are somewhat different to our own4 ,the flying-fox 7,pteropus71 an animal of the bat family1 which makes sad havoc at night among the fruit trees of the colonists1 is in return shot down without mercy4 ,their flesh is delicate1 and they are almost invariably very fat1 but owing to the demoniac appearance of their black leathery wings1 and to the prejudice which this appearance excites1 they are seldom eaten by the settlers4 ,travellers in the wilderness1 however1 are frequently indebted for a hearty meal to their success in bringing down these creatures4 ,the burrowing wombat1 or native pig1 which feeds chiefly on roots1 is not deemed bad food4 ,when divested of its fur and tough skin1 its flesh1 although red and coarse in appearance1 resembles that of a pig in flavour1 and is usually cooked by the colonists like fresh pork would be4 ,the flesh of the porcupine ant-eater somewhat resembles that of a young sucking pig1 and is highly esteemed4 ,there are several other small quadrupeds1 including a burrowing or prairie-rat1 which1 at particular seasons1 and in certain localities in ,australia1 constitute the chief animal food of the natives4 ,the flesh of the little short-legged bandicoot is very white and delicate4 ,cooked like a rabbit1 it furnishes the sportsman's table with a splendid dish4 ,among quadrupeds1 besides the ordinary domestic fed or wild animals commonly eaten as food1 we find apes and monkeys1 the spider monkey1 the marmozet1 bats1 hedgehogs1 bears1 racoons1 badgers1 and dogs2 many of the carnivorous animals1 as foxes1 lions and tigers1 the puma1 c41 are also eaten4 ,then again we have the seal and the walrus4 ,,quadrumana4 ,african epicures esteem as one of their greatest delicacies a tender young monkey1 highly seasoned and spiced1 and baked in a jar set in the earth1 with a fire over it1 in gipsy fashion4 ,monkeys are commonly sold with parrots and the paca1 in the markets at ,rio ,janeiro4 ,the ,indians1 many negroes1 and some whites1 in ,trinidad1 eat of the flesh of the great red monkey1 and say it is delicious4 ,this1 however1 seems a semi-cannibal kind of repast--for it is the most vociferous and untameable of the ,simian tribe4 ,several species of monkey are used as food by the aboriginal inhabitants of the ,malayan peninsula4 ,as all kinds of monkeys are very destructive to his rice fields1 the ,dyak of ,borneo is equally their enemy2 and as this people esteem their flesh as an article of food1 no opportunity of destroying them is lost4 ,mr4 ,hugh ,low says1 he once saw some ,dyaks roasting a monkey1 but did not stay to observe whether they did not boil it afterwards1 as they generally partially roast these animals to free them from the hair4 ,monkeys are eaten in ,ceylon by some of the natives1 and the ,africans on the ,gold ,coast eat them1 according to the report of ,governor ,connor1 in his ,dispatch to the ,colonial ,office1 ,march #b1 #aheg4--,reports on ,colonial ,possessions1 transmitted with the ,blue ,book1 for the year #ahef4 ,in ,south ,america monkeys are ordinarily killed as game by the natives1 for the sake of their flesh2 but the appearance of these animals is so revolting to ,europeans1 that they can seldom force themselves to partake of such fare4 ,mr4 ,wallace 7,travels on the ,amazon7 says1 #8having often heard how good monkey was1 ,i had it cut up and fried for breakfast2 the meat somewhat resembled rabbit1 without any peculiar or unpleasant flavour4' ,the manner in which these animals are roasted by the natives1 as described by ,humboldt1 further contributes to render their appearance disgusting4 #8,a little grating or lattice of very hard wood is formed1 and raised a foot from the ground4 ,the monkey is skinned1 and bent into a sitting posture1 the head generally resting on the arms1 which are meagre and long2 but sometimes these are crossed behind the back4 ,when it is tied on the grating1 a very clear fire is kindled below2 the monkey1 enveloped in smoke and flame1 is broiled and blackened at the same time4 ,roasted monkeys1 particularly those that have a round head1 display a hideous resemblance to a child2 the ,europeans1 therefore1 who are obliged to feed on them1 prefer separating the head and hands1 and serve only the rest of the animal at their tables4 ,the flesh of monkeys is so dry and lean1 that ,m4 ,bonpland has preserved1 in his collection at ,paris1 an arm and hand1 which had been broiled over the fire at ,esmeralda1 and no smell arises from them after a number of years4' ,sir ,robert ,schomburgk1 in the ,journal of his expedition to the ,upper ,corentyne1 and interior of ,guiana1 when suffering the pangs of hunger1 reports that at last their ,indian hunter arrived1 with heavy step1 carrying on his shoulder a large1 black1 female spider monkey4 #8,i glanced1' he observes1 #8at ,mr4 ,goodall1 whose countenance depicted disappointment and disgust1 but which sad necessity1 and the large vacuum that two ounces of farinha must have left in his stomach1 induced him to get the better of4 ,he watched the preparations as the ,indians proceeded step by step1 first singeing off the hair from this human-like form1 and then placing it in an upright position1 with the arms crossed2 when1 the skin looking white now the hair was off1 the sight proved too much for him1 and ,i myself felt something like disgust at the meal before us4 ,the sound of a heavy body falling on the ground drew my attention to a different direction1 and to my great joy1 ,i beheld a fine young forest deer1 over which young ,ammon stood1 leaning on his gun with proud satisfaction4 ,this was indeed1 a happy turn in our affairs4 #8,i have tasted the smaller kind of monkeys several times1 but have never partaken of one which approached so nearly to the human form as this4 ,the ,indians were less scrupulous4' ,the ateles1 as well indeed as all other ,american quadrumanes1 are esteemed as an article of food by the native ,indians2 and even ,europeans1 whom curiosity or necessity has induced to taste it1 report their flesh to be white1 juicy1 and agreeable4 ,nor is it without being strongly disposed to question the nature of the act1 that ,european sportsmen1 unaccustomed to shooting monkeys1 witness for the first time the dying struggles of these animals2 without uttering a complaint1 they silently watch the blood as it flows from the wound1 from time to time turning their eyes upon the sportsman with an expression of reproach1 which cannot be misinterpreted4 ,some travellers even go so far as to assert that the companions of the wounded individual will not only assist him to climb beyond the reach of further danger1 but will even chew leaves and apply them to the wound1 for the purpose of stopping the hemorrhage4 ,one of the spider monkeys1 the marimonda 7,ateles belzebuth1 ,desm471 is termed aru by the ,indians of the ,rio ,guiana1 and is a favourite article of food with the natives of the borders of the ,cassiquiare1 the higher ,orinoco1 and other rivers1 and its boiled limbs are commonly to be seen in their huts4 ,the howling monkeys 7,mycetes71 which are of larger size1 and fatter than some of the other species1 are in great request with the ,indians as food4 ,mr4 ,gosse states that the flavour of their flesh is like that of kid4 ,the ,aturian ,indians1 as well as those of ,esmeralda1 eat many kinds of monkeys at certain seasons of the year1 and especially the couxio1 or jacketed monkey 7,pithecia sagulati1 ,traill74 ,mr4 ,grant in his ,history of ,brazil states1 that apes and monkeys are esteemed good food by the natives4 ,the negroes and natives of ,new ,granada1 according to ,bonnycastle1 also eat the monkey4 ,to prepare this dish1 the body is scalded in order to remove the hair1 and after this operation has been performed1 it has the exact appearance of a young dead child1 and is so disgusting1 that no one1 excepting those pressed by hunger1 could partake of the repast4 ,it is not at all improbable that many savage nations who have been accused of cannibalism1 have been very unjustly charged with it1 for1 according to ,ulloa1 the appearance of the monkey of ,panama1 when ready to be cooked1 is precisely that of a human body4 ,,cheiroptera1 ,,or ,,hand-,,winged ,,animals4 ,the fox monkey or flying lemur 7,galeopithecus volans7 diffuses a rank disagreeable odour1 yet the flesh is eaten by the natives of the islands of the ,indian ,archipelago4 ,the ,dutch1 when in the island of ,mauritius are said to have been fond of the flesh of bats1 preferring it to the finest game1 but ,i have never heard the opinion corroborated there by others4 ,the ,indians of ,malabar and other parts of the ,east ,indies1 are said to eat the flesh of bats4 ,the flesh of most bats is eaten in the ,eastern ,archipelago1 and by some esteemed1 being compared to that of hare or partridge in flavour4 ,the flesh of the largest and most common1 the black-bellied roussette 7,pteropus edulis1 ,geoff471 has a musky odour1 but is esteemed by the natives4 ,they catch them in bags at the end of a pole4 ,fancy a great frightful animal like a weasel1 with wings two feet in length1 being served up at table4 ,still they must be palatable1 since one species has thus been named by naturalists1 #8the eatable' bat4 ,the flesh is stated to be white1 delicate1 and remarkably tender1 and is regarded by the inhabitants of ,timor as a dainty4 ,the body is ten inches long1 covered with close and shining black hair1 and the extended wings are about four feet4 ,,carnivora4 ,carnivorous animals1--the terrible wild hunters of the forests and deserts1--are themselves preyed upon by man4 ,the low ,arabs do not object to the flesh of the hyena1 although the smell of the carcase is so rank and offensive1 that even dogs leave it with disgust1 yet their own voracious kindred obligingly gobble them up4 ,even that pestilential animal the pole-cat1 or skunk1 falls a prey to the voracity of hungry men4 ,when care is taken not to soil the carcase with any of the strong smelling fluid exuded by the animal1 the meat is considered by the natives of ,north ,america to be excellent food4 ,they eat foxes in ,italy1 where they are sold dear1 and thought fit for the table of a cardinal4 ,mr4 ,kennedy1 a recent voyager to the arctic regions1 speaks of the delicacy of a fox pie1 which was pronounced by competent authorities in his mess to be equal to rabbit2 but then he honestly admits1 that there were others to whom it suggested uncomfortable reminiscences of dead cats1 and who generally preferred the opposite side of the table1 when the dish made its appearance4 ,this repugnance is even shared by the brute creation1 for although ,esquimaux dogs may kill a fox1 they will not eat him4 ,this is the more extraordinary1 as they are the most voracious and dirty-feeding animals known2 nothing they can possibly get at being safe4 ,buffalo robes1 seal skins1 their own harness1 even boots1 shoes1 clothes1 and dish cloths are sure to be destroyed4 ,the prairie wolf is eaten by the ,indians of ,north ,america4 ,the flesh of the sloth is devoured with great avidity by the natives of ,demerara2 and that of the lion by the ,hottentots1 while a tribe of ,arabs between ,tunis and ,algeria1 according to ,blumenbach1 live almost entirely upon its flesh4 ,the natives of the ,malay ,peninsula eat the flesh of the tiger1 believing it to be a sovereign specific for all diseases1 besides imparting to him who partakes of it the courage and sagacity of the animal4 ,some people have ventured to eat the cujuacura or ,american panther1 and say it is very delicate food2 and the flesh of the wild cat of ,louisiana is said to be good to eat4 ,the flesh of the cougar or puma 7,felis concolor71 a fierce carnivorous animal1 is eaten in ,central ,america1 and is said to be agreeable food4 ,the injunction of ,st4 ,paul1 #8to eat what is set before us1 and ask no questions for conscience sake1' would hardly be a safe maxim in ,central ,america1 at an entertainment given #8under the greenwood tree' by the #8,ancient ,foresters' of ,honduras4 ,the sylvan dainties would not be composed of precisely the same materials as a petit din at the ,trois ,frres1 or the ,caf de ,paris4 ,mr4 ,darwin1 in his ,journal of a ,naturalist1 tells us that #8once at supper1 from something which was said1 ,i was suddenly struck with horror at thinking ,i was eating one of the favourite dishes of the country1 namely1 a half formed calf1 long before its proper time of birth4 ,it turned out to be puma2 the meat is very white1 and remarkably like veal in taste4 ,dr4 ,shaw was laughed at for stating that the flesh of the lion is in great esteem1 having no small affinity with veal1 both in colour1 taste1 and flavour4 ,such certainly is the case with the puma4 ,the ,gauchos differ in their opinion1 whether the jaguar is good eating1 but are unanimous in saying that cat is excellent4' ,mr4 ,wallace1 when travelling up the ,amazon1 writes--#8,several jaguars were killed1 as ,mr4 ,c-- pays about #hs4 each for their skins4 ,one day we had some steaks at the table1 and found the meat very white and without any bad taste4 ,it appears evident to me that the common idea of the food of an animal determining the quality of its meat1 is quite erroneous4 ,domestic poultry and pigs are the most unclean animals in their food1 yet their flesh is most highly esteemed1 while rats and squirrels1 which eat only vegetable food1 are in general disrepute4 ,carnivorous fish are not less delicate eating than herbivorous ones1 and there appears no reason why some carnivorous animals should not furnish wholesome and palatable food4' ,bears' paws were long reckoned a great delicacy in ,germany1 for some authors tell us1 that after being salted and smoked1 they were reserved for the tables of princes4 ,in ,north ,america1 bears' flesh was formerly considered equal to pork1 the meat having a flavour between beef and pork2 and the young cubs were accounted the finest eating in the world4 ,dr4 ,brooke1 in his ,natural ,history1 adds--#8,most of the planters prefer bears' flesh to beef1 veal1 pork1 and mutton4 ,the fat is as white as snow1 and extremely sweet and wholesome1 for if a man drinks a quart of it at a time1 when melted1 it will never rise on his stomach6 ,it is of very great use for the frying of fish and other things1 and is greatly preferred to butter4' ,tastes have naturally altered since this was written1 nearly a century ago1 and it would be somewhat difficult to carry on the sport of bear hunting on the extensive scale then practised1 when we are told #ejj bears were killed in two of the counties in ,virginia in one winter4 ,the ,indians seem to have shared largely in the sport and spoils of the chase1 for at their subsequent feast1 the largest bear was served up as the first course1 and they #8roasted him whole1 entrails1 skin and all1 in the same manner as they would barbecue a hog4' ,as the paws of the bear were held to be the most delicious morsels about him1 so the head was thought to be the worst1 and always thrown away2 but the tongue and hams are still in repute4 ,the white bear is eaten by the ,esquimaux and the ,danes of ,greenland2 and when young1 and cooked after the manner of beef steaks1 is by no means to be despised1 although rather insipid2 the fat1 however1 ought to be avoided1 as unpleasant to the palate4 ,the flesh of the badger 7,taxus vulgaris1 ,desm47 is said to be good eating1 and to taste like that of a boar4 ,the omnivorous and thrifty ,chinese eat it1 as indeed they do that of the flesh of most animals1 and consider its hams a very great dainty4 ,many nations consider the flesh of the dog excellent4 ,the ,greeks ate it2 and ,hippocrates was convinced that it was a light and wholesome food4 ,the common people of ,rome also ate it4 ,the ,turks and some of the ,asiatic citizens would thank any one who would rid the thoroughfares of the tribes of dogs which infest the streets and courts2 and there is a reward given for their slaughter4 ,fine feasts might be made of them by those who liked them1 while the skins would come in for dog-skin gloves4 ,many of the ,south ,sea islanders fatten dogs for eating1 but these live wholly on vegetable food4 ,the domestic dog of ,china is uniformly one variety1 about the size of a moderate spaniel1 of a pale yellow1 and occasionally a black colour1 with coarse bristly hair on the back1 sharp upright ears1 and peaked head1 not unlike a fox's1 with a tail curled over the rump4 ,in ,china1 the dog is fattened for the table1 and the flesh of dogs is as much liked by them as mutton is by us2 being exposed for sale by their butchers1 and in their cook-shops4 ,at ,canton1 the hind quarters of dogs are seen hanging up in the most prominent parts of the shops exposed for sale4 ,they are considered by the ,chinese as a most dainty food1 and are consumed by both rich and poor4 ,the breeds common in that country are apparently peculiar to itself1 and they are objects of more attention to their owners than elsewhere in ,asia4 ,the ,celestials1 perhaps1 having an eye to their tender haunches1 which bad treatment would toughen and spoil4#e ,the ,africans of ,zanzibar hold a stew of puppies1 as amongst us in the days of ,charles the ,second1 as a dish fit for a monarch4 ,the ,australian native dog or dingo1 in aspect and colour resembling a fox1 is hunted down by the colonists owing to its depredations among the flocks4 ,the flesh even of this animal is eaten by the blacks4 ,the aborigines are often driven for subsistence to the most wretched food1 as snakes and other reptiles1 grubs1 lizards1 and the larv of the white ant4 ,when they do obtain better food1 they prepare it with more care than might be expected4 ,in cooking fish1 they wrap it in soft bark and place it in hot ashes4 ,by this process an acid from the bark is communicated to the fish1 which gives it a most agreeable flavour4 ,a traveller in the ,sandwich ,islands1 relating his experience1 says1--#8,near every place at table was a fine young dog1 the flesh of which was declared to be excellent by all who partook of it4 ,to my palate its taste was what ,i can imagine would result from mingling the flavour of pig and lamb2 and ,i did not hesitate to make my dinner of it1 in spite of some qualms at the first mouthful4 ,i must confess1 when ,i reflected that the puppy now trussed up before us1 might have been the affectionate and frolicsome companion of some ,hawaiian fair--they all have pet pigs or puppies--,i felt as if dog-eating were only a low grade of cannibalism4 ,what eat poor ,ponto8-- #8,the poor dog1 in life the firmest friend1 ,the first to welcome1 foremost to defend2 ,whose honest heart is still his master's own2 ,who labours1 fights1 lives1 breathes for him alone4 ,unhonoured falls1 unnoticed all his worth-- ,denied in heaven the soul he held on earth4' #8,however1 the edible dog is not one of your common curs1 but a dainty animal1 fed exclusively on vegetables1 chiefly taro 7a root71 in the form of po 7dough71 and at the age of two years is considered a dish wherewith to regale royalty4 ,indeed1 the ,sandwich ,island monarch1 ,i suspect1 would be always well satisfied to see it before him1 in spite of the assertion of ,dr4 ,kidd1 that #8it is worthy of consideration that the flesh of those animals1 of whose living services we stand hourly in need1 as the horse and the dog1 are so unpalatable1 that we are not tempted to eat them unless in cases of dreadful necessity4' ,the doctor probably never assisted at a native lua or feast1 or associated with the trappers upon the prairies of the ,far ,west4'#f ,mr4 ,john ,dunn1 in his ,history of the ,oregon ,territory1 tells a story of a ,canadian cook1 who1 wishing to do honour to a dear and respected friend1 whom he had been dining with on board his ship1 studied long what he could get good enough to set before him1 and at last bethought him of dog1 which is1 or was1 a favourite dish among ,canadian voyageurs or boatmen4 ,at the banquet the old boatswain ate heartily of it1 as did the cook4 ,after he had done1 the cook enquired how he had enjoyed his dinner4 ,he said it was beautiful4 ,he then asked him whether he knew what he had been dining on8 ,he said he supposed from a goat4 #8,yes1' says the cook1 #8you have been eating from a goat with von long tail1 that don't like grass or heather4' #8,how is that8' inquired the boatswain4 #8,vy you see1' replied the cook1 #8it was my best dog you have dined from4' ,the old boatswain stormed and swore2 and then ran as fast as possible to the vessel to get a little rum for his stomach4 ,he vowed that he never again wished to dine with a ,canadian cook1 or eat pet dogs4 ,brooke1 in his ,natural ,history of ,quadrupeds1 tells us1 that #8in the southern coast of ,africa1 there are dogs that neither bark nor bite like ours1 and they are of all kinds of colours4 ,their flesh is eaten by the negroes1 who are very fond of all sorts of dogs' flesh1 and will give one of their country cows for a large mastiff4 ,i do not know what part of ,africa this refers to4 ,in old medical works we are told1 that the flesh of a fox1 either boiled or roasted1 was said to be good for consumption2 but ,i do not think it is often prescribed or used for that purpose now4 ,,marsupialia1 ,,or ,,pouched ,,animals4 ,the kangaroo is par excellence the wild game of ,australia1 and coursing it gives active employment to its pursuers4 ,the flesh of all the several species is good4 ,the fore-quarters1 indeed1 of the forester1 the largest of the family1 an animal which frequently weighs #bjj lbs41 are somewhat inferior1 and are usually given to the dogs2 but from the hind-quarters some fine steaks may be cut4 ,when cooked in the same manner1 they are very little inferior to venison collops4 ,the brush kangaroo 7,macropus cruleus7 is a very fleet active animal1 sometimes of about #bj lbs4 weight1 having fur of a silver grey colour1 with a white stripe on each side of its face4 ,the flesh of the larger kangaroo1 as well as that of the wallaby1 a smaller animal1 averaging about #ab or #ad lbs41 is often hashed1 and with a little seasoning and skill in preparation1 it is excellent4 ,the wallaby is commonly stewed for soup4 ,the best part of the kangaroo is its tail4 ,talk of ox-tail soup1 ye metropolitan gourmands6 ,commend us to the superb kangaroo-tail soup of ,australia1 made from the tail weighing some #aj or #ab lbs41 if a full-grown forester4 ,the pademelon1 a smaller species of kangaroo1 weighs about #i or #aj lbs41 and when cooked like a hare1 affords a dish with which the most fastidious gourmand might be satisfied4 ,the following is the native mode of cooking a kangaroo steak3--,it is placed in a scooped out stone1 which is readily found in the streams1 and pressed down by heavy stones on the top of it2 the heat is applied beneath and round the first top stone2 at the critical moment the stones are quickly removed1 and the steak appears in its most savoury state4 ,the aborigines of ,australia always roast their food2 they have no means of boiling1 except when they procure the service of an old ,european saucepan or tin pot4 #8,it is a very remarkable fact' 7remarks ,mr4 ,moore7 #8in the history of mankind1 that a people should be found now to exist1 without any means of heating water1 or cooking liquid food2 or1 in short1 without any culinary utensil or device of any sort4 ,the only mode of cooking was to put the food into the fire1 or roast it in the embers or hot ashes2 small fish or frogs being sometimes first wrapped in a piece of paper-tree bark4 ,such was their state when ,europeans first came among them4 ,they are now extremely fond of soup and tea4' ,a native will not eat tainted meat1 although he cannot be said to be very nice in his food1 according to our ideas4 ,their meat is cooked almost as soon as killed1 and eaten immediately4 ,the parts of the kangaroo most esteemed for eating are the loins and the tail1 which abound in gelatine1 and furnish an excellent and nourishing soup2 the hind legs are coarse1 and usually fall to the share of the dogs4 ,the natives 7if they can be said to have a choice7 give a preference to the head4 ,the flesh of the full-grown animal may be compared to lean beef1 and that of the young to veal2 they are destitute of fat1 if we except a little being occasionally seen between the muscles and integuments of the tail4 ,the colonial dish1 called a steamer1 consists of the flesh of the animal dressed1 with slices of ham4 ,the liver when cooked is crisp and dry1 and is considered a substitute for bread2 but ,i cannot coincide in this opinion4 ,the goto1 or long bag of kangaroo skin1 about two feet deep1 and a foot and a half broad1 carried by the native females in ,australia1 is the common receptacle for every small article which the wife or husband may require or take a fancy to1 whatever its nature or condition may be4 ,fish just caught1 or dry bread1 frogs1 roots1 and clay1 are all mingled together4 ,mr4 ,george ,bennett 7,wanderings in ,new ,south ,wales7 thus speaks of ,australian native cookery3-- #8,after wet weather they track game with much facility2 and from the late rains the hunting expeditions had been very successful2 game was1 therefore1 very abundant at the camp1 which consisted of opossums1 flying squirrels1 bandicoots1 snakes1 c4 #8,one of the opossums among the game was a female1 which had two large-sized young ones in her pouch2 these delicate morsels were at this time broiling1 unskinned and undrawn1 upon the fire1 whilst the old mother was lying yet unflayed in the basket4 #8,it was amusing to see with what rapidity and expertness the animals were skinned and embowelled by the blacks4 ,the offal was thrown to the dogs2 but1 as such a waste on the part of the natives does not often take place1 we can only presume it is when game1 as it was at present1 is very abundant4 ,the dogs are usually in poor condition1 from getting a very precarious supply of provender4 ,the liver being extracted1 and gall-bladder removed1 a stick was thrust through the animal1 which was either thrown upon the ashes to broil1 or placed upon a wooden spit before the fire to roast4 ,whether the food was removed from the fire cooked1 or only half dressed1 depended entirely on the state of their appetites4 ,the flesh of the animals at this time preparing for dinner1 by our tawny friends1 appeared delicate1 and was no doubt excellent eating1 as the diet of the animals was in most instances vegetable4' ,another traveller in the ,bush thus describes the aboriginal practices and food3--#8,we had scarcely finished the snake1 when ,tomboor-rowa and little ,sydney returned again4 ,they had been more successful this time1 having shot two wallabies or brush kangaroos and another carpet-snake of six feet in length4 ,a bundle of rotten branches was instantly gathered and thrown upon the expiring embers of our former fire1 and both the wallabies and the snake were thrown into the flame4 ,one of the wallabies had been a female1 and as it lay dead on the grass1 a young one1 four or five inches long1 crept out of its pouch4 ,i took up the little creature1 and1 presenting it to the pouch1 it crept in again4 ,having turned round1 however1 for a minute or two1 ,gnunnumbah had taken it up and thrown it alive into the fire2 for1 when ,i happened to look towards the fire1 ,i saw it in the flames in the agony of death4 ,in a minute or two the young wallaby being sufficiently done1 ,gnunnumbah drew it out of the fire with a stick1 and eat its hind-quarters without further preparation1 throwing the rest of it away4 #8,it is the etiquette among the black natives for the person who takes the game to conduct the cooking of it4 ,as soon1 therefore1 as the skins of the wallabies had become stiff and distended from the expansion of the gases in the cavity of their bodies1 ,tomboor-rowa and ,sydney each pulled one of them from the fire1 and scraping off the singed hair roughly with the hand1 cut up the belly and pulled out the entrails4 ,they then cleaned out the entrails1 not very carefully by any means1 rubbing them roughly on the grass or on the bushes1 and then threw them again upon the fire4 ,when they considered them sufficiently done1 the two eat them1 a considerable quantity of their original contents remaining to serve as a sort of condiment or sauce4 ,the tails and lower limbs of the two wallabies1 when the latter were supposed to be done enough1 were twisted off and eaten by the other two natives 7from one of whom ,i got one of the vertebr of the tail and found it delicious72 the rest of the carcases1 with the large snake1 being packed up in a number of the ,sydney ,herald1 to serve as a mess for the whole camp at ,brisbane4 ,the black fellows were evidently quite delighted with the excursion2 and1 on our return to the ,settlement1 they asked ,mr4 ,wade if he was not going again to-morrow4' ,the kangaroo rat1 an animal nearly as large as a wild rabbit1 is tolerably abundant1 and very good eating1 when cooked in the same manner4 ,the natives take them by driving a spear into the nest1 sometimes transfixing two at once1 or by jumping upon the nest1 which is formed of leaves and grass upon the ground4 ,it is less sought for than its larger relatives1 except by thorough bushmen1 owing to the prejudice excited by the unfortunate name which has been bestowed upon it4 ,those who have once tried it usually become fond of it2 and to the sawyers and splitters these animals yield many a fresh meal1 during their sojourn amidst the heavily timbered flats and ranges of ,victoria and ,new ,south ,wales4 ,the animal is not of the rat species1 but a perfect kangaroo in miniature4 ,the flesh of the phalangers is of delicate flavor4 ,the large grey opossum 7,phalangista vulpina7 forms a great resource for food to the natives of ,australia1 who climb the tallest trees in search of them1 and take them from the hollow branches4 ,the flesh is very good1 though not much used by the settlers1 the carcase being thrown to the dogs1 while the sportsman contents himself with the skin4 ,the common opossum 7,didelphys ,virginiana7 is eaten in some of the states and territories of ,america2 it is very much like a large rat1 and is classed among the #8vermin' by the ,americans4 ,their flesh is1 however1 white and well-tasted2 but their ugly tail puts one out of conceit with the fare4 ,the wombat1 a bear-like marsupial quadruped of ,australia1 7the ,phascolomys wombat17 is eaten in ,new ,south ,wales and other parts of the ,australian ,continent4 ,in size it often equals a sheep1 some of the largest weighing #adj lbs42 and the flesh is said by some to be not unlike venison1 and by others to resemble lean mutton4 ,as it is of such considerable size1 attaining the length of three feet1 it has been suggested that it might be worth naturalizing here4 ,,rodentia4 ,passing now to the rodents or gnawing animals1 we find that the large grey squirrel 7,sciurus cinereus1 ,desm47 is very good eating4 ,the flesh of the squirrel is much valued by the ,dyaks1 and it will1 doubtless1 hereafter be prized for the table of ,europeans4 ,the marmot 7,arctomys ,marmotta71 in its fat state1 when it first retires to its winter quarters1 is in very good condition1 and is then killed and eaten in great numbers1 although we may affect to despise it4 ,the mouse1 to the ,esquimaux epicures1 is a real bonne bouche1 and if they can catch half-a-dozen at a time1 they run a piece of horn or twig through them1 in the same manner as the ,london poulterers prepare larks for the table2 and without stopping to skin them1 or divest them of their entrails1 broil them over the fire2 and although some of the mice may have belonged to the aborigines of the race1 yet so strong is the mastication of the natives1 that the bones of the animal yield to its power as easily as the bones of a rabbit would to a shark4 ,there is a very large species of rat spoken of as found in the island of ,martinique1 nearly four times the size of the ordinary rat4 ,it is black on the back1 with a white belly1 and is called1 locally1 the piloris or musk rat1 as it perfumes the air around4 ,the inhabitants eat them2 but then they are obliged1 after they are skinned1 to expose them a whole night to the air2 and they likewise throw away the first water they are boiled in1 because it smells so strongly of musk4 ,the flesh of the musk rat is not bad1 except in rutting time1 for then it is impossible to deprive it of the musky smell and flavour4 ,so fat and sleek do the rats become in the ,west ,indies1 from feeding on the sugar cane in the cane fields1 that some of the negroes find them an object of value1 and1 with the addition of peppers and similar spiceries1 prepare from them a delicate fricasse not to be surpassed by a dish of ,french frogs4 ,there is a professional rat-catcher employed on each sugar plantation1 and he is paid so much a dozen for the tails he brings in to the overseer4 ,father ,labat tells us that he made his hunters bring the whole rat to him1 for if the heads or tails only came1 the bodies were eaten by the negroes1 which he wished to prevent1 as he thought that this food brought on consumption6 ,the health of the negroes was then a matter of moment1 considering the money value at which they were estimated and sold4 ,a rat hunt in a cane field affords glorious sport4 ,in cutting down the canes1 one small patch is reserved standing1 into which all the rats congregate1 and the negroes1 surrounding the preserve1 with their clubs and bill-hooks speedily despatch the rats1 and many are soon skinned and cooked4 ,the negroes in ,brazil1 too1 eat every rat which they can catch2 and ,i do not see why they should not be well-tasted and wholesome meat1 seeing that their food is entirely vegetable1 and that they are clean1 sleek1 and plump4 ,the ,australian aborigines eat mice and rats whenever they can catch them4 ,scinde is so infested with rats1 that the price of grain has risen #be per cent4 from the destruction caused to the standing crops by them4 ,the government commissioner has recently issued a proclamation granting head-money on all rats and mice killed in the province4 ,the rate is to be #c;d4 a dozen1 the slayer having the privilege of keeping the body and presenting the tail4 ,in ,china1 rat soup is considered equal to ox-tail soup1 and a dozen fine rats will realize two dollars1 or eight or nine shillings4 ,besides the attractions of the gold-fields for the ,chinese1 ,california is so abundantly supplied with rats1 that they can live like ,celestial emperors1 and pay very little for their board4 ,the rats of ,california exceed the rats of the older ,american ,states1 just as nature on that side of the continent exceeds in bountifulness of mineral wealth4 ,the ,california rats are incredibly large1 highly flavoured1 and very abundant4 ,the most refined ,chinese in ,california have no hesitation in publicly expressing their opinion of #8them rats4' ,their professed cooks1 we are told1 serve up rats' brains in a much superior style to the ,roman dish of nightingales' and peacocks' tongues4 ,the sauce used is garlic1 aromatic seeds1 and camphor4 ,chinese dishes and ,chinese cooking have lately been popularly described by the fluent pen of ,mr4 ,wingrove ,cooke1 the ,times' correspondent in ,china1 but he has by no means exhausted the subject4 ,chinese eating saloons have been opened in ,california and ,australia1 for the accommodation of the ,celestials who now throng the gold-diggings1 despite the heavy poll-tax to which they have been subjected4 ,mr4 ,albert ,smith1 writing home from ,china1 ,august #bb1 #aheh1 his first impressions1 says3-- #8,the filth they eat in the eating houses far surpasses that cooked at that old trattoria at ,genoa4 ,it consists for the most part of rats1 bats1 snails1 bad eggs1 and hideous fish1 dried in the most frightful attitudes4 ,some of the restaurateurs carry their cook-shops about with them on long poles1 with the kitchen at one end1 and the salle--manger at the other4 ,these are celebrated for a soup made1 ,i should think1 from large caterpillars boiled in a thin gravy1 with onions4' ,the following is an extract from the bill of fare of one of the ,san ,francisco eating houses-- ,grimalkin steaks #be cents4 ,bow-wow soup #ab 0 ,roasted bow-wow #ah 0 ,bow-wow pie #f 0 ,stews ratified #f 0 ,the latter dish is rather dubious4 ,what is meant by stews rat-ified8 ,can it be another name for rat pie8 ,give us light1 but no pie4 ,the ,san ,francisco ,whig furnishes the following description of a ,chinese feast in that city3--#8,we were yesterday invited1 with three other gentlemen1 to partake of a dinner la ,chinese4 ,at three o'clock we were waited upon by our hosts1 ,keychong1 and his partner in ,sacramento-street1 ,peter ,anderson1 now a naturalized citizen of the ,united ,states1 and ,acou1 and escorted to the crack ,chinese restaurant in ,dupont-street1 called ,hong-fo-la1 where a circular table was set out in fine style3-- #8,course ,no4 #a4--,tea1 hung-yos 7burnt almonds71 ton-kens 7dry ginger71 sung-wos 7preserved orange74 #8,course ,no #b4--,won-fo 7a dish oblivious to us1 and not mentioned in the cookery-book74 #8,no4 #c4--,ton-song 7ditto likewise74 #8,no4 #d4--,tap-fau 7another quien sabe74 #8,no4 #e4--,ko-yo 7a conglomerate of fish1 flesh1 and fowl74 #8,no4 #f4--,suei-chon 7a species of fish ball74 #8,here a kind of liquor was introduced1 served up in small cups1 holding about a thimbleful1 which politeness required we should empty between every course1 first touching cups and salaaming4 #8,no4 #g4--;,beche-le-mer 7a dried sea-slug1 resembling ,india rubber1 worth one dollar per pound74 #8,no4 #h--,moisum4 7,have some87 #8,no4 #i4--,su-,yum 7small balls1 as bills of lading remark1 #8contents unknown'74 #8,no4 #aj4--;,hoisuigo 7a kind of dried oyster74 #8,no4 #aa4--,songhai 7,china lobster74 #8,no4 #ab4--;,chung-so 7small ducks in oil74 #8,no4 #ac4--,tong-chou 7mushrooms1 worth three dollars per pound74 #8,no4 #ad4--,sum-yoi 7birds' nests1 worth #fj dollars per pound74 #8,and some ten or twelve more courses1 consisting of stewed acorns1 chestnuts1 sausages1 dried ducks1 stuffed oysters1 shrimps1 periwinkles1 and ending with tea--each course being served up with small china bowls and plates1 in the handiest and neatest manner2 and we have dined in many a crack restaurant1 where it would be a decided improvement to copy from our ,chinese friends4 ,the most difficult feat for us was the handling of the chop sticks1 which mode of carrying to the mouth is a practical illustration of the old proverb1 #8many a slip 'twixt the cup and lip4' ,we came away1 after a three hours' sitting1 fully convinced that a ,china dinner is a very costly and elaborate affair1 worthy the attention of epicures4 ,from this time1 henceforth1 we are in the field for ,china1 against any insinuations on the question of diet la rat1 which we pronounce a tale of untruth4 ,we beg leave to return thanks to our host1 ,keychong1 for his elegant entertainment1 which one conversant with the ,chinese bill of fare informs us1 must have cost over #ajj dollars4 ,vive la ,china6' ,mr4 ,cooke1 in his graphic letters from ,china1 speaks of the fatness and fertility of the rats of our colony of ,hong ,kong4 ,he adds3 #8,when ,minutius1 the dictator1 was swearing ,flaminius in as his ,master of the ,horse1 we are told by ,plutarch that a rat chanced to squeak1 and the superstitious people compelled both officers to resign their posts4 ,office would be held with great uncertainty in ,hong ,kong if a similar superstition prevailed4 ,sir ,john ,bowring has just been swearing in ,general ,ashburnham as member of the ,colonial ,council1 and if the rats were silent1 they showed unusual modesty4 ,they have forced themselves1 however1 into a state paper4 ,two hundred rats are destroyed every night in the gaol4 ,each morning the ,chinese prisoners see1 with tearful eyes and watering mouths1 a pile of these delicacies cast out in waste4 ,it is as if ,christian prisoners were to see scores of white sucking pigs tossed forth to the dogs by ,mahommedan gaolers4 ,at last they could refrain no longer4 ,daring the punishment of tail-cutting1 which follows any infraction of prison discipline1 they first attempted to abstract the delicacies4 ,foiled in this1 they took the more manly course4 ,they indited a petition in good ,chinese1 proving from ,confucius that it is sinful to cast away the food of man1 and praying that the meat might be handed over to them to cook and eat4 ,this is a fact1 and if ,general ,thompson doubts it1 ,i recommend him to move for a copy of the correspondence4' ,a new article of traffic is about to be introduced into the ,china market from ,india1 namely1 salted rats6 ,the genius with whom the idea originated1 it would appear1 is sanguine2 so much so1 that he considers himself #8on the fair road to fortune4' ,the speculation deserves success1 if for nothing else than its originality4 ,i have not1 as yet however1 observed the price that rules in ,whampoa and ,hong ,kong nor the commodity quoted in any of the merchants' circulars1 though it will1 doubtless1 soon find its place in them as a regular article of import4 ,a correspondent of the ,calcutta ,citizen1 writing from ,kurrachee1 the chief town of the before mentioned rat infested province of ,scinde1 declares that he is determined to export #abj1jjj salted rats to ,china4 ,the ,chinese eat rats1 and he thinks they may sell4 ,he says3--#8,i have to pay one pice a dozen1 and the gutting1 salting1 pressing1 and packing in casks1 raises the price to six pice a dozen 7about three farthings71 and if ,i succeed in obtaining anything like the price that rules in ,whampoa and ,canton for corn-grown rats1 my fortune is made1 or rather1 ,i will be on the fair road to it1 and will open a fine field of enterprise to ,scinde4' ,rats may enter into consumption in other quarters1 and among other people1 than those named1 when we find such an advertisement as the following in a recent daily paper at ,sydney3-- #8,,rats6 ,,rats6 ,,rats6--,to-night at #h o'clock1 rattling sport2 #bjj rats to be entered at ,g4 ,w4 ,parker's ,family ,hotel4' ,query4--,what ultimately becomes of these rats1 and who are the persons who locate and take their meals at this #8,family ,hotel8' ,probably they are of the rough lot whose stomachs are remarkably strong4 ,some classes of the ,malabars are very fond of the bandicoot1 or pig rat 7,perameles nasuta1 ,geoff4 ,desm471 which measures about fourteen inches in length from head to tail1 the tail being nearly as long as the body4 ,they are much sought after by the coolies1 on the coffee estates in ,ceylon1 who eat them roasted4 ,they also eat the coffee rat 7,golunda ,ellioti of ,gray71 roasted or fried in oil1 which is much smaller1 the head and body only measuring about four or five inches4 ,these animals are migratory1 and commit great damages on the coffee tree1 as many as a thousand having been killed in a day on one estate4 ,the planters offer a reward for the destruction of these rodents1 which brings grist to the mill in two ways to the coolies who hunt or entrap them1 namely1 in money and food4 ,the fat dormouse 7,myoxus glis1 ,desm47 is used for food in ,italy1 as it was by the ancient ,romans1 who fattened them for the table in receptacles called ,gliraria4 ,dr4 ,rae1 in his last arctic exploring expedition1 states1 that the principal food of his party was geese1 partridges1 and lemmings 7,arvicola ,hudsonia74 ,these little animals were migrating northward1 and were so numerous that their dogs1 as they trotted on1 killed as many as supported them all1 without any other food4 ,there is another singular little animal1 termed by naturalists the vaulting rat1 or jerboa4 ,on an ,australian species1 the ,dipus ,mitchelli1 the natives of the country between ,lake ,torrens and the ,great ,creek1 in ,australia seem chiefly to subsist4 ,it is a little larger than a mouse1 and the hind legs are similar to those of the kangaroo4 ,captain ,sturt and his exploring party once witnessed a curious scene4 ,they came to a native who had been eating jerboas1 and after they met him they saw him eat one hundred of them4 ,his mode of cooking was quite unique4 ,he placed a quantity1 for a few seconds1 under the ashes of the fire1 and then1 with the hair only partially burnt off1 took them by the tail1 put the body in his mouth1 and bit the tail off with his teeth4 ,after he had eaten a dozen bodies1 he took the dozen tails1 and stuffed them into his mouth4 ,the flesh of the beaver is looked upon as very delicate food by the ,north ,american hunters1 but the tail is the choicest dainty1 and in great request4 ,it is much prized by the ,indians and trappers1 especially when it is roasted in the skin1 after the hair has been singed off2 and in some districts it requires all the influence of the fur-traders to restrain the hunters from sacrificing a considerable quantity of beaver fur every year to secure the enjoyment of this luxury4 ,the ,indians of note have generally one or two feasts in a season1 wherein a roasted beaver is the prime dish4 ,it resembles pork in its flavour1 but it requires a strong stomach to sustain a full meal of it4 ,the flesh is always in high estimation1 except when they have fed upon the fleshy root of a large water lily1 which imparts a rank taste to it4 ,the flesh of a young porcupine is said to be excellent eating1 and very nutritious4 ,the flavour is something between pork and fowl4 ,to be cooked properly1 it should be boiled first1 and afterwards roasted4 ,this is necessary to soften the thick1 gristly skin1 which is the best part of the animal4 ,the flesh of the porcupine is said to be used by the ,italians as a stimulant2 but1 never having tasted it myself1 ,i cannot speak from experience as to the virtue of this kind of food4 ,the ,dutch and the ,hottentots are very fond of it2 and when skinned and embowelled1 the body will sometimes weigh #bj lbs4 ,the flesh is said to eat better when it has been hung in the smoke of a chimney for a couple of days4 ,the flesh of the crested porcupine 7,hystrix cristata7 is good and very agreeable eating4 ,some of the ,hudson ,bay trappers used to depend upon the ,hystrix dorsata for food at some seasons of the year4 ,rabbits1 which form so large an article of consumption with us1 are not much esteemed as an article of food by the negroes in the ,west ,indies1 resembling1 in their idea1 the cat4 ,thus1 a black who is solicited to buy a rabbit by an itinerant vendor1 would indignantly exclaim1 #8,rabbit8 ,i should just like to no war you take me for1 ma'am8 ,you tink me go buy rabbit8 ,no1 ma'am1 me no cum to dat yet2 for me always did say1 an me always will say1 dat dem who eat rabbit eat pussy1 an dem who eat pussy eat rabbit4 ,get out wid you1 and your rabbit8' ,and yet1 with all this mighty indignation against rabbits1 they do not object1 as we have seen1 to a less dainty animal in the shape of the rat4 ,although the negroes in the ,west ,indies do not care for rabbits1 yet their brethren in the ,american ,states are by no means averse to them4 ,a field slave one day found a plump rabbit in his trap4 ,he took him out alive1 held him under his arm1 patted him1 and began to speculate on his qualities4 #8,oh1 how fat4 ,berry fat4 ,the fattest ,i eber did see4 ,let me see how ,i'll cook him4 ,i'll broil him4 ,no1 he is so fat he lose all de grease4 ,i fry him4 ,ah yes4 ,he so berry fat he fry hisself4 ,golly1 how fat he be4 ,no1 ,i won't fry him--,i stew him4' ,the thought of the savory stew made the negro forget himself1 and in spreading out the feast in his imagination1 his arms relaxed1 when off hopped the rabbit1 and squatting at a goodly distance1 he eyed his late owner with cool composure4 ,the negro knew there was an end of the stew1 and summoning up all his philosophy1 he thus addressed the rabbit1 at the same time shaking his fist at him1 #8,you long-eared1 white-whiskered rascal1 you not so berry fat arter all4' ,i need not here touch upon hare soup1 jugged hare1 or roasted hare1 from the flesh of our own rodent2 but the ,arctic hare 7,lepus glacialis7 differs considerably from the ,english in the colour and quality of its flesh1 being less dry1 whiter1 and more delicately tasted2 it may be dressed in any way4 ,when in good condition it weighs upwards of #aj lbs4 ,the capybara1 or water hog 7,hydrochrus capybara71 an ugly-looking1 tailless rodent1 the largest of the family1 is hunted for its flesh in ,south ,america1 and is said to be remarkably good eating4 ,it grows to the size of a hog two years old4 ,the flesh of the guinea pig 7,cavia cobaya1 ,desm47 is eaten in ,south ,america1 and is said to be not unlike pork4 ,when he is dressed for the table his skin is not taken off as in other animals1 but the hair is scalded and scraped off in the same manner as it is in a hog4 ,the white and tender flesh of the agouti 7,dasyprocta ,acuti1 ,desm471 when fat and well dressed1 is by no means unpalatable food1 but very delicate and digestible4 ,it is met with in ,brazil1 ,guiana1 and in ,trinidad4 ,the manner of dressing them in the ,west ,indies used to be to roast them with a pudding in their bellies4 ,their skin is white1 as well as the flesh4 ,the flesh of the brown paca 7,clogenus subniger1 ,desm471 a nearly allied animal1 is generally very fat1 and also accounted a great delicacy in ,brazil4 ,another ,south ,american rodent1 the bizcacha1 or viscascha 7,lagostomus trichodactylus71 is eaten for food4 ,it somewhat resembles a rabbit1 but has larger gnawing teeth1 and a long tail4 ,the flesh1 when cooked1 is very white and good4 ,,edentata1 ,,or ,,toothless ,,animals4 ,wallace1 in his travels on the ,amazon1 tells us that the ,indians stewed a sloth for their dinner1 and as they considered the meat a great delicacy1 he tasted it1 and found it tender and very palatable4 ,among other extraordinary animals for which ,australia is proverbial1 is the ,echidna hystrix1 or native porcupine1 which is eaten by the aborigines1 who declare it to be #8cobbong budgeree 7very good71 and1 like pig1 very fat4' ,europeans who have eaten of them confirm this opinion1 and observe that they taste similar to a sucking pig4 ,there appear to be two species of this animal1 the spiny echidna and the bristly echidna2 the first attains a large size1 equalling the ordinary hedgehog4 ,it has the external coating and general appearance of the porcupine1 with the mouth and peculiar generic character of the ant-eater4 ,the flesh of the great ant-eater 7,myrmecophaga jubata1 ,linn47 is esteemed a delicacy by the ,indians and negro slaves in ,brazil1 and1 though black and of a strong musky flavour1 is sometimes even met with at the tables of ,europeans4 ,the armadillo1 remarkable for its laminated shell1 when baked in its scaly coat is a good treat1 the flesh being considered delicate eating1 somewhat like a rabbit in taste and colour4 ,the flesh of the large twelve-banded ,brazilian one 7,dasypus ,tatouay7 is said to be the best of all4 ,in ,south ,america there are several species of armadillo1 all of which are used for food when met with4 ,mr4 ,gosse states1 that this animal feeds upon soft ground fruits and roots1 and also on carrion1 whenever it can find it2 and a large proportion of the sustenance of this1 as well as of other species1 is derived from the numberless wild cattle which are caught and slaughtered on the ,pampas for the sake of their hides and tallow1 the carcases being left as valueless to decay1 or to become the prey of wild animals4 ,notwithstanding the filthy nature of their food1 the armadillos1 being very fat1 are eagerly sought for by the inhabitants of ,european descent1 as well as by the ,indians4 ,the animal is roasted in its shell1 and is esteemed one of the greatest delicacies of the country2 the flesh is said to resemble that of a sucking pig4 ,,pachydermata1 ,,or ,,thick-,,skinned ,,animals4 ,what do our ,african brethren consider tit-bits8 ,ask ,gordon ,cumming4 ,he will enumerate a list longer than you can remember4 ,study his #8,adventures1' and you will become learned in the mystery of ,african culinary operations4 ,what are sheep's-trotters and insipid boiled calves' feet compared to baked elephants' paws8 ,listen to his description of the whole art and mystery of the process of preparing them3-- #8,the four feet are amputated at the fetlock joint1 and the trunk1 which at the base is about two feet in thickness1 is cut into convenient lengths4 ,trunk and feet are then baked1 preparatory to their removal to headquarters4 ,the manner in which this is done is as follows3--,a party1 provided with sharp-pointed sticks1 dig a hole in the ground for each foot and a portion of the trunk4 ,these holes are about two feet deep and a yard in width2 the excavated earth is embanked around the margin of the holes4 ,this work being completed1 they next collect an immense quantity of dry branches and trunks of trees1 of which there is always a profusion scattered around1 having been broken by the elephants in former years4 ,these they pile above the holes to the height of eight or nine feet1 and then set fire to the heap4 ,when these strong fires have burnt down1 and the whole of the wood is reduced to ashes1 the holes and the surrounding earth are heated to a high degree4 ,ten or twelve men then stand round the pit and take out the ashes with a pole about sixteen feet in length1 having a hook at the end4 ,they relieve one another in quick succession1 each man running in and raking the ashes for a few seconds1 and then pitching the pole to his comrade1 and retreating1 since the heat is so intense that it is scarcely to be endured4 ,when all the ashes are thus raked out beyond the surrounding bank of earth1 each elephant's foot and portion of the trunk is lifted by two athletic men1 standing side by side1 who place it on their shoulders1 and1 approaching the pit together1 they heave it into it4 ,the long pole is now again resumed1 and with it they shove in the heated bank of earth upon the foot1 shoving and raking until it is completely buried in the earth4 ,the hot embers1 of which there is always a great supply1 are then raked into a heap above the foot1 and another bonfire is kindled over each1 which is allowed to burn down and die a natural death2 by which time the enormous foot or trunk will be found to be equally baked throughout its inmost parts4 ,when the foot is supposed to be ready1 it is taken out of the ground with pointed sticks1 and is first well beaten1 and then scraped with an assagai1 whereby adhering particles of sand are got rid of4 ,the outside is then pared off1 and it is transfixed with a sharp stake for facility of carriage4 ,the feet thus cooked are excellent1 as is also the trunk1 which very much resembles buffalo's tongue4' ,elephants' petit787 toes1 pickled in strong toddy vinegar and cayenne pepper1 are considered in ,ceylon an ,apician luxury4 ,as soon as it is known that an elephant has been killed in ,africa1 every man in the neighbourhood sets off with his knife and basket for the place1 and takes home as much of the carcase as he can manage to carry4 ,the flesh is not only eaten when fresh1 but is dried and kept for months1 and is then highly esteemed4 ,the manner in which the elephant is cut up is thus described by the author and sportsman ,i have already quoted3--#8,the rough outer skin is first removed1 in large sheets1 from the side which lies uppermost4 ,several coats of an under skin are then met with4 ,the skin is of a tough and pliant nature1 and is used by the natives for making water-bags1 in which they convey supplies of water from the nearest vey1 or fountain 7which is often ten miles distant71 to the elephant4 ,they remove this inner skin with caution1 taking care not to cut it with the assagai2 and it is formed into water bags by gathering the corners and edges1 and transfixing the whole on a pointed wand4 ,the flesh is then removed in enormous sheets from the ribs1 when the hatchets come into play1 with which they chop through and remove individually each colossal rib4 ,the bowels are thus laid bare2 and in the removal of these the leading men take a lively interest and active part1 for it is throughout and around the bowels that the fat of the elephant is mainly found4 ,there are few things which a ,bechuana prizes so highly as fat of any description2 they will go an amazing distance for a small portion of it4 ,they use it principally in cooking their sun-dried biltongue1 and they also eat it with their corn4 ,the fat of the elephant lies in extensive layers and sheets in his inside1 and the quantity which is obtained from a full-grown bull1 in high condition1 is very great4 ,before it can be obtained1 the greater part of the bowels must be removed4 ,to accomplish this1 several men eventually enter the immense cavity of his inside1 where they continue mining away with their assagais1 and handing the fat to their comrades outside till all is bare4 ,while this is transpiring with the sides and bowels1 other parties are equally active in removing the skin and flesh from the remaining parts of the carcase4 #8,in ,northern ,cachar1 ,india1 the flesh of the elephant is generally eaten4 ,the ,kookies encamp in the neighbourhood of the carcase until they have entirely consumed it1 or are driven away by the effluvia of decomposition4 ,portions of the flesh that they cannot immediately eat are dried and smoked to be kept for future consumption4 #8,fat of any kind is a complete godsend to the ,bechuana and other tribes of ,southern ,africa2 and the slaughter of an elephant affords them a rich harvest in disembowelling the carcase1 and mining their way into the interior of the huge cavity to remove the immense layers furnished by such a large animal if in good condition4' ,galton1 the ,african traveller1 in his hints for bush cooking1 tells us3-- #8,the dish called beatee is handy to make4 ,it is a kind of haggis made with blood1 a good quantity of fat shred small1 some of the tenderest of the flesh1 together with the heart and lungs of the animal1 cut or torn into small shivers1 all of which is put into the stomach and roasted1 by being suspended before the fire with a string4 ,care must be taken that it does not get too much heat at first1 or it will burst4 ,it is a most delicious morsel1 even without pepper1 salt1 or any seasoning4' ,in all the large rivers of ,southern ,africa1 and especially towards the mouths1 the hippopotami abound4 ,the colonists give them the name of sea-cows4 ,the capture of one of these huge beasts1 weighing1 as they sometimes do1 as much as four or five large oxen1 is an immense prize to the hungry ,bushman or ,koranna1 as the flesh is by no means unpalatable2 and the fat1 with which these animals are always covered1 is considered delicious4 ,when salted it is called zee-koe speck1 is very much like excellent fat bacon1 and is greatly prized by the ,dutch colonists1 not only for the table1 but for the reputed medicinal qualities which are attributed to it4 ,in ,abyssinia1 hippopotamus meat is commonly eaten4 ,the hog is one of those animals that are doomed to clear the earth of refuse and filth1 and that convert the most nauseous offal into the nicest nutriment in its flesh4 ,it has not altogether been unaptly compared to a miser1 who is useless and rapacious in his life1 but at his death becomes of public use by the very effects of his sordid manners4 ,during his life he renders little service to mankind1 except in removing that filth which other animals reject4 ,a delicate sucking pig1 a ,bath chap1 or a good rasher of bacon are1 however1 tit-bits not to be despised4 ,lord ,brougham hoped to see the day when every man in the ,united ,kingdom would read ,bacon4 #8,it would be much better to the purpose1' said ,cobbett1 #8if his lordship would use his influence that every man in the kingdom could eat bacon4' ,in ,british ,india1 only ,europeans and the low ,hindoos eat pork1 but wild hogs are very abundant1 and afford good sport to the hunter4 ,the avoidance of pork arises as much from religious scruples as the deep-rooted aversion to the domestic swine all must imbibe who have only seen it in the ,east1 where it is a tall1 gaunt1 half famished1 and half ferocious-looking brute1 which performs the office of scavenger4 ,the legend which ascribes to the eating of human flesh the origin of one of the most loathsome of diseases1 scarce offers a more horrible picture to the imagination than is presented by a letter recently published in the ,ceylon ,examiner4 ,the beautiful islands of ,mauritius and ,bourbon are largely supplied with pork from ,patna1 a province of ,hindostan that has been over-run by the cholera4 ,both there and at ,calcutta the bodies of the natives are consigned to the ,ganges1 instead of being interred4 #8,let any person1' says the writer in the ,ceylon paper1 #8at daybreak start from the gates of ,government ,house1 ,calcutta1 and1 whether his walk will be to the banks of the river or to the banks of the canals which on three sides surround the city1 he will see pigs feeding on the dead bodies of the natives that have been thrown there during the night4 ,during the day the river police clear away and sink all that remains of the bodies4 ,bad as is the metropolis of ,india it is nothing compared to ,patna4 ,hundreds upon hundreds of human corpses are there strewed along the strand2 and fattening1 ghoule-like1 upon these are droves upon droves of swine4 ,these swine are slaughtered1 cut up1 and salted into hams1 bacon1 and pickled pork1 and then despatched to ,calcutta4444 ,the great market for this poisonous swine produce is the ,mauritius and ,bourbon1 where it is foisted on the inhabitants as the produce of ,europe4 ,moreover1 as these swine are sold in ,calcutta at #cs4 or #ds4 each carcase1 it is stated that the inferior class of homeward-bound vessels are provisioned with them1 and thus this human-fed pork is introduced into ,europe and ,america4' ,pork-eaters may believe as much of the following remarks as they please4 #8,it is said that the ,jews1 ,turks1 ,arabians1 and all those who observe the precept of avoiding blood and swine's flesh1 are infinitely more free from disease than ,christians2 more especially do they escape those opprobria of the medical art1 gout1 scrofula1 consumption1 and madness4 ,the ,turks eat great quantities of honey and pastry1 and much sugar2 they also eat largely1 and are indolent1 and yet do not suffer from dyspepsia as ,christians do4 ,the swine-fed natives of ,christendom suffer greater devastation from a tubercular disease of the bowels 7dysentery7 than from any other cause4 ,those persons who abstain from swine's flesh and blood are infinitely more healthy and free from humors1 glandular diseases1 dyspepsia1 and consumption2 while in those districts1 and among those classes1 of men1 where the pig makes the chief article of diet1 tubercle in all its forms of eruptions1 sore legs1 bad eyes1 abscesses1 must prevail4' ,these are the remarks of an ,american journalist1 which1 however1 have not1 ,i conceive1 the shadow of foundation4 #8,it appears somewhat singular1' remarks ,mr4 ,richardson1 in his history of the pig1 #8that the flesh of the hog was prohibited in the ceremonial of the ,jewish law2 the same prohibition being afterwards borrowed by ,mahomet1 and introduced into the ,koran4' ,great difference of opinion prevails as to the cause of this prohibition2 some alleging that this food was unsuited to the land inhabited by the ,jews4 ,as1 however1 the kinds of food to be eaten and rejected--doubtless to prevent that luxurious epicurism unsuited to a growing and prosperous nation--were to have a limit1 this limit was fixed by two distinctive marks3 they must #8divide the hoof1 and chew the cud2' that principle of restriction admitting only a limited range to the food permitted4 ,the pig1 the horse1 and the camel were excluded4 ,it was only in a state of low nationality1 or in times of great degeneracy1 that the ,jew ever tasted pork4 ,the food of the hog varies in different localities1 and probably materially influences the flavour of the meat4 ,in the ,river ,plata provinces they feed them on mutton4 ,after describing the purchase--#h1jjj at eighteen-pence per dozen 787--by a ,mr4 ,m4 ,handy1 a traveller adds1 #8,as soon as the sheep became fattened on his own lands1 he killed about a thousand1 sold the fleeces at five shillings per dozen1 and with the mutton he fed a herd of swine4 ,mentioning this fact to a large party of ,europeans1 at the dinner table of ,lord ,howden1 when in ,buenos ,ayres1 my statement was received with a murmur of scepticism2 but ,i offered to accompany the incredulous to the pastures1 where the remainder of the sheep were then feeding4'--7,two ,thousand ,miles' ,ride through the ,argentine ,provinces47 ,but the ,yankees beat this1 according to a late ,american paper4 ,in ,north ,america they generally feed them on maize1 but in some of the ,states1 apples form a principal portion of their food1 and the #8apple sauce' thus becomes incorporated with the flesh4 ,a gentleman travelling down ,east1 overtook a farmer dragging a lean1 wretched-looking1 horned sheep along the road4 #8,where are you going with that miserable animal8' asked the traveller4 #8,i am taking him to the mutton mill1 to have him ground over1' said the farmer4 #8,the mutton mill8 ,i never heard of such a thing4 ,i will go with you and witness the process4' ,they arrived at the mill2 the sheep was thrown alive into the hopper1 and almost immediately disappeared4 ,they descended to a lower apartment1 and1 in a few moments1 there was ejected from a spout in the ceiling four quarters of excellent mutton1 two sides of morocco leather1 a wool hat of the first quality1 a sheep's head handsomely dressed1 and two elegantly-carved powder horns4' ,in ,america they speak of hogs as other countries do of their sugar1 coffee1 and general exportable staple crops2 and even when packed and cured they occasionally compute the produce by the acre4 ,thus1 the ,louisville ,courier stated recently1 that there were five or six acres of barrelled pork piled up three tiers high1 in open lots1 and not less than six acres more not packed1 which would make eighteen acres of barrels if laid side by side1 exclusive of lard in barrels1 and pork bulked down in the curing houses1 sheds1 c4 ,besides the above slaughtered hogs1 there were five or six acres more of live hogs in pens1 waiting their destiny4 ,in the ,western ,states pork is the great idea1 and the largest owner of pigs is the hero of the prairie4 ,what coal has been to ,england1 wheat to the ,nile or the ,danube1 coffee to ,ceylon1 gold to ,california and ,victoria1 and sheep to the ,cape and ,australia1 pork has been to the ,west in ,america4 ,the phrase1 #8,going the whole hog1' must have originated in ,ohio1 for there they use up the entire carcases of about three-quarters of a million of pigs1 and the inhabitants are the most #8hoggish' community of the entire ,union4 ,what crocodiles were in ,egypt1 what cows are in ,bengal1 or storks in ,holland1 pigs are in ,cincinnati1 with this trifling difference1 their sacredness of character lasts but as long as their mortal coil2 and this is abbreviated without ceremony1 and from the most worldly motives4 ,in life1 the pig is free1 is honored2 he ranges the streets1 he reposes in thoroughfares1 he walks beneath your horse's legs1 or your own2 he is everywhere respected2 but let the thread of his existence be severed1 and--shade of ,mahomet6--what a change6 ,they think in ,cincinnati of nothing but making the most of him4 ,historically1 socially1 gastronomically1 the pig demands our careful attention4 ,the connection with commerce1 with the cuisine1 and even with the great interest of fire insurance1 have all made him an object of particular regard4 ,in the early days of the ,celestial ,empire--as we learn from the veracious writings of the witty and voracious essayist1 ,charles ,lamb--a wealthy ,chinaman was so unfortunate as to have his dwelling destroyed by fire4 ,prowling around the smoking ruins1 and seeking to save some of his valuables which the conflagration might have spared1 his hand came in contact with the smoking remains of a poor pig which had perished in the flames2 instantly1 smarting with the pain1 he carried his hand to his mouth1 when a peculiar flavour greeted his palate1 such as the gods 7,chinese ones ,i mean1 of course17 might in vain have sighed for4 ,regardless of pain he applied himself once more1 and drew forth from the smoking cinders the remains of the pig4 ,carefully brushing off the ashes1 he regaled himself with the feast before him1 but closely preserved the secret he had learned4 ,in a few short months1 however1 the taste for roast pig came back so strong1 that ,john ,chinaman's house was burned down again1 and again was a pig found in the ashes4 ,this was repeated so often that the neighbours grew suspicious1 and watched until they ascertained that the reason for the conflagration was the feast that invariably followed4 ,once out1 the secret spread like wildfire2 every hill-top shone with the flames of a burning habitation--every valley was blackened with the ashes of a homestead2 but roast pig was dearer to a ,chinaman than home or honour1 and still the work of destruction went on4 ,alarmed at a course which bid fair to ruin every insurance office in the empire1 the directors petitioned in a body to the ,general ,court of ,china1 for the passing of an ,act that should arrest the evil and avert their threatened ruin2 and a careful examination of the revised statutes of ,china would probably show stringent resolutions against the crime of burning houses for the sake of roasting pigs4 ,since the invention of the modern cooking stove1 however1 although incendiarism has decreased only in a slight degree1 still it has ceased to be attributed to this cause1 and a juicy crackling is no longer suggestive of fallen rafters1 or a houseless family4 #8,there is an old adage1 #8,give a dog a bad name1 and his ruin is accomplished4' ,such may be true of the canine race2 but the noble family of animals of which ,i am treating1 furnishes a striking illustration that the proverb applies not to their numbers4 ,a goose1 it is said1 saved lordly ,rome by its cackling2 and had not their list of ,divinities just then been full1 a grateful people would have found for him a sedgy pool and quiet nest in ,olympus4 ,how did the ancestors of that same people repay the pig for a service scarcely less important8 #8,the veriest smatterer in the classics knows1 that1 when from flaming ,troy #8neas the great ,anchises bore1' seeking in strange lands a new home for his conquered people1 a white sow1 attended by thirty white little pigs1 pure as herself1 pointed out to him the scene of his future empire4 ,but what did he and his people do for the pig in return8 ,did they load him with honours8 ,did they cherish him with corn8 ,did they treat him with respect8 ,no6 with black ingratitude1 which still merits the indignation of every admirer of the pig1 they affixed to the animal the appellation of ,porcus2 and #8poor cuss' the pig would have been to the present day1 had not the ,latin tongue long since ceased to be the language of the world4 ,but1 #8poor cuss' he is no longer1 when in ,worcester county he spurns his classic name1 and1 adopting the vernacular1 he #8grows the whole hog1' that he may #8pork us1' in return for the care which we bestow upon him4 #8,for the sake of our farmers1 who are anxious to make a profit from pig-raising1 it is greatly to be regretted that the thirty-at-a-litter breed has disappeared from the face of the earth4 ,breeding swine with such a rate of increase must be almost as profitable as #8shaving' notes at two per cent4 per month2 but still the impression is irresistibly forced upon us1 that1 in a family so numerous1 those who came last to dinner1 at least in their infant days1 would not have gained flesh very rapidly4 ,indeed1 in such a family it would seem almost impossible to dispense with the services of a wet nurse1 in order to bring up profitably the rising generation4 #8,the course of the pig1 like that of the ,star of ,empire1 has ever tended westward4 ,from ,china we trace him to ,italy1 the gloomy mountains of the ,hartz1 the broad plains of ,westphalia1 the fertile valleys of ,france1 and to the waving forests of #8,merrie ,england2' all have known him since the days when their bold barons and hungry retainers sat down to feast on the juicy chine of the wild boar1 and the savoury haunch of venison4 ,in green ,erin1 piggy has been an important member of society2 true1 he has shared his master's meal1 and basked in the comfortable warmth of his cabin2 but1 like a #8gintleman' as he is1 he has ever paid the #8rint2' and ,st4 ,patrick1 in the plenitude of his power and influence1 never saw the day he could have banished him from that #8gem of the ocean4' #8,when the pig first crossed to this western world remains in doubt4 ,whether he came with the ,pilgrims1 pressing with the foot of a pioneer the ,blarney-stone of ,new ,england1 and scanning with fearless eye the cheerless prospect before him1 or whether1 regardless of liberty of conscience1 and careful only of his own comfort1 he waited till the first trials and toils of a new settlement had been met and overcome1 we have no record2 enough for us that he is here2 how or where he came concerns us not4 ,he is among us and of us4 ,from souse to sausage we have loved him2 from ham to harslet we have honoured him2 from chine to chops we have cherished him4 ,the care we have shown him has been repaid a hundred-fold4 ,he has loaded our tables1 and lighted our fire-sides1 and smiling plenty has followed in his steps1 where hungry famine would have stalked in his absence4 #8,but still further towards the setting sun has been the arena of the pig's greatest triumphs2 there have been the fields of his widest influence4 ,beneath the vast forests of ,ohio1 raining to the ground their yearly harvests of mast--through her broad corn-fields1 stretching as far as the eye can see1 he has roamed1 and fed1 and fattened4 ,from him1 and the commercial interests he has mainly contributed to establish1 has grown a mighty ,state1 scarcely second to any in this confederacy2 from his ashes has arisen a new order in society--the #8,bristleocracy of the great ,west4' #8,a broad levee bustling with business1 lofty and spacious stores and slaughter-houses1 crowded pens1 and a river bearing on its bosom steamboats in fleets--all attest the interest which the pig has exerted on the agricultural and commercial interests of the great ,state of ,ohio4 ,he has filled the coffers of her bankers1 and has bought the silks which cover her belles4 ,he has built the beautiful palaces which adorn the #8,queen ,city of the ,west1' and feeds the princely luxury of those who inhabit them4 ,there he is almost an object of worship1 and his position is considered as about equivalent to a patent of nobility4 ,fancy dimly paints the picture1 when a few years hence1 the wealthy pork merchant1 who justly boasts his numerous quarterings1 shall1 in the true spirit of heraldry1 paint on the pannel of his carriage1 and on the escutcheon over his door-way1 a lustrous shield1 bearing in brilliant colours a single pig1 his bristles all rampant1 his tail closely curlant1 and his mouth widely opant1 till the lions1 the griffins1 and the unicorns of the ,old ,world shall fade into insignificance before the heraldic devices of the ,new4'#g #8,your ,spanish pig1 who1 by the way1 is a no less important character in his country than is his cousin in ,ireland1 is not raised for the vulgar purpose of being fried to lard1 or salted down to pork4 ,he has1 in fact1 no more fat than he has hair on him4 ,he is a long-legged1 long-snouted1 and long-tailed fellow1 and would have been described by ,plato as an animal without hairs4 ,but though the pickings on his ribs be small1 they are sweet4 ,the ,spaniard rolls the morsels under his tongue as he does his easily-besetting sins4 ,it is nut-fed flesh2 and has the flavour of acorns4 ,this taste is as much prized in the roasted joint as that of the skin in the sherry4 ,pig is game in ,spain4 ,the porker does not live there in the chimney corner1 and sit in the best arm-chair1 as in ,paddy's cabin2 but he roams the fields1 and goes a-nutting with the boys and girls4 ,he eats grass1 as there are no cows to eat it2 and would milk the goats1 doubtless1 if they would let him4 ,he evidently knows more than the same animal in other countries2 and is1 in consequence1 more willing to be driven4 ,he will squeal when he feels the knife1 but for no other reason4 ,nor is his squeal the same as that heard at the ,north4 ,there are more vowel sounds in it4 ,it is also less through the nose than in ,new ,england2 and has some gutturals even farther down the throat than those of a ,dutchman4 ,your wild boar is a monster compared with him4 ,the flesh of the latter is to that of the former as the crisp brown of roast pig is to the tanned hide in your riding saddle4 ,accordingly1 to refuse pork at a ,spanish table is to pronounce yourself #8of the circumcision2' and should you decline a cut of a particularly nice ham1 you would be set down as no better than a heathen4 ,however1 you never would do it--particularly after having read this essay4 ,i assure you that when you may have eaten up all the chickens which were stowed away in your saddle bags1 you cannot do better than to attack your landlord's roast pig--provided you can get it4 ,only it may cost you dear in the reckoning1 as it is thought a dish to set before the king4 ,you may like pork1 or you may not2 but one thing is certain1 it is the only meat in the ,peninsula which has juices in it4 ,mutton may have a very little2 and should you travel far in the country1 you would see the day when you would be glad of a leg of it4 ,but the beef is dry as #8whittlings4' ,an entire joint of roast beef would kill a man as effectually as a joist of timber4 ,whoever should undertake to live on ,spanish beef a twelvemonth1 would become at the end of that time what he was1 in fact1 at the beginning--wooden-headed4 ,make up your mind1 therefore1 to eat the meat of the uncircumcised1 if you have any thought of going to ,spain4 ,you will often have to take your choice between that and nothing2 and my word for it1 'tis much preferable4 ,for the land is leaner far than pork2 and happy is that traveller1 who1 when he is reduced to pickings1 can find a spare-rib to work upon4 ,forewarned--forearmed4#h' ,pork is the great food of the ,brazilian people4 ,it is prepared and eaten1 according to ,dr4 ,walshe1 in a peculiar manner4 ,when the pig is killed1 the butcher dexterously scoops out the bones and muscular flesh1 leaving behind only the covering of fat4 ,in this state it is salted1 folded up1 and sent in great quantities to ,rio1 where it is called toucinho4 ,all the stores and vendas are full of it1 and it is used commonly for culinary purposes1 and forms an ingredient in every ,brazilian article of cookery4 ,the flesh of the peccary 7after cutting away the fetid orifice on its back7 and of the wild or musk hog1 both known under the ,indian appellation of quanco in ,trinidad1 is much preferable to that of the domestic swine4 ,the flesh of the rhinoceros is eaten in ,abyssinia1 and by some of the ,dutch settlers in the ,cape ,colony1 and is in high esteem4 ,the flesh of the hippopotamus used also to be eaten on the east coast of ,africa1 roasted or boiled1 and fetched a high price as a delicacy4 ,the fat was used in making puddings1 instead of butter4 ,the ,portuguese settlers were permitted by the priests to eat the flesh of this animal in ,lent1 passing it off as fish from its amphibious habits1 and hence their consciences were at ease4 ,the flesh of the tapir1 when roasted1 closely resembles beef1 especially if it be young2 and that of the water hare is also considered excellent food1 being white and delicate1 and much of the same flavour as that of the tapir4 ,,horse-,,flesh4 ,at ,paris1 where all eccentricities are found1 and even encouraged1 one of the latest gastronomic innovations is the use of horse-flesh4 ,the ,french are always adding to their dietetic regimen by introducing new articles of food4 ,this social phenomenon of making the horse contribute to the nourishment of the human race1 is not altogether new4 ,the ancient ,germans and ,scandinavians had a marked liking for horse-flesh4 ,the nomade tribes of ,northern ,asia make horse-flesh their favorite food4 ,it has long been authorized and publicly sold in ,copenhagen4 ,with the high ruling prices of butcher's meat1 what think you1 gentlemen and housekeepers1 of horse-flesh as a substitute for beef and mutton8 ,are you innocently ignorant of the ,french treatise of that eminent naturalist and professor of zoology1 ,m4 ,st4 ,hilaire1 upon horse for food8 ,banquets of horse-flesh are at present the rage in ,paris1 ,toulouse1 and ,berlin4 ,the veterinary schools there pronounce horse-bone soup preferable beyond measure to the old-fashioned beef-bone liquid1 and much more economical4 ,horse-flesh steak without sauce1 and cold1 is cited as a morsel superior to the finest game that flies6 and cut1 too1 from a horse nearly a quarter of a century old2 one of the labouring cavalry kind who pranced at the sound of the trumpet1 and snuffed the battle from afar off1 little dreaming he was doomed to steaks1 soup1 and washing-day hashes4 ,horse-flesh pie1 too1 eaten cold1 is a dainty now at ,berlin and ,toulouse1 and boiled horse1 rechauff1 has usurped the place of ragouts and secondary dishes6 ,what a theme1 hippophology1 to write upon4 ,we shall soon hear in our city dining rooms1 #8,a piece o' horse1 my kingdom for a piece of horse6' #8,waiter6 a cut from the fore-shoulder1 well done4' #8,a horse sandwich and ale1 and the morning paper4' ,our witty friend ,punch had its horse-laugh recently upon the subject of the sensation this movement has created in equestrian circles4 ,a ,frenchman1 observes a recent writer1 was one day remonstrating against the contempt expressed by ,englishmen for ,french beef1 the inferiority of which he would not admit4 #8,i have been two times in ,england1' said he1 #8but ,i nevere find the beef so suprieur to ours4 ,i find it vary convenient that they bring it you on leetle pieces of stick for one penny1 but ,i do not find the beef suprieur4' #8,good gracious6' exclaimed the ,englishman1 #8you have been eating cats' meat for beef4' ,what this ,frenchman did in the innocence of his heart1 his countrymen now do1 it seems1 with malice prepense4 ,and a ,frenchman of considerable reputation1 in a letter on alimentary substances1 and especially upon the flesh of the horse1 calls upon the whole world to put aside1 what he considers1 an ancient and absurd prejudice1 and to realize at home that famous sentence in the geography we used to read at school1 which1 under the head of ,norway1 informed us #8horse-flesh is publicly sold in the markets4' #8,m4 ,isidore ,st4 ,hilaire is very serious4 ,he does not merely advocate the fillet of horse-flesh--the mare soup and fricasseed colt--in sarcastic allusion to the practice of ,parisian restaurants4 ,he comes gravely forward1 with chapters of scientific evidence and argument1 to contend that1 while animal food is absolutely necessary to the proper nourishment of the human race1 millions of ,frenchmen eat no animal food1 and every year millions of pounds of excellent meat are wasted4 ,he knows how the cause he advocates lends itself to ridicule--he knows how difficult it has always been to get rid of a prejudice--he knows the fate of innovators2 but1 though a ,frenchman1 he braves ridicule1 brings a heavy battery of facts to destroy what he deems a prejudice1 and is already experiencing some of the triumph which follows a hard-won victory4 ,for seven years he has been advocating the desirableness of eating horse-flesh--for seven or eight years he has been collecting evidence and gaining converts--and now he feels strong enough to appeal to the ,european public in a small volume4#i #8,since then1 ,germany has had its #8,banquets of ,horse-flesh' for the wits to ridicule--public feastings at which #8cats' meat' was served in various forms1 as soup1 as bouilli1 as fillet1 as cutlet2 and all the feasters left the table converted hippophagists4 ,in #ahda1 horse-flesh was adopted at ,ochsenhausen and ,wurtemburg1 where it is now publicly sold under the surveillance of the police4 ,every week five or six horses are brought to market4 ,at the ,lake of ,constance1 a large quantity of this meat is also sold4 ,in #ahdb1 a banquet of #aej persons inaugurated its public use at ,knigsbaden1 near ,stuttgard4 ,in #ahdf1 the police of ,baden authorized its public sale1 and ,schaffhausen followed in the same year4 ,in #ahdg1 at ,detmold and at ,weimar1 public horse-flesh banquets were held with great clat--in ,karlsbad 7,bohemia7 and its environs1 the new beef came into general use--and at ,zittau1 #bjj horses are eaten annually4 ,at ,ling1 after one of these banquets1 the police permitted the sale of horse-flesh1 which is now general in ,austria1 ,bohemia1 ,saxony1 ,hanover1 ,switzerland1 and ,belgium4 ,the innovation made rapid converts4 ,in #ahec1 ,berlin had no less than five abattoirs1 where #aej horses were killed and sold4 ,at ,vienna1 in #ahec1 there was a riot to prevent one of these banquets2 but in #ahed1 such progress had been made1 that #cb1jjj pounds weight were sold in fifteen days1 and at least #aj1jjj of the inhabitants habitually ate horse-flesh4' ,and now ,parisian banquets of horse-flesh are common4 ,these facts are at all events curious4 ,think of the prejudices to be overcome1 and think how unreasoning is the stomach6 ,young horses are too valuable to be brought to the shambles1 unless killed by accident4 ,but our worn-out hacks1 of which #bej or #cjj die or are killed weekly in the metropolis1--old horses used up1 are capable1 we are assured1 of furnishing good meat4 ,an old horse1 which had done duty for twenty-five years1 was the substance of a learned gastronomic feast at ,paris4 ,m4 ,st4 ,hilaire1 the champion of this new addition to our food resources1 reasons in this fashion3--#8,horse-flesh has long been regarded as of a sweetish disagreeable taste1 very tough1 and not to be eaten without difficulty4 ,so many different facts are opposed to this prejudice1 that it is impossible not to recognize its slight foundation4 ,the free or wild horse is hunted as game in all parts of the world where it exists--,asia1 ,africa1 and ,america--and formerly1 and perhaps even now1 in ,europe4 ,the domestic horse itself is made use of as alimentary as well as auxiliary--in some cases altogether alimentary--in ,africa1 ,america1 ,asia1 and in some parts of ,europe4 #8,its flesh is relished by people the most different in their manner of life1 and of races the most diverse1 negro1 ,mongol1 ,malay1 ,american1 ,caucasian4 ,it was much esteemed up to the eighth century among the ancestors of some of the greatest nations of ,western ,europe1 who had it in general use1 and gave it up with regret4 ,soldiers to whom it has been served out1 and people in towns who have bought it in markets1 have frequently taken it for beef4 ,still more often1 and indeed habitually1 it has been sold in restaurants1 even in the best1 as venison1 and without the customers ever suspecting the fraud or complaining of it4 #8,and further1 if horse-flesh has been often accepted as good under a false name1 it has also been pronounced good by those who1 to judge of its qualities1 have submitted it to careful experiment1 and by all who have tasted it in a proper condition1 that is1 when taken from a sound and rested horse1 and kept sufficiently long4 ,it is then excellent roasted2 and if it be not so acceptable as bouilli1 it is precisely because it furnishes one of the best soups--perhaps the best that is known4 #8,it is good also1 as experiments prove made by myself as well as others1 when taken from old horses not fattened1 whose age was #af1 #ai1 #bj1 and even #bc years1 animals thought worth no more than a few francs beyond the value of their skin4 #8,this is a capital fact1 since it shows the possibility of utilizing a second time1 for their flesh1 horses which have already been utilized up to old age for their strength2 and1 consequently1 of obtaining a further and almost gratuitous profit at the end of their life1 after they had well nigh paid the cost of their rearing and keep by their labour4' ,let us see what additional evidence ,m4 ,st4 ,hilaire has to adduce4 ,first1 he appeals to his long experience at the ,jardin des ,plantes1 where the greater part of the carnivora are habitually fed on horse-flesh1 which keeps them healthy in spite of many unfavourable conditions4 ,but this will not carry much weight with it4 ,our digestion is not quite so good as that of a lion4 ,the condor has been known to eat1 with satisfaction1 food which ,mrs4 ,brown would find little to her taste4 ,no dietetic rule for men can be deduced from the digestions of tigers4 ,we prefer the experience of human stomachs4 ,fortunately this is not wanting1 and ,m4 ,st4 ,hilaire collects an imposing mass of evidence4 ,huzard1 the celebrated veterinary surgeon1 records1 that during the revolution1 the population of ,paris was for six months dieted with horse-flesh1 without any ill effects4 ,some complaints1 indeed1 were made when it was found that the beef came from horses2 but1 in spite of prejudice and the terrors such a discovery may have raised1 no single case of illness was attributed to the food4 ,larrey1 the great army surgeon1 declares that on very many occasions during the campaigns1 he administered horse-flesh to the soldiers1 and to the soldiers sick in the hospital2 and instead of finding it injurious1 it powerfully contributed to the convalescence of the sick1 and drove away a scorbutic epidemic which attacked the men4 ,the testimony of ,parent ,duchtelet is also quoted to the same effect4 ,m4 ,st4 ,hilaire feels himself abundantly authorized to declare that horse-flesh1 far from being unwholesome1 is one of the most nutritious and wholesome of alimentary substances3 and1 to support this declaration1 he adduces the testimony of historians and travellers1 showing how whole tribes and nations have habitually eaten and highly esteemed it4 ,having thus1 as he considers1 satisfactorily settled the question of wholesomeness1 ,m4 ,st4 ,hilaire proceeds to deal with the question of agreeableness4 ,is wholesome horse-flesh agreeable enough to tempt men1 not starving1 to eat it8 ,it is1 of course1 of little use that historians and travellers tell of hippophagists--it is nothing to the purpose that soldiers in a campaign1 or citizens during a siege1 have eaten horses with considerable relish4 ,under such circumstances1 one's old shoe is not to be despised as a pice de rsistance2 and one's grandmother may be a toothsome morsel4 ,the real point to be settled in the ,european mind is this--apart from all conditions which must bias the judgment1 is horse-flesh pleasant to the taste8 ,m4 ,st4 ,hilaire cites the evidence of eminent men who1 having eaten it knowing what it was1 pronounced it excellent--all declaring that it was better than cow-beef1 and some that there was little difference between it and ox-beef4 ,but perhaps the reader1 having eaten ,german beef1 has a not ill-grounded suspicion that horse-flesh might bear honourable comparison with such meat1 and yet be at best of mediocre savour4 ,let us1 therefore1 says a writer in the ,saturday ,review1 cite the example of ,parisian banquets1 where the convives were men accustomed to the ,trois ,frres1 ,philippe's1 and the ,caf de ,paris4 ,m4 ,renault1 the director of the great ,veterinary ,college at ,alfort1 had a horse brought to him with an incurable paralysis of the hinder extremities4 ,it was killed1 and three days afterwards1 on the #ast ,december1 #ahee1 eleven guests were invited--physicians1 journalists1 veterinary surgeons1 and employs of the government4 ,side by side were dishes prepared by the same cook1 in precisely the same manner1 and with the same pieces taken respectively from this horse and from an ox of good quality4 ,the bouillon of beef was flanked by a bouillon of horse1 the bouilli of beef by a bouilli of horse1 the fillet of roast beef by a fillet of roast horse2 and a comparison was to be made of their qualities4 ,dr4 ,amde ,latour thus writes3-- #8,bouillon de cheval4--,surprise gnrale6 ,c'est parfait1 c'est excellent1 c'est nourri1 c'est corse1 c'est aromatique1 c'est riche de got4 #8,le bouillon de buf est bon1 mais comparativement infrieur1 moins accentu de got1 moins parfum1 moins rsistant de sapidit4' ,the jury unanimously pronounced the horse bouillon superior to that of the ox4 ,the bouilli1 on the contrary1 they thought inferior to that of good beef1 although superior to ordinary beef1 and certainly superior to all cow-beef4 ,the roast fillet1 again1 they found superior to that of the ox2 and ,m4 ,latour thus sums up the experiment3-- ,un bouillon suprieur2 ,un bouilli bon et trs-mangeable2 ,un rti exquis4 ,similar experiments have been subsequently tried1 several times in ,paris and in the provinces4 ,they have been tried under three different conditions4 ,first1 the guests have known what they were going to eat2 secondly1 they have been totally ignorant2 and thirdly1 they have been warned that they were going to eat something quite novel4 ,yet in every case1 we are told1 the result has been the same4 ,it is right to add1 that the author anticipates the objection that the animals selected were young horses in splendid condition1 and that such horses are too valuable to be sent to the butcher4 ,the majority of these experiments have1 we are assured1 been made at veterinary colleges1 upon horses incapacitated by age or accident from further work4 ,the horse which ,m4 ,renault served up to his friends had already vingt-trois ans de bons et loyaux services4 ,he was in good #8condition'--that is to say1 well-fleshed1 although paralysed4 ,in fact1 all the horses1 it is asserted1 were such as are sold for fifteen or twenty francs--not such as are the pride of our stables4 ,the younger the horse1 the better his flesh2 and as young horses die daily from accidents1 these1 we presume1 would form the #8prime cuts4' ,but old horses1 used up1 unfit even for cabs1 if allowed a little rest1 are capable1 we are assured1 of furnishing beef better than cow-beef4 ,but this serving up of horse-flesh is equalled by that of the matre de cuisine to the ,marchal ,strezzi1 who1 at the siege of ,leith1 according to ,monsieur ,beaujeu1 #8made out of the hind quarter of one salted horse forty-five couverts1 that the ,english and ,scottish officers and nobility who had the honour to dine with the ,monseigneur1 upon the rendition1 could not tell what the devil any one of them were made upon at all4' ,m4 ,st4 ,hilaire discusses at great length many other objections1 with which we need not here trouble ourselves4 ,but the taste is spreading and the advocates increasing4 ,the public use of horse-flesh as human food is spoken of approvingly in ,blackwood4 ,the ,new ,york ,tribune thus endorses the fanatical idea of the ,french savans1 7more properly ravens17 as to the propriety of eating horse-flesh3-- #8,in the horse we have an animal which is much cleaner in its habits than the hog1 herbivorous like the ox or sheep1 whose flesh is rich in nitrogen1 and as pleasant to the taste as that of either of the above-named animals4 ,what prevents horse-flesh from being found on our tables8 ,nothing but a popular prejudice1 which recent investigations in ,paris show is entirely without any foundation whatever4 #8#h1jjj horses die1 it is said1 in ,new ,york annually1 or about #bb per day' 7a great exaggeration no doubt72 #8but instead of fetching #ag or #ah dollars to press the carcase for grease1 and to feed the hogs on to make pork for export1 the prices will be greatly enhanced for meat for home consumption4' ,thus writes the ,paris correspondent of the ,indpendance ,belge3--#8,you know what interest is attached to-day--and very naturally so--to all questions relating to the public food4 ,in connexion therewith1 ,i have to mention a fact which is both curious and odd2 it is1 that there is being formed in ,paris a society of economists1 naturalists1 and hardy gourmands1 having for aim the introduction of horse-flesh into the category of butchers' meat4 ,it may perhaps be said1 that this social phenomenon is not altogether new4 ,ten years ago1 hippophagy made some noise in ,germany1 and1 if ,i remember right1 a society of eaters of the horse was formed1 and attempted a public festival1 at which all the meat should be of that quadruped1 but were interrupted by the public1 who1 feeling their prejudices wounded1 broke the tables to pieces4 ,at ,paris1 where all eccentricities are found1 and even encouraged1 there is nothing of that kind to fear4 ,accordingly1 hippophagy progresses4 ,do not consider this an exaggeration4 ,the last number of the ,revue des ,cours ,publics will prove to you1 by means of a summary1 that ,m4 ,geoffroy de ,st4 ,hilaire has made the subject the theme of one of his recent lectures1 and that the learned professor was greatly applauded4 ,i should add that his auditors included economists1 agriculturists1 and heads of benevolent institutions4 ,when the orator concluded by saying that the day was come when the horse ought to contribute to the nourishment of the human race1 as well as the ox1 the sheep1 and the pig1 a hundred voices cried in chorus1 #8,oui6 oui6 trs bien6' ,this question1 strange at first sight1 has been raised1 and it will not sleep again4 ,i predict that it will have not only numerous adherents1 but eloquent fanatics4 ,as a commencement1 many of the auditors wished to eat horse soup1 horse steaks1 and the same flesh under other forms4' ,at the time at which ,i write1 dissertations are made1 brochures written1 the regulations of a hippophagic society drawn up1 and the establishment of horse shambles demanded4 ,in #ahcb1 ,m4 ,alphonse ,karr1 mocking the extreme zeal of the society for protection1 exclaimed--#8,philanthropists6 the horse has carried man long enough2 it is now for man to carry the horse6' ,there is very little doubt that horse-flesh1 besides its application for #8cats' meat1' enters1 even now1 largely into surreptitious use in certain quarters in this country as food for bipeds4 ,thus1 a ,blackburn paper tells us that #8on ,monday last ,mr4 ,laverty seized and confiscated the carcase of a horse4 ,the animal had been stuck and bled1 and was taken very near to the premises of a noted brawn and black-pudding maker4 ,we understand that horse-flesh is used in this town by a certain vender and manufacturer of brawn4' ,hoffman and ,burns1 makers and venders of horse-meat sausages1 at ,philadelphia1 were recently tried1 convicted1 and sentenced to eighteen months' imprisonment4 ,apropos of sausages1 judging from the following anecdote1 home-made ones are the more attractive4 #8,a minister in one of our orthodox churches1 while on his way to preach a funeral sermon in the country1 called to see one of his members1 an old widow lady1 who lived near the road he was travelling4 ,the old lady had just been making sausages1 and she felt proud of them--they were so plump1 round1 and sweet4 ,of course she insisted on her minister taking some of the links home to his family4 ,he objected on account of not having his portmanteau along with him4 ,this objection was soon over-ruled1 and the old lady1 after wrapping them in a rag1 carefully placed a bundle in either pocket of the preacher's capacious great coat4 ,thus equipped1 he started for the funeral4 #8,while attending to the solemn ceremonies of the grave1 some hungry dogs scented the sausages1 and were not long in tracking them to the pockets of the good man's over-coat4 ,of course this was a great annoyance1 and he was several times under the necessity of kicking these whelps away4 ,the obsequies at the grave completed1 the minister and congregation re-passed to the church1 where the funeral discourse was to be preached4 #8,after the sermon was finished1 the minister halted to make some remarks to his congregation1 when a brother who wished to have an appointment given out1 ascended the steps of the pulpit1 and gave the minister's coat a hitch to get his attention4 ,the divine1 thinking it a dog having designs upon his pocket1 raised his foot1 gave a sudden kick1 and sent the good brother sprawling down the steps6 #8,you will excuse me1 brethren and sisters1' said the minister1 confusedly1 and without looking at the work he had just done1 #8for ,i could not avoid it--,i have sausages in my pocket1 and that dog has been trying to grab them ever since ,i came upon the premises6'#aj ,the reader may judge of the effect such an announcement would have at a funeral4 ,tears of sorrow were suddenly exchanged for smiles of merriment4 ,mr4 ,richardson1 officer of the ,local ,board of ,health of ,newton ,heath1 near ,manchester1 gave the following evidence before ,mr4 ,scholefield's ,committee on ,adulteration1 before whom ,i was also examined as a witness4 #8,we have in ,newton five knackers' yards1 and there is only one in ,manchester4 ,the reason is1 that they have so much toleration in ,newton2 and it has been a great source of profit to them1 because they have the means of selling the best portions of the horse-flesh to mix with the potted meats4 #8,i can say for a fact1 that the tongues of horses particularly1 and the best portions1 such as the hind quarters of horses1 are generally sold to mix with collared brawn1 or pigs' heads1 as they are called with us1 and for sausages and polonies4 ,i understand1 also1 from those who have been in the habit of making them1 that horse-flesh materially assists the making of sausages2 ,it is a hard fibrin1 and it mixes better1 and keeps them hard1 and they last longer in the shop window before they are sold1 because otherwise the sausages run to water1 and become soft and pulpy4 ,i believe horse-flesh also materially assists ,german sausages2 it keeps them hard4' ,the instinct of the dog1 the cat1 and the rat1 are so well known that one anecdote will suffice to illustrate the three4 ,a terrier and a tom cat were pursuing a large rat down a street4 ,the rat was almost caught1 when it dodged suddenly and ran into a sausage shop4 ,the cat and dog stopped convulsively at the door2 and1 looking at the sausages1 hung their heads1 and slunk away terror-stricken4 ,but in other quarters than ,england1 unwholesome and infected meat is vended1 for a year or two ago the editor of the ,madras ,athenum thus wrote3-- #8,we question whether since the days of ,pelops a more filthy dish was ever offered to human beings1 than those which are daily served up to the ,european inhabitants of ,madras4 ,with respect to the state of our market1 we have never seen a more disgusting receptacle of all kinds of abominations than that market presents4 #8,a lazar house it seemed1 wherein were laid ,numbers of all diseased4' #8,unfortunate beings in the worst stages of leprosy1 naked1 and covered all over with the livid spots of that hideous disease1 standing at the stalls1 handling the meat1 and talking with the butchers1 is a sight as common as it is horrible4 ,as for the small-pox1 that is almost too abundant to allow of any cases being particularly noticed4 ,it is very conspicuous on the native1 on account of the pustules being white4 ,the only disease bearing any resemblance to it is the itch4 ,we have ourselves observed a dirty fellow1 with his hands covered all over with one of these nauseous eruptions1 coolly walking down the whole length of a set of stalls1 and clapping those abominable hands1 in a lazy manner1 upon every piece of meat within his reach4 ,faugh6 ,the very thought smells4 ,when we were last there1 the place swarmed with pariah dogs1 the effect of which was to render the stench and filth accumulated round the stalls perfectly unbearable4 ,we are aware the subject is a nasty one1 but at the risk of spoiling the breakfast of ,brown1 ,jones1 or ,robinson1 as they take up our damp sheet this morning1 we make the evil conspicuous1 and bring it plainly into notice1 that measures may be taken to sink it into oblivion ever after4 ,if one could jest upon such a subject1 one might say1 that the market of ,madras is as much the morning lounge of the filthiest wretches in the place1 as the stables of ,taylor and ,co4 are the morning rendezvous of the rank and fashion1 who there do congregate1 to look at the ,australians and ,arabs ushered to their notice under the winning smile of the worthy head partner4 ,is not the thought horrible1 too1 that the fairer part of the creation1 who should be fed on #8,sugar and spice #8,and all that's nice1 are offered such filthy and infected stuff8 #8,we should also recommend attention being called to the practice1 which we are afraid prevails1 of #8blowing the meat1' to give it a good appearance4 ,this is a cognizable offence1 and butchers have1 on occasion1 most deservedly received a dozen or two for it2 but the inducement to make their meat look tempting by filling it with breath1 not quite so #8fragrant as the flower of ,amrou1' is too profitable1 we fear1 to be disregarded upon the vague and distant contingency of a flogging or a fine4 ,if the functionaries who are employed to superintend the market are insufficient in number1 it would surely be poor economy not to increase them4 ,if they are inattentive and remiss1 discharge them4 ,it would be pennywise1 indeed1 for a few paltry rupees a month1 to allow a ,secretary to ,government1 or a ,member of ,council1 whose wisdom and experience have been purchased at an immense cost to the country1 to be poisoned1 which at present they are liable to be1 by infected meat4 #8,if by calling attention to the subject1 some improvement is made1 our object will be attained4 ,we will gladly run the chance of spoiling a few dinners4 ,jones of the club1 as he takes the cover off one of ,maltby's best entres1 may for once think of the leprous hand that has handled it2 ,brown may fancy for once he will catch small-pox from his beef-steak2 ,robinson may think of the dog licking the leg of mutton from which his whack is taken1 and all may heartily anathematise the ,athenum for telling them the truth1 but we will cheerfully put up with their wry faces and abuse1 if the necessary reform we advocate be attained4' ,sam ,slick1 in his truthful1 but satirical vein1 alludes to the disguises of fashionable cookery4--#8,veal' 7he says7 #8to be good1 must look like anything else but veal4 ,you mustn't know it when you see it1 or it's vulgar2 mutton must be incog1 too2 beef must have a mask on2 any thin' that looks solid1 take a spoon to2 any thin' that looks light1 cut with a knife2 if a thing looks like fish1 you take your oath it is flesh2 and if it seems real flesh1 it's only disguised1 for it's sure to be fish2 nothin' must be nateral--natur is out of fashion here4 ,this is a manufacturin' country2 everything is done by machinery1 and that that aint1 must be made to look like it2 and ,i must say1 the dinner machinery is perfect4' ,if horses are eaten1 why not donkeys8 ,the animal is more rare1 and hence it would be the greater delicacy4 ,the ,greeks ate donkeys1 and we must suppose they had their reasons for it4 ,has any modern stomach in ,europe been courageous enough1 knowingly1 to try it8 ,the flesh of the common ass1 though never eaten by us1 is esteemed a delicacy in some countries1 particularly in ,tartary4 ,the northern climate1 pasturage1 and freedom may have some effect on the flesh4 ,travellers affirm that dogs' flesh1 which with us is intolerable1 is one of the most savoury meats1 when the animal has been kept for some time in the warm1 tropical regions4 ,this cannot1 however1 apply to the brutish pariah dogs that infest the streets of ,madras1 ,constantinople1 and other eastern towns4 ,the ,roman peasants found the flesh of the ass palatable1 and the celebrated ,mcenas having tasted it1 introduced it to the tables of the great and rich1 but the fashion of eating it lasted no longer than his life4 ,galen compares the flesh of the ass to that of the stag4 ,it is said to be eaten plentifully in the low eating-houses of ,paris1 under the denomination of veal4 ,the flesh of the wild ass is eaten by the ,tartars1 and is said to be very delicate and good1 but when killed in a tame state1 it is hard and unfit for food4 ,the wild ass1 called ,koulan by the ,persians1 is still common in many parts of ,central ,asia1 from the #dh of ,north latitude to the confines of ,india4 ,the ,persians and ,tartars hold its flesh in high esteem1 and hunt it in preference to all other descriptions of game4 ,olearius assures us1 that he saw no fewer than #cb wild asses slain in one day1 by the ,shah of ,persia and his court1 the bodies of which were sent to the royal kitchens at ,ispahan2 and we know from ,martial1 that the epicures of ,rome held the flesh of the ,onager1 or wild ass1 in the same estimation as we do venison4 ,cum tener est ,onager1 solaque lalisio matre ,pascitur2 hoc infans1 sed breve nomen habet4 ,martial1 xiii4 #ig4 ,from a passage in ,pliny 7lib4 viii41 c4 #dd71 it would appear1 that the ,onager inhabited ,africa2 and that the most delicate and best flavoured lalisiones1 or fat foals1 were brought from that continent to the ,roman markets4 ,leo ,africanus repeats the same story of wild asses being found in ,africa1 but no traveller has since met with them2 and1 as far as we at present know1 the species is confined to ,asia4 ,the quaggas 7,asinus ,quagga7 are often hunted in ,africa by the ,dutch for their skins1 of which they make large bags to hold their grain1 and by the ,hottentots and other natives1 who are very fond of their flesh4 ,lieutenant ,moodie 7,ten ,years in ,south ,africa7 says1 #8,being one morning at the house of a neighbouring farmer who had just shot one of these animals1 ,i requested that he would have a piece of the flesh cooked for my breakfast4 ,his #8frow' expressed some disgust at my proposal1 but ordered a small bit to be grilled1 with butter and pepper4 ,i did not find it at all unpalatable1 and certainly it was better than horse-flesh1 to which ,i had been treated in the hospital at ,bergen-op-,zoom in #ahad1 when lying wounded there1 after the unfortunate failure of that well-planned attack4' ,,ruminantia4 ,the ruminants furnish1 as is well known1 the largest portion of our animal food1 being consumed by man alike in civilized or unsettled countries4 ,the domestic animals require little notice at our hands4 ,there are1 however1 some whose flesh is eaten in different countries that are less familiar4 ,thus the bison and musk-ox of ,north ,america1 the reindeer of ,greenland and ,northern ,europe--the various antelopes1 the gnu1 the giraffe1 and the camel of ,africa1 and the alpaca tribe of ,south ,america1 supply much of the animal food of the people in the districts where they are common4 ,the flesh of the camel is dry and hard1 but not unpalatable4 ,heliogabalus had camels' flesh and camels' feet served up at his banquets4 ,in ,barbary1 the tongues are salted and smoked for exportation to ,italy and other countries1 and they form a very good dish4 ,the flesh is little esteemed by the ,tartars1 but they use the hump cut into slices1 which1 dissolved in tea1 serves the purpose of butter4 ,the flesh of the ,axis deer 7,cervus axis1 or ,axis maculata7 is not much esteemed in ,ceylon1 having little fat upon it1 and being very dry4 ,the ,india samver1 or musk deer1 is eaten there4 ,the flesh of the great moose deer or elk1 of ,north ,america1 the carcase of which weighs #a1jjj or #a1bjj lbs41 is as valuable for food as beef1 but from its immense size1 much of the flesh is usually left in the forest4 ,it is more relished by the ,indians and persons resident in the fur countries1 than that of any other animal1 and bears a greater resemblance in its flavour to beef than to venison4 ,it is said that the external fat is soft like that of a breast of mutton1 and when put into a bladder is as fine as marrow4 ,the flesh of the caribboo1 a smaller animal1 rarely exceeding #djj lbs41 is less palatable than moose venison4 ,nor is the flesh of the red or ,virginian deer much better1 although the venison dried is very good4 ,venison is not #8meat' in the parlance of the backwoodsman2 that term1 as ,sam ,slick tells us1 is reserved par excellence for pork2 and he is frequently too indolent or too much occupied otherwise1 to hunt1 although deer tracks may be seen in every direction around the scene of his daily rail-splitting operations4 ,he considers it cheaper to buy venison of the ,indians1 when there are any ,indians in the locality4 ,but venison has some solid value even in those parts1 and if salted and smoked1 would be entitled to a place among the articles of household thrift4 ,of the ,arctic quadrupeds1 the reindeer 7,cervus tarandus7 is most valuable1 its flesh being juicy1 nutritious1 and well-flavoured1 and easy of digestion4 ,they abound in ,greenland1 and are tolerably numerous in ,melville ,island4 ,in ,sweden1 roast reindeer steaks and game are dressed in a manner preferable to that which prevails with us4 ,the flesh is first perforated1 and little bits of lard inserted2 and1 after being baked in an oven1 it is served in a quantity of white sauce4 ,the flesh of the young giraffe is said to be good eating4 ,the ,hottentots hunt the animal principally on account of its marrow1 which1 as a delicacy1 they set a high value on4 ,the ,hottentots have a curious mode of cooking their antelope venison1 which renders it1 however1 exceedingly palatable4 ,after stewing the meat in a very small quantity of water1 they take it out of the pot and pound it between two stones until reduced to the consistency of pap1 when they mix it with a considerable quantity of sheep's fat1 and then stew it for a short time longer4 ,this is an excellent way of preparing dry flesh of any kind4 #8,on one occasion' 7says ,lieut4 ,moodie71 #8after ,i had taken out my share of this mess1 the ,hottentots added a larger quantity of fat to it to please their own palates2 and one of them ate so heartily of the greasy mixture1 that he became seriously unwell1 but recovered by chewing dry roots of the sweet-scented flag 7,calamus aromaticus74 ,this plant is very much used by the ,dutch for stomach complaints1 and they generally cultivate some of it in wet places in their gardens4' ,the eland of ,africa 7,boselaphus ,oreas7 is the largest of the antelope tribe1 its size being indicated by its generic name4 ,the bulls attain to the height of nineteen hands at the shoulder1 and frequently exceed #a1jjj lbs4 in weight4 ,it fattens readily on the most meagre herbage of the desert1 and to the delicious1 tender1 juicy1 and wholesome nature of its flesh every hunter will bear witness1 who has regaled himself on the steaks broiled in the homely style of ,south ,african cookery1 with some of the usual condiments or spices to give them an unnatural relish4 ,the flesh has a peculiar sweetness1 and is tender and fit for use the moment the animal is killed4 ,it is hunted with avidity1 on account of the delicacy of its flesh1 but is very rarely found within the limits of the ,cape ,colony1 having been driven beyond the ,orange ,river by the progress of colonization4 ,the hartebeest1 an antelope of the size of the ,scotch red deer1 though now rather rare1 is much prized by the ,african sportsman4 ,it is also called caama by the ,dutch farmers1 and is a favourite object of pursuit with both natives and colonists4 ,the flesh is rather dry1 but of a fine grain1 more nearly resembling the beef of the ox than that of any other antelope1 except1 perhaps1 the so-called eland or elk of the colonists 7,a4 oreas1 ,pallas71 and it has a high game flavour which makes it universally esteemed4 ,the meat of the sassaby 7,a4 lunata1 ,burchell71 a rare species1 is tender and well tasted4 ,the flesh of the ourebi of ,southern ,africa 7,a4 scoparia1 ,schreber71 though dry and destitute of fat1 is esteemed one of the best venisons of the country4 ,the flesh of the bosh-bok1 or bush goat1 as its colonial name implies 7,a4 sylvatica1 ,sparrman71 makes good venison1 that of the breast being particularly esteemed4 ,the flesh of the rheebok 7,a4 capreolus1 ,lichstenstein7 is dry and insipid1 and relished less than that of any other of the numerous ,cape antelopes4 ,the bush antelope 7,a4 silvicultrix1 ,afzelius7 affords excellent venison1 and is much sought after on that account4 ,the flesh of the ahu 7,a4 subgutturosa1 ,guldenstaedt7 is excellent1 and of an agreeable taste4 ,that of the gnu of ,south ,africa is in great repute both among the natives and ,dutch settlers4 ,though the meat has a wildish flavour1 it is more juicy than that of most of the antelope tribe1 and very much like beef4 ,the flesh of the alpaca and guanaco is sold in the public shambles of ,peru1 ,chili1 c4 ,sheep's milk is a common beverage in ,toorkistan1 where the sheep are milked regularly three times a day4 ,goats are very scarce2 cows not to be seen2 but the sheep's milk affords nourishment in various forms1 of which the most common is a kind of sour cheese1 being little better than curdled milk and salt4 ,if we think ox tails a delicacy1 ,australians 7as we have seen7 like kangaroo tails1 and the ,cape colonists have fat sheep's tails requiring a barrow or a cart on which to support them4 ,the broad fat tail1 which often composes one-third of the weight of the animal1 is entirely composed of a substance betwixt marrow and fat1 which serves very often for culinary purposes instead of butter2 and being cut into small pieces1 makes an ingredient in various dishes4 ,the dried flesh of the argali1 or wild sheep1 is in ,kamtschatka an article of commerce4 ,the domestic goat's flesh is not in much favour anywhere1 although that of a young kid1 three or four months old1 is very tender and delicate4 ,some of the goats are eaten in the ,cape ,colony1 but the flesh is generally lean and tough4 ,the ,malabar goat is a delicate animal1 that browzes on the rocks4 ,it is more sought after than any game in ,ceylon1 for1 contrary to the general nature of the goat1 its flesh is tender and excellent when broiled4 ,bison beef1 especially that of the female1 is rather coarser grained than that of the domestic ox1 but is considered by hunters and travellers as superior in tenderness and flavour4 ,the hump1 which is highly celebrated for its richness and delicacy1 is said1 when properly cooked1 to resemble marrow4 ,the flesh of the buffalo1 as it is misnamed1 is the principal1 sometimes the only1 food of numerous tribes of ,north ,american ,indians4 ,it is eaten fresh on the prairies during the hunt1 and dried in their winter villages4 ,the musk-ox 7,ovibos moschatus7 is of much importance from its size and palatable rich meat4 ,it has occasionally furnished a rich meal to arctic explorers4 ,when they are fat1 the flesh is well flavoured1 but smells strongly of musk4 ,,cetacea4 ,the flesh of the manatus is white and delicate1 and tastes like young pork eaten fresh or salted1 while the fat forms excellent lard4 ,the cured flesh keeps long without corruption1 and it will continue good several weeks1 even in the hot climate of which it is a native1 when other meat would not resist putrefaction for as many days4 ,the fibres and the lean part of the flesh are like beef1 but more red2 it takes a very long time boiling4 ,the fat of the young one is like pork1 and can scarcely be distinguished from it1 while the lean eats like veal4 ,the fat1 which lies between the entrails and skin has a pleasant smell1 and tastes like the oil of sweet almonds4 ,it makes an admirable substitute for butter1 and does not turn rancid in the sun4 ,the fat of the tail is of a firmer consistence1 and when boiled is more delicate than the other4 ,manatees1 or sea calves1 are found in certain parts of ,british ,honduras in great numbers4 ,they are1 according to my friend1 ,chief ,justice ,temple1 frequently caught and brought to the market of ,belize1 where they are snapped up with the greatest avidity4 ,he states the flesh to be white and delicate1 something between pork and veal4 ,the tail1 which is very fat1 is most esteemed4 ,this caudal luxury is generally soused or pickled4 ,i do not1 myself1 fancy the flesh of this brute1 for it is so inhumanly human--it reminds one so much of a mermaid1 or of one of the fifty daughters of ,nereus1 that to eat it seems to me to be an approximation to cannibalism4 ,it appears horrible to chew and swallow the flesh of an animal which holds its young 7it has never more than one at a litter7 to its breast1 which is formed exactly like that of a woman1 with paws resembling human hands4 ,but these notions would be considered highly fantastic by those who masticate a monkey with the greatest relish1 partake with gusto of rattlesnake soup1 and voraciously devour an alligator stew4 ,the manatus is commonly found in shallow water1 at the mouths of rivers1 where it feeds upon the marine herbage which there grows in great luxuriance4 ,it has no teeth1 but two thick1 smooth1 hard1 unserrated bones run from one side of the mouth to the other4 ,i am inclined to think that these bones might be used as a substitute for ivory4#aa ,mr4 ,p4 ,h4 ,gosse1 in his interesting little manual on the ,natural ,history of the ,mammalia1 remarks3-- #8,from personal experience we can confirm ,hernandez's statement of the excellence of the flesh of the manatee2 he truly compares it to well fatted pork1 of pleasant flavour4 ,the pursuit of it1 on this account1 has rendered it scarce in many localities1 where it was formerly numerous2 in the vicinity of ,cayenne1 it was at one time so common1 that a large boat might be filled with them in a day1 and the flesh was sold at #c;d4 per pound4 ,about the middle of the last century it fetched1 at ,port ,royal in ,jamaica1 #ae;d4 currency per pound4' ,the tongue of the sea-lion 7,phoca jubata7 is very good eating1 and some seamen prefer it to that of an ox or calf4 ,thus ,dr4 ,pernetty 7,voyage to the ,falkland ,islands7 says1--#8,for a trial we cut off the tip of the tongue hanging out of the mouth of one of these lions which was just killed4 ,about sixteen or eighteen of us ate each a pretty large piece1 and we all thought it so good that we regretted we could not eat more of it4 #8,it is said that their flesh is not absolutely disagreeable4 ,i have not tasted it1 but the oil which is extracted from their grease is of great use4 ,this oil is extracted in two ways2 either by cutting the fat in pieces and melting it in large caldrons upon the fire1 or by cutting it in the same manner upon hurdles or pieces of board1 and exposing them to the sun1 or only to the air4 ,this grease dissolves of itself and runs into vessels placed underneath to receive it4 ,some of our seamen pretended that this last sort of oil1 when it is fresh1 is very good for kitchen uses4 ,it is preferred to that of the whale2 is always clear1 and leaves no sediment4' ,walrus meat is strong1 coarse1 and of a game-like flavour4 ,seal flesh is exceedingly oily1 and not very palatable2 but by practice1 residents in the northern regions learn to relish both exceedingly4 ,the large tongue1 the heart1 and liver of the walrus 7,trichecus rosmarus71 are often eaten by whalers for want of better fresh provisions1 and are passably good4 ,commodore ,anson's party killed many sea-lions for food1 using1 particularly1 the hearts and tongues1 which they thought excellent eating1 and preferable even to those of bullocks4 ,the flesh of the female sea-bear 7,phoca ursina1 ,lin47 they found very delicate1 having the taste of lamb2 while that of the cub could scarcely be distinguished from roasted pig4 ,sir ,edward ,parry was once asked1 at a dinner where ,lord ,erskine was present1 what he and his crew had lived upon when they were frozen in in the ,polar ,seas4 ,parry said they lived upon seals4 #8,a very good living1 too1' exclaimed the ,chancellor1 #8if you keep them long enough4' ,one of the ordinary acts of hospitality and civility on the part of the ,esquimaux ladies1 is to take a bird1 or piece of seal-flesh1 chew it up very nicely1 and hand it to the visitor1 who is expected to be overcome with gratitude1 and finish the operation of chewing and digesting the delicate morsel4 ,the carcase and blubber of the whale at ,bahia1 in ,brazil1 are reduced to food by the poor4 ,to most of the rude littoral tribes of ,northern ,asia and ,america1 the whale and seal furnish1 not only food and clothing1 but many other useful materials4 ,the ,esquimaux will eat the raw flesh of the whale with the same apparent relish1 when newly killed1 or after it has been buried in the ground for several months4 ,the whales on the coasts of ,japan not only afford oil in great abundance1 but their flesh1 which is there considered very wholesome and nutritious1 is largely consumed4 ,no part of them1 indeed1 is thrown away2 all is made available to some useful purpose or another4 ,the skin1 which is generally black1 the flesh1 which is red and looks like coarse beef1 the intestines and all the inward parts1 besides the fat or blubber1 which is boiled into oil1 and the bone1 which is converted into innumerable uses1--all is made available to purposes of profit4 ,both sperm and black whales abound on the coast of ,western ,australia4 ,sometimes a dead whale is thrown on the shore1 and affords luxurious living to the natives4 ,they do not1 however1 eat the shark4 ,the natives of ,new ,zealand1 when short of food1 will not scruple to eat the flesh of the whale1 when caught in their vicinity4 ,the deep has many food dainties as well as the land1 as we shall shortly have to notice1 and among these is the porpoise1 which the reader may probably have seen dashing up our rivers1 or1 during a long voyage1 disporting itself amid the briny waves1 and rolling gracefully near the sides of the ship4 ,this sea pig sometimes serves for a feast4 ,when caught1 it is cut into steaks1 dried1 and put into the ship's coppers1 with a quantum suf4 of spices and condiments which nearly overpower the oily taste4 ,the steaks turn blackish on being exposed to the air1 but this is #8a matter of nothing' to those whose daily diet is usually limited to hard biscuits and salt junk4 ,landsmen may question the niceness of the palate which partakes of this dainty1 but the old adage holds true everywhere1 #8de gustibus non disputandum4' ,there is no disputing about tastes4 ,according to ancient records1 salted porpoises were formerly used for food in this country4 ,in the olden times1 when glass windows were considered an effeminate luxury1 and rushes supplied the place of carpets1 the flesh of the porpoise constituted one of the standard delicacies of a public feast4 ,it was occasionally served up at the tables of the old ,english nobility as a sumptuous article of food1 and eaten with a sauce composed of sugar1 vinegar1 and crumbs of fine bread4 ,but tastes have altered1 and even sailors will scarcely touch the flesh now4 ,m4 de ,bouganville1 in his voyage to the ,falkland ,islands1 writes--#8,we had some of the porpoise served up at dinner the day it was taken1 which several others at the table besides myself thought by no means so ill-tasted as it is generally said to be4' ,porpoises are rather dangerous enemies to the shoals of fish4 ,a porpoise1 before taking in a barrel of herrings for its dinner1 will often whet its appetite with a cod's head and shoulders1 leaving the tail part for some poor fisherman4 ,,birds4 ,leaving now our passing survey of the food supplies derived from animals1 we come next to birds1 and1 in the first order1 we do not find that any are eaten1 at least1 as far as my knowledge extends2 indeed1 these carnivorous birds1 from their habits and their food1 would not be very tempting4 ,this1 however1 as we have seen in the case of predatory animals1 is no safe criterion to judge from4 ,probably1 the man who would feast on the flesh of a lion1 or a polecat1 would have a stomach strong enough to digest slices of a ,john ,crow carrion vulture1 an eagle1 or a hawk4 ,in the order of ,,insessores1 or perching birds1 ,i may mention first-- ,the becafico1 or fig-eater 7,sylvia hortensis71 a bird about the size of a linnet1 which is highly prized by the ,italians for the delicacy of its flesh1 particularly in autumn1 when it is in excellent condition for the table4 ,there is a curious food product obtained1 7not exactly1 however1 from the bird17 which is in high repute in ,china2 and that is the edible nest of a species of swallow extensively obtained in some of the islands of the ,eastern ,archipelago4 ,these nests are attached to the sides of rocks like those of our martin and swallow to walls1 and look like so many watch-pockets4 ,the eggs are white1 with a slight pinkish tinge1 and are generally two in number4 ,the nests are either white1 red1 or black1 and the natives maintain that these are built by three distinct species1 with a white1 red1 and black breast1 but this is erroneous4 ,the ,malays assert frequently1 moreover1 that the nests are formed from the bodies of certain sea snakes1 but the food is1 without doubt1 insects4 ,the subjoined accounts furnish the most detailed information known respecting the collection and trade in these birdsnests4 ,the following description of the birdsnests' rocks1 in the district of ,karang ,bollong1 on the southerly sea-coast of ,java1 is given in the first volume of the ,journal of the ,indian ,archipelago1 published at ,singapore4 #8,the gathering of these nests takes place three times a year--in the end of ,april1 the middle of ,august1 and in ,december4 ,the yearly produce is commonly between #ej and #fj piculs of #acc lbs4 ,the business of collection is opened with great ceremony by the natives4 ,by the assistance of ladders and stages made of rattan1 the collectors descend the rocks and cliffs1 provided with the requisite bags to contain the nests1 which are taken from the wall by the hand1 and those which are on the roof by an iron hook made fast to a long bamboo4 ,the birds feed upon different kinds of bloodless insects1 hovering above the stagnant waters1 for which their wide open beak is very useful4 ,they form their nests by vomiting the strongest and best fragments of the food which they have eaten4 ,the nests are weighed and packed in hampers 7of #be catties each71 and labelled with the net weight1 mark of the overseer1 c41 and then further preserved and secured with strips of bark1 leaves1 and matting4 #8,the edible birdsnests1 which owe their celebrity only to the whimsical luxury of the ,chinese1 are brought principally from ,java and ,sumatra1 though they are found on most of the rocky islets of the ,indian ,archipelago4 ,the nest is the habitation of a small swallow1 named 7from the circumstance of having an edible house7 ,hirundo esculenta4 ,they are composed of a mucilaginous substance1 but as yet they have never been analyzed with sufficient accuracy to show the constituents4 ,externally1 they resemble ill-concocted1 fibrous isinglass1 and are of a white colour1 inclining to red4 ,their thickness is little more than that of a silver spoon1 and the weight from a quarter to half an ounce4 ,when dry they are brittle and wrinkled2 the size is nearly that of a goose's egg4 ,those that are dry1 white1 and clean1 are the most valuable4 ,they are packed in bundles1 with split rattans run through them to preserve the shape4 ,those procured after the young are fledged1 are not saleable in ,china4 ,the quality of the nest varies according to the situation and extent of the caves1 and the time at which they are taken4 ,if procured before the young are fledged1 the nests are of the best kind2 if they contain eggs only1 they are still valuable2 but if the young are in the nests1 or have left them1 the whole are then nearly worthless1 being dark-coloured1 streaked with blood1 and intermixed with feathers and dirt4 ,these nests are procurable twice every year2 the best are found in deep1 damp caves1 which1 if not injured1 will continue to produce indefinitely4 ,it was once thought that the caves near the sea-coast were the most productive2 but some of the most profitable yet found are situated #ej miles in the interior4 ,this fact seems to be against the opinion that the nests are composed of the spawn of fish1 or of bche-de-mer4 ,the method of procuring these nests is not unattended with danger4 ,some of the caves are so precipitous1 that no one but those accustomed to the employment from their youth can obtain the nests1 being only approachable by a perpendicular descent of many hundred feet1 by ladders of bamboo and rattan1 over a sea rolling violently against the rocks4 ,when the mouth of the cave is attained1 the perilous task of taking the nests must often be performed by torchlight1 by penetrating into recesses of the rock2 where the slightest slip would be instantly fatal to the adventurers1 who see nothing below them but the turbulent surf1 making its way into the chasms of the rock--such is the price paid to gratify luxury4 ,after the nests are obtained1 they are separated from feathers and dirt1 are carefully dried and packed1 and are then fit for the market4 ,the ,chinese1 who are the only people that purchase them for their own use1 bring them in junks to this market1 where they command extravagant prices2 the best1 or white kind1 often being worth four thousand dollars per picul 7a ,chinese weight1 equal to #acc lbs4 avoirdupois71 which is nearly twice their weight in silver4 ,the middling kind is worth from twelve to eighteen hundred1 and the worst1 or those procured after fledging1 one hundred and fifty to two hundred dollars per picul4 ,the majority of the best kind are sent to ,pekin1 for the use of the court4 ,it appears1 therefore1 that this curious dish is only an article of expensive luxury amongst the ,chinese2 the ,japanese do not use it at all1 and how the former people acquired the habit of indulging in it1 is only less singular than their persevering in it4 ,they consider the edible birdsnest as a great stimulant1 tonic1 and aphrodisiac1 but its best quality1 perhaps1 is its being perfectly harmless4 ,the labour bestowed to render it fit for the table is enormous2 every feather1 stick1 or impurity of any kind is carefully removed2 and then1 after undergoing many washings and preparations1 it is made into a soft1 delicious jelly4 ,the sale of birdsnests is a monopoly with all the governments in whose dominions they are found4 ,about two hundred and fifty thousand piculs1 of the value of one million four hundred thousand dollars1 are annually brought to ,canton4 ,these come from the islands of ,java1 ,sumatra1 ,macassar1 and those of the ,sooloo group4 ,java alone sends about thirty thousand pounds1 mostly of the first quality1 estimated at seventy thousand dollars4'#ab ,mr4 ,j4 ,h4 ,moor1 in his notices of the ,indian ,archipelago1 published at ,singapore some years ago1 states1 that #8one of the principal and most valuable articles of exportation is the edible birdsnests1 white and black4 ,these are found in much greater abundance in and about the ,coti1 more than any other part of ,borneo1 or from what we at present know on the subject1 all parts put together4 ,on the western coast they are scarcely known to exist2 about ,banjermassin and ,bagottan there are none2 at ,bataliching and ,passier they are found in considerable quantities4 ,at ,browe there is abundance of the black kind of a very superior quality1 but little of the white4 ,at ,seboo1 and all the parts to the north of ,borneo1 we know there is none1 as ,i have seen many letters from different ,rajahs of those countries averring the fact1 and begging the ,sultan of ,coti to exchange his edible nests for their most valuable commodities1 and at his own price4 ,nor ought this to create surprise1 when we consider1 not only the large consumption of this article by the ,cambojans1 who almost exclusively inhabit some of the largest ,sooloo ,islands1 and the northern parts of ,borneo1 but the amazing demand on the whole coast of ,cambodia1 particularly of ,cochin ,china1 the principal inhabitants of which countries are as partial to this luxury as their more northern neighbours--the ,chinese4 ,there are in ,coti and adjacent ,dyak countries perhaps eighty known places1 or what the natives term holes1 which produce the white nests4 ,i have seen the names of forty-three4 ,there can1 however1 be no doubt there are many more likewise known to the ,dyaks1 who keep the knowledge to themselves1 lest the ,bugis should dispossess them1 which they know from experience is invariably the case4 #8,according to the accounts of the ,sultan1 rendered by ,saib ,abdulla1 the bandarree in #ahcd yielded #acd piculs4 ,the usual price in money to the ,coti traders is #bc reals per catty from the ,dyaks1 and #be in barter4 ,the black nests may be procured in great abundance4 ,the best kinds come from ,cinculeram and ,baley ,papang4 ,the latter mountain alone yields #bcj piculs 7of #aac lbs474 ,cinculeram gives nearly as much4 ,there are several other parts of ,coti which produce them1 besides the quantity brought down by the ,dyaks4 ,last year1 #acj piculs paid duty to the ,sultan2 these left the large ,coti river4 ,those from ,cinculeram and ,bongan were taken to ,browe and ,seboo4 ,the bandarree's book averages the annual weight of those collected in the lower part of ,coti at #hbj piculs 7about #a1jbe cwts47 #8,the ,pangeran ,sierpa and the ,sultan say they could collect #b1gjj piculs of black nests1 if the bandarree and capella-campong would behave honestly4 ,the ,sultan1 however1 seldom gets any account of what is sent to ,browe1 ,seboo1 and the ,sooloo ,islands1 the quality of which is far superior to any sent to ,european ports4' ,the exports of birdsnests from ,java1 between #ahbc and #ahcb1 averaged about #bej piculs a year2 in #ahcb1 #cbb piculs2 but of late years the exports have not averaged half that amount2 and in #ahec and #ahed there were only about #ce or #dj piculs shipped4 ,in the third order1 ,,scansores1 there are very few edible birds4 ,in the mountain of ,tumeriquiri1 in the government of ,cumana1 is the immense cavern of ,guacharo1 famous among the ,indians4 ,it serves as a habitation for millions of nocturnal birds 7,steatornis caripensis1 a new species of the ,caprimulgis1 of ,linnus71 whose fat yields the oil of ,guacharo4 ,once a year1 near midsummer1 this cavern is entered by the ,indians4 ,armed with poles1 they ransack the greater part of the nests1 while the old birds hover over the heads of the robbers as if to defend their brood1 uttering horrible cries4 ,the young which fall down are opened on the spot4 ,the peritoneum is found loaded with fat1 and a layer of the same substance reaches from the abdomen to the vent1 forming a kind of cushion between the hind legs4 ,humboldt remarks that this quantity of fat in frugivorous animals1 not exposed to the light1 and exerting but little muscular motion1 brings to mind what has been long observed in the fattening of geese and oxen4 #8,it is well known1' he adds1 #8how favourable darkness and repose are to this process4' ,at the period above mentioned1 which is generally known at ,carissa by the designation of #8the oil harvest1' huts are built by the ,indians1 with palm leaves1 near the entrance and even in the very porch of the cavern4 ,there the fat of the young birds just killed is melted in clay pots1 over a brushwood fire1 and this fat is named butter or oil of the ,guacharo4 ,it is half liquid1 transparent1 inodorous1 and so pure that it will keep above a year without turning rancid4#ac ,there is a curious bird met with in caves in the ,west ,india ,islands--as at ,dominica1 and the gulf of ,paria1 the diablotin or goat-sucker1 which1 if eaten when taken from the nest1 is pronounced by epicures unrivalled2 and the flesh is also considered a delicacy when salted4 ,it has received its popular cognomen from its ugliness1 but ,i have not been able to trace its scientific name4 ,the bird is nearly the size of a duck1 and web-footed1 with a big round head and crooked bill like a hawk1 and large full eyes like an owl2 the head1 part of the neck1 and chief feathers of the wing and tail1 are black1 while the other parts of its body are covered with a fine milk-white down2 the whole appearance being very singular4 ,the diablotin only leaves its haunts at night time1 flying with hideous screams like the owl1 which it resembles in its dislike to day-light4 ,the nests are made in holes in the mountains4 ,when the palms are in fruit1 the bird becomes one lump of fat4 ,the hideous appearance of the bird and the strong scent once got over1 it is said to be a delicious morsel4 ,we have our delicate tit-bits in spitted larks1 and as many as four thousand dozen have been known to be taken in the neighbourhood of ,dunstable between ,september and ,february4 ,what the number sold in our metropolitan markets is annually1 it is impossible to say4 ,but larks are taken in much larger numbers in ,germany1 where there is an excise upon them1 which has yielded as much as #a1jjj a year in ,leipsic--the larks of which place are famous all over ,germany as being of a most delicate flavour4 ,in the ,italian markets1 besides carrion crows1 strings of thrushes1 larks1 and even robin redbreasts are sold4 ,young rooks1 when skinned and made into pies are much esteemed by some persons1 but they are very coarse eating4 ,one of the most delicious birds is the rice-bunting of ,south ,carolina 7,dolichonyx oryzivorus74 ,the rice-bunting migrates over the continent of ,america1 from ,labrador to ,mexico1 and over the great ,antilles1 appearing in the southern extremity of the ,united ,states about the end of ,march4 ,towards the middle and close of ,august1 they enter ,new ,york1 and ,pennsylvania on their way to the south4 ,there1 along the shores of the large rivers lined with floating fields of wild rice1 they find abundant subsistence1 grow fat1 and their flesh becomes little inferior in flavour to that of the ,european ortolan1 on which account the reed1 or rice birds1 as they are then called1 are shot in great numbers4 ,when the cool nights in ,october commence1 they move still farther south1 till they reach the islands of ,jamaica and ,cuba in prodigious numbers to feed on the seeds of the guinea grass4 ,epicures compare the plump and juicy flesh of this delicacy to the ortolan4 ,on the shores of the ,mediterranean there are feathered delicacies in the shape of the quail and the ortolan4 ,thousands of ortolans used to be shipped from the island of ,cyprus1 packed in casks of #cjj or #djj1 prepared with spice and vinegar4 ,when specially fattened for the table1 they are regarded as most delicious2 but1 being merely lumps of fat1 are so rich as soon to satiate the appetite of even a professed gourmand4 ,in the ,west ,india ,islands and the ,southern ,states of ,america1 the rice-bunting1 as we have seen1 takes its place1 and is1 occasionally1 found in prodigious numbers1 and greatly esteemed4 ,the bluish flesh of the toucan1 notwithstanding its enormous and unsightly beak1 is a wholesome and delicate meat2 and there are no birds that give the ,trinidad epicure a more delicious morsel4 ,it is one of the most omnivorous of birds1 and its powers of digestion and impunity to poisons are remarkable4 ,parrot pie is said to be pretty good2 at least1 it may be so when other animal food is scarce4 ,among the ,,gallinaceous fowls1 large numbers contribute to the food delicacies of man4 ,some1 like the turkey1 peacock1 c41 of considerable size2 others1 as the pigeon tribe1 form smaller tit-bits4 ,the game birds1 the pheasant1 partridge1 grouse1 c41 and the quail1 guinea fowl1 and jungle fowl1 are bagged whenever they can be obtained by the sportsman4 ,the peacock enkakyll #8was one of the famous dishes at the costly royal banquets of old1 and the receipt for dressing it is thus given3-- #8,take and flay off the skin with the feathers1 tail1 and the neck and head thereon2 then take the skin and all the feathers and lay it on the table abroad1 and strew thereon ground cumin2 then take the peacock and roast him1 and baste him with raw yolks of eggs2 and when he is roasted1 take him off and let him cool awhile1 then take him and sew him in his skin1 and gild his comb1 and so serve him forth with the last course4' ,as far as my own experience goes1 with all the basting and sauces1 the peacock is1 at best1 a dry and tough eating bird4 ,the domestic fowls and the tame turkey require no notice here1 there being nothing curious about them1 however delicate eating they may be when properly fattened and brought to table2 but there is a species of wild turkey found in ,new ,granada1 weighing from #ab to #af lbs41 and called the iowanen1 which is described by ,mr4 ,w4 ,purdie of ,trinidad as the most delicate article of food he ever tasted4 ,dear as fowls1 ducks1 and eggs comparatively are1 they meet1 as every one knows1 with a ready sale4 ,when we find our imports of eggs1 chiefly from ,france1 amount to about #acj1jjj1jjj a year1 besides our nominal #8new laid1' or home produce1--when we learn that the foreign poultry we receive 7mixed up with not a few ,ostend rabbits7 is valued at #ci1jjjl41 and that ,ireland supplies us with about #aej1jjj1jjj of eggs1 we begin to perceive that fowls1 ducks1 geese1 and turkeys must be a profitable investment to some persons1 and the capital of about #d1jjj1jjjl4 we lay out on these various products serves to gladden the heart of many a poultry breeder4 ,there are sent to market about nine or ten million head of poultry in a year to supply the whole population of the ,united ,kingdom1 shipping and all1 which is not more than one-third of a fowl to each person annually4 ,now1 were every one to have a fowl as part food once a month1 it would require #ccj1jjj1jjj more fowls or other poultry than are at present sold4 ,i copy the following from what ,i believe to be the first fixed tariff of provisions1 in the ,city of ,london1 about the second year of ,edward ,i4 7#abgb47 ,the people had at that time great cause to complain of the exorbitant prices demanded of them for provisions1 by hucksters and dealers1 and a fixed price was found necessary by the ,mayor3-- ,the best hen three half-pence ,pullet three half-pence ,capon two pence ,goose five pence ,wild goose four pence ,pigeons1 three for one penny ,mallard1 three for a half-penny ,plover one penny ,partridge three half-pence ,larks1 per dozen one penny half-penny ,pheasant four pence ,heron six pence ,swan three shillings ,crane three shillings1 and by a subsequent ,act one shilling ,the best peacock one penny ,the best coney1 with skin four pence ,ditto1 without skin three pence ,the best hare1 with skin three pence half-penny ,the best lamb1 from ,christmas to ,lent six pence ,at other times of the year four pence4 ,in the time of ,edward ,,ii41 #acac1 eggs were #bj a penny1 and pigeons sold at three for a penny4 ,it is curious1 even to notice the ,london prices of poultry1 two or three centuries ago1 although regard must of course be had to the difference in the value of money now and then4 ,sir ,james ,hawes1 during his mayoralty1 in the year #aege1 fixed the following prices within the ,city of ,london3-- s4 d4 ,blackbirds1 per dozen #j #aj ,the best capon1 large and fat #a #h ,ditto1 second best1 being fat #a #d ,the best green goose1 until ,whitsuntide #j #h ,ditto ditto1 after ,whitsuntide #j #aj ,ditto1 in winter1 being fat #a #b ,pigeons1 per dozen #a #d ,chickens1 the largest1 each #j #d ,ditto1 second sort #j #c ,the best coney rabbit1 from and after the summer #j #e ,eggs1 four #j #a ,cygnets1 fat until ,allhalloweentide1 each #f #j ,ditto1 from then to ,shrovetide #g #j ,cranes1 the best1 each #f #j ,the best heron1 pheasant1 shoveller 7duck71 and bittern1 each #b #f ,turkey-cock1 fat and large #c #j ,turkey chicken1 fat and large #a #d ,woodcocks1 each #j #f ,snipes1 each #j #b ,hens1 being fat and the best1 each #j #i ,ditto1 second sort #j #g ,green plovers1 fat #j #d ,the best wild mallard #j #f ,teals1 each #j #c ,at a feast given at ,ely ,house1 by the serjeants-at-law1 ,november1 #aeca1 7#bcrd of ,henry ,,viii47 on the occasion of making eleven new serjeants1 open house was kept for five successive days4 ,on the fourth day1 ,king ,henry1 his ,queen1 the ,foreign ,ambassadors1 the ,judges1 and ,lord ,mayor and ,aldermen1 were feasted1 as also numerous guests1 knights1 and gentlemen4 ,stow particularizes the following articles and prices1 in order to furnish data for computing the relative value of money at different periods3-- s4 d4 ,great beeves1 from the shambles 7twenty-four7 each #bf #h ,one carcase of an ox #bd #j ,fat muttons 7one hundred71 each #b #aj ,great veals 7fifty-one71 each #d #h ,porks 7thirty-four71 each #c #h ,pigs 7ninety-one71 each #j #f ,capons of ,greece 7of one poulterer1 for they had three7 ten dozen1 each capon #a #h ,capons of ,kent 7nine dozen and six71 each #a #j ,capons1 coarse 7nineteen dozen71 each #a #j ,cocks of grouse 7seven dozen and nine71 each cock #j #h ,cocks1 coarse 7fourteen dozen and eight7 #j #c ,pullets1 the best1 each #j #b ,other pullets1 each #j #b ,pigeons 7thirty-seven dozen71 at per dozen #j #aj ,swans 7twenty-four dozen7 no price ,larks 7#cdj dozen71 per dozen #j #f ,the consumption of liquids1 pastry1 and trifles1 can easily be guessed at4 ,here is an ancient receipt for making a ,christmas game pie1 found in the books of the ,salter's ,company1 which is presumed to have often furnished an annual treat to the members in the olden times2 and when made after this receipt1 by the ,company's cook in modern days1 has been found to be excellent4 #8,for to make a mooste choyce paaste of ,gamys to be etin at ye ,feste of ,chrystemasse4 #87#agth ,richard ,,ii41 ,a4,d4 #acid47 #8,take ,fesaunt1 ,haare1 and ,chykenne1 or ,capounne1 of eche oone2 w4 ij4 ,partruchis1 ij4 ,pygeounes1 and ij4 ,conynggys2 and smyte hem on peces and pyke clene awaye p'fro 7therefrom7 alle p 7the7 boonys p 7that7 ye maye1 and p'wt 7therewith7 do hem ynto a ,foyle 7a shield or case7 of gode paste1 made craftily ynne p lykenes of a byrde's bodye1 w p lyuours and hertys1 ij4 kydneis of shepe and farcys 7seasonings or forced meats7 and eyren 7eggs7 made ynto balles4 ,caste p'to 7thereto7 poudre of pepyr1 salte1 spyce1 eysell1#ad and funges 7mushrooms7 pykled2 and panne 7then7 take p boonys and let hem seethe ynne a pot to make a gode brothe p' for 7for it7 and do y ynto p foyle of paste and close hit uppe faste1 and bake y wel1 and so s'ue 7serve7 y forthe3 wt p hede of oone of p byrdes1 stucke at p oone ende of p foyle1 and a grete tayle at p op' and dyvers of hys longe fedyrs sette ynne connynglye alle aboute hym4' ,marrow bones seem to have been in favour at an early date4 #b1jjj marrow bones were among the requisites for the ,goldsmiths' ,company's feast1 on ,st4 ,dunstan's day1 #addi4 ,in the reign of ,edward ,,vi41 #aedh1 a time of plague and scarcity1 the king thought it prudent to fix the price of cattle1 c41 sold in the several seasons of the year3-- s4 d4 ,the best fat ox1 from ,midsummer to ,michaelmas1 at #b #e #j ,one of inferior sort #a #h #j ,the best fat ox1 from ,hallowmas to ,christmas #b #f #h ,one of inferior sort #a #ai #h ,the best fat ox1 from ,christmas to ,shrovetide #b #h #d ,one of inferior sort #b #f #h ,the best fat wether1 from shearing time to ,michaelmas #j #d #j ,one of ditto1 shorn #j #c #j ,the best fat ewe #j #b #f ,one ditto1 shorn #j #b #j ,the best fat wether1 from ,michaelmas to ,shrovetide #j #d #d ,one ditto1 shorn #j #c #j ,essex barrelled butter1 per pound #j #j #j ,all sorts of other barrelled butter1 per pound #j #j #j ,essex cheese1 per pound #j #j #j ,all other sorts #j #j #j ,we are not quite such prodigious devourers of eggs as our ,french neighbours1 having a greater amount of meat or solid animal food to fall back upon1 and fewer fast days4 ,another reason is1 that we cannot1 like the ,french1 get them so fresh and cheap2 but as an alimentary substance1 eggs are always in demand at a ratio proportionate to the prices at which they can be obtained4 ,in ,paris the consumption of eggs is at least #age per annum to every head of the population2 in the departments it is more than double that amount2 eggs entering into almost every article of food1 and butchers' meat being scarce and dear4 ,if we only use1 in ,london1 half the number of eggs the ,parisians do1 there must be a sale of about #agc millions a year2 and the consumption throughout the kingdom would be fully #b1jjj millions4 ,although smaller in size1 and not equal to a new-laid egg1 the ,french eggs arrive in pretty good condition1 and1 if sold off quickly1 are well adapted for ordinary culinary purposes4 ,few are wasted1 for even when not very fresh1 they are sold for frying fish1 and to the lower class of confectioners for pastry4 ,fried eggs1 boiled eggs chopped up with salad1 egg sauce for fish1 c41 eggs for puddings1 for omelets1 and pancakes1 all contribute to the sale4 ,omelets1 sweet or flavoured with herbs1 are much less patronized in this country than they are in ,france4 ,the sixty wholesale egg merchants and salesmen in the metropolis1 whose itinerant carts are kept constantly occupied in distributing their brittle ware1 might probably enlighten us as to the extent and increasing character of the trade1 and the remunerative nature of the profits4 ,railways and steamers bring up large crates1 and carefully packed boxes of eggs1 for the ravenous maws of young and old1 who fatten on this dainty and easily digested food4 ,the various city markets dispose of two millions of fowls1 one million of game birds1 half a million of ducks1 and about one hundred and fifty thousand turkeys1 every year4 ,but even if we doubled this supply1 what would it be among the three million souls of the great metropolis requiring daily food4 ,ireland and the continent contribute largely to our supply of poultry and eggs4 ,immense pens of poultry1 purchased in the ,irish market1 are shipped by the steamers to ,glasgow and ,liverpool4 ,commerce owes much to the influence of steam1 but agriculture is no less indebted to the same power4 ,taking everything into account1 and examining all the advantages derived by cheap and rapid transit1 the manufacturer of food is quite as much indebted to the steam-ship and the locomotive as the manufacturer of clothing4 ,there is no difficulty whatever in testing eggs2 they are mostly examined by a candle4 ,another way to tell good eggs is to put them in a pail of water1 and if they are good they will lie on their sides1 always2 if bad1 they will stand on their small ends1 the large ends always uppermost1 unless they have been shaken considerably1 when they will stand either end up4 ,therefore1 a bad egg can be told by the way it rests in water--always end up1 never on its side4 ,any egg that lies flat is good to eat1 and can be depended upon4 ,an ordinary mode is to take them into a room moderately dark and hold them between the eye and a candle or lamp4 ,if the egg be good--that is1 if the albumen is still unaffected--the light will shine through with a reddish glow2 while1 if affected1 it will be opaque1 or dark4 ,in ,fulton and ,washington market1 ,new ,york1 a man may be seen testing eggs at almost any time of the year4 ,he has a tallow candle placed under a counter or desk1 and taking up the eggs1 three in each hand1 passes them rapidly before the candle1 and deposits them in another box4 ,his practised eye quickly perceives the least want of clearness in the eggs1 and suspicious ones are re-examined and thrown away1 or passed into a #8doubtful' box4 ,the process is so rapid that eggs are inspected perfectly at the rate of #ajj to #bjj per minute1 or as fast as they can be shifted from one box to another1 six at a time4 ,the preservation of eggs for use on ship board has always occupied a large share of attention4 ,they have been usually smeared with oil or grease1 and packed in bran or sawdust4 ,a plan recommended by ,m4 ,appert for preserving eggs is to put them in a jar with bran1 to prevent their breaking2 cork and hermetically seal the jar2 and put it into a vessel of water1 heated to #bjj degrees ,fahrenheit1 or #ab degrees below boiling4 ,the vessel with water being taken from the fire1 the water must cool till the finger may be borne in it2 then remove the jar4 ,the eggs may then be taken out1 and will keep for six months4 ,salted ducks' eggs are an article in great demand in some parts of the ,east1 for transport by the trading junks4 ,the ,malays salt them as they do their meat2 but the ,chinese mix a red unctuous earth with the brine1 which no doubt stops the pores of the shell1 and preserves them better4 ,they are put into this mixture at night1 and taken out during the day to be dried in the sun1 which is1 in fact1 a half roasting process in a tropical climate4 ,pickled eggs1 while they constitute a somewhat novel feature in the catalogue of condiments1 are at the same time particularly relishing4 ,when eggs are plentiful1 farmers' wives1 in some localities1 take four to six dozen of such as are newly laid1 and boil them hard2 then1 divesting them of the shells1 they place them in large-mouthed earthen jars1 and pour upon them scalded vinegar1 well seasoned with whole pepper1 allspice1 ginger1 and a few cloves of garlic4 ,when this pickle is cold1 the jars are closed1 and the eggs are fit for use in a month afterwards4 ,eggs thus treated are held in high esteem by all the farm-house epicures4 ,fowls' eggs1 variously coloured1 and having flowers and other matters upon them1 formed by the colouring matter being picked off so as to expose the white shell of the egg1 are a part of all the ,malay entertainments in ,borneo4 ,the eggs eaten by the ,dyaks are frequently nearly hatched when taken from the nest1 as they enjoy them just as well as when fresh4 ,an article called #8condensed egg' is now sold in the shops4 ,it consists of the whole substance of the fresh uncooked egg1 very delicately and finely granulated by patent processes1 after the watery particles1 which the egg naturally contains1 have been completely exhausted and withdrawn1 without further alteration of its constituents4 ,it contains all the nutritious properties of the egg in its natural state1 and must be valuable to shipmasters1 emigrants1 and others4 ,one ounce of it is said to be equal to three eggs4 ,the ancient ,romans1 though not great beef-eaters1 were particular as to poultry4 ,dr4 ,daubeny1 in his ,lectures on ,roman ,husbandry1 says--#8,the ancient ,romans had large preserves1 not only of poultry and pigeons1 but even of thrushes and quails enclosed in pens which were called #8ornithones1' from which they could draw their supply for the table at pleasure4 ,we are told1 indeed1 of two sorts of ornithones1 the one merely aviaries stocked with birds for the amusement of the proprietor2 the other kind1 constructed with a view to profit1 which were often of vast extent1 to supply the demands of the ,roman market for such articles of luxury4 ,in the ,sabine country particularly1 we read of extensive pens1 filled with birds for the latter purpose4 ,for thrushes alone there were large rooms provided1 each capable of holding several thousand birds4 ,as they were put in to be fattened1 the place had only just light enough to enable the birds to see their food1 but there was a good supply of fresh water accessible4 ,and ,i may remark that1 whilst nothing is said by the ,roman writers about the fattening of oxen and sheep1 particular directions are given for fattening poultry and other birds--a strong additional argument of the little importance they attached to the larger animals as articles of food4' ,the following may be enumerated as the sportsman's game in ,jamaica3-- #a4 ,the pintado1 or wild guinea fowl 7,numida ,meleagris71 a bird now domesticated in our poultry-yards4 ,in its wild state the flesh is considered by many persons to equal that of the pheasant4 #b4 ,the quail 7,perdix coturnix74 #c4 ,wild pigeons1 namely1 ring-tail1 bald-pate1 pea-dove1 white-breast1 white-wing1 mountain-witch1 ground dove1 and red-legged partridge4 #d4 ,snipe 7,scolopax gallinago74 #e4 ,wild duck1 or mallard 7,anas boschas74 #f4 ,gray1 or ,gadwall duck 7,anas strepera74 #g4 ,the common teal 7,anas crecca71 the flesh of which was so much prized by the ,roman epicures1 and is still in request for the table4 #h4 ,widgeon 7,anas ,penelope74 #i4 ,gray and ring plover 7,charadrius minor1 and hiaticula74 ,if we are out shooting in ,canada we may easily add to our mess the ruffled grouse 7,tetrao umbellus71 although these1 like many other birds1 are partridges with the settlers--this variety being termed the birch partridge4 ,another species1 the spruce partridge of the colonists 7,t4 ,canadensis71 is less palatable1 for1 unfortunately1 it has a habit of feeding upon laurel leaves4 ,but here is something to make amends--a fine ,esquimaux curlew1 as large as an ,english partridge1 and a mud-sucker1 id est snipe4 ,let me note a ,canadian receipt for cooking a partridge1 which may be useful to sportsmen and travellers3-- #8,expedition is the maxim of all sylvan cookery1 and as plucking the feathers of a partridge would be too great a tax on the time and patience of the voyageur1 the method most in vogue is to run your hunting knife round his throat and ancles and down his breast1 when1 taking a leg in each hand1 and pressing your thumb into his back1 you pop him out of his skin1 as you would a pea from its pod4 ,then make a spread-eagle of him on a forked twig1 the other extremity of which is thrust into the ground1 and after wrapping a rasher of bacon around his neck and under his wings1 as ladies wear a scarf1 you incline him to the fire1 turning the spit in the ground1 and you will have a result such as ,soyer might be proud of4 ,when your other avocations will not afford time even for the skinning process1 an alternative mode is to make a paste of ashes and water1 and roll up your bird therein1 with the feathers1 and all the appurtenances thereof1 and thrust the performance in the fire4 ,in due time1 on breaking the cemented shell 7which is like a sugared almond71 the feathers1 skin1 c41 adhere to it1 and then you have the pure kernel of poultry within4' ,the red-legged partridge is common in the ,greek islands1 on the continent of ,asia1 and in the southern countries of ,europe4 ,in some of the ,cyclades1 where the inhabitants are too poor to expend money on powder1 they chase the birds on foot1 till they are so wearied1 as to be easily taken with the hand4 ,of all the ,european birds1 the quail 7,coturnix vulgaris7 is the most remarkable1 on account of the vast numbers which congregate on the shores of the ,mediterranean in the spring1 coming from ,asia ,minor and ,northern ,africa1 to avoid the excessive heat4 ,for a few weeks in the month of ,april1 when they first begin to arrive in ,sicily1 everybody is a sportsman4 ,arriving always in the night1 although not a quail could be seen the evening before1 the report of guns the next morning1 in all directions1 attests their number and the havoc that has begun upon them4 ,such prodigious numbers have appeared on the western coasts of the kingdom of ,naples1 that a hundred thousand have been taken in a day1 within the space of four or five miles4 ,the flesh of the turtle dove is considered much superior to that of the wild pigeon4 ,the passenger pigeon 7,columba migratoria7 of ,america1 is a very large and well flavoured variety1 being #af inches long1 and #bd inches in the spread of its wings2 its hue chiefly slate-colour4 ,they migrate at certain seasons in millions1 and feed on acorns and fresh mast4 ,they travel in the morning and evening1 and repose about mid-day in the forests4 ,their passage1 whether in spring or autumn1 lasts from #ae to #bj days1 after which they are met with in the centre of the ,united ,states4 ,the ,indians often watch the roosting places of these birds1 and knocking them on the head in the night1 bring them away by thousands4 ,they preserve the oil or fat1 which they use instead of butter4 ,there was formerly scarcely any little ,indian village in the interior1 where a hundred gallons of this oil might not at any time be purchased4 ,these pigeons spread over the whole of ,north ,america1 abounding round ,hudson's ,bay1 where they remain till ,december4 ,they arrive in the fur countries in the latter end of ,may1 and depart in ,october4 ,they are met with as far south as the ,gulf of ,mexico1 but do not extend their range westward of the ,rocky ,mountains4 ,stray passenger pigeons have been taken both in ,norway and in ,russia2 and this bird has found a place in the ,british fauna1 from a solitary bird having been shot in ,westhall1 ,fifeshire1 on the #cast ,december1 #ahbe4 ,like other pigeons1 this genus makes a slender platform nest of sticks and straws1 but1 unlike other pigeons1 prolific as it is1 it lays but one egg4 ,the female builds the nest1 the male bird fetches the materials4 ,the time of incubation is #af days1 and the male relieves the female in sitting during that period4 ,the immense number of these birds baffles all computation4 ,those eminent ornithologists1 ,wilson and ,audubon1 describe flocks seen by them to contain respectively from thousands of millions to upwards of a billion in each1 the daily food required to sustain which would be at least #fj1jjj bushels2 and the ,new ,york ,evening ,post informs us that1 on one day1 seven tons of these pigeons were brought into the ,new ,york market by the ,erie railroad4 ,in their breeding places1 herds of hogs are fed on the young pigeons or #8squabs1' which are also melted down by the settlers1 as a substitute for butter or lard4 ,the felling a single tree often produces #bjj squabs1 nearly as large as the old ones1 and almost one mass of fat4 ,when the flocks of full grown pigeons enter a district1 clap-nets and guns are in great requisition4 ,pennant1 in his ,arctic ,zoology1 says1 ,sir ,william ,johnstone told him1 that at one shot1 he brought down with a blunderbuss above a hundred and twenty pigeons4 ,wagon loads of them are poured into the towns1 and sold as cheap as a half-penny up to two-pence the dozen4 ,the flesh tastes like the common wild blue pigeon1 but is1 if anything1 better flavoured4 ,why 7it has been asked7 could not this large pigeon1 whose migratory habits are principally caused by search for food1 be introduced into this country as a tame variety1 or by crossing with our native breeds enlarge the size2 or1 in the same way as fresh mutton was sent from ,australia1 be sent in casks potted in their own fat1 to supply us with cheap pigeon pies8 ,and the same with a cross with the large ,texan rabbit1 or the wild ,american turkey1 the latter being far superior in size and appearance to its degenerate descendant1 the tame turkey1 sometimes as much as four feet in length1 and five feet from wing to wing8 ,the canvas-back ducks of ,america are there boasted of exceedingly as a delicacy1 yet1 although a great variety of useless water-fowl has been introduced merely as an ornament to the ponds and streams of our gentry1 no attempt has been made to bring this kind to our farm-yards and tables2 and even if it was found impossible to tame the pure breed1 a cross with our own might be effected4 ,in the capercailzie1 or cock of the wood1 a bird of the grouse species1 but nearly as large as a turkey1 once indigenous to ,scotland1 but now only found in the north of ,europe1 and in the bustard1 the largest ,european land-bird1 the cock weighing from #be to #bg lbs41 we have examples of two fowls well worth the trial of domesticating by the amateur or intelligent agriculturist1 a trial which1 if successful1 would probably repay quite as well as competition about the colour of a feather1 or the shortness of a tail1 and in time would be the means of affording a constant1 certain1 and moderately-priced supply1 which is never the case while animals remain in a wild or half-wild state4 ,although the forests of ,new ,zealand are not thickly inhabited by the feathered tribes1 there are many birds to be met with4 ,among others are the following1 which are excellent eating4--,the wild pigeon1 which is very large and common2 the parrot or ka-ka2 and the tui or mocking bird1 which is about the size of the ,english black-bird1 and of the same colour1 but with two bunches of white feathers under the neck--his notes are few1 but very melodious1 resembling the tinkling of small bells1 which harmonize together as they are delivered4 ,the bronze-winged pigeon of ,australia is most delicate eating4 ,it abounds in summer1 when the acacia seeds are ripe4 ,,grallatores4 ,from the order of grallatores1 waders or stilt-birds1 we find many which yield choice dainties1 whether it be the ostrich or emu for their eggs1 the bustard and bittern1 the flamingo for its tongue1 the plover1 dotterel1 curlew1 snipe1 woodcock1 rail1 c41 for the table4 ,an ostrich egg is considered as equal in its contents to #bd of the domestic hen4 ,when taken fresh from the nest1 they are very palatable1 and are wholesome1 though somewhat heavy food4 ,the best mode of cooking them is that practised by the ,hottentots1 who place one end of the egg in the hot ashes1 and making a small orifice at the other1 keep stirring the contents with a stick till they are sufficiently roasted2 and thus1 with a seasoning of salt and pepper1 you have a very nice omelet4 ,the nest sometimes contains as many as #bd eggs1 and the difficulty the sportsman has is how to carry away his spoil4 ,the usual plan is to denude himself of his upper or lower garments1 and1 tying up the orifices of leg-holes or arm-holes1 to make an impromptu sack1 in which he can bear away his prize4 ,if he leaves them1 he will be sure to find on his return that the ostrich has broken the eggs1 because they have been disturbed4 ,the eggs of the emu of ,south ,america are large1 and1 although the food which they afford is coarse1 it is not unpalatable4 ,the emu1 or ,new ,holland cassowary1 is becoming rarer as settlements advance4 ,the same remark applies also to the kangaroo and other animals against whom a war of extermination seems to have been declared4 ,the emu is easily domesticated when taken young1 and becomes very familiar with1 and attached to1 the dogs1 which generally leads to the death of a tame one4 ,a full-grown one1 when erect1 stands seven feet high4 ,the natives creep on them and spear them4 ,the eggs are of a tea green colour1 with a watered appearance on the surface4 ,there is a singularity in the growth of the feathers--two of them spring from one quill4 ,the bird is principally valued for its oil4 ,the skin of a full-grown bird produces six or seven quarts of oil1 clear1 and of a beautiful bright yellow colour4 ,the method of extracting or #8trying' out the oil is to pluck the feathers1 cut the skin into pieces1 and boil it2 but the aborigines prefer the flesh with the skin upon it1 regarding it as the ,esquimaux do the flesh of whales and seals1 as a highly luscious treat4 ,the flesh is eaten by ,europeans1 and preferred by some to the kangaroo2 the rump part is considered as delicate as fowl2 the legs coarser1 like beef1 but still tender4 ,bustards are plentiful in many parts of the ,cape ,colony1 and the smaller sorts1 called koerhans1 are approachable in a bush country2 but the larger kinds1 called paws1 are a great prize1 as they are found on plains1 and are generally shot with ball4 ,in ,australia1 the bustard is called1 colonially1 the wild turkey4 ,it is a fine large bird1 frequently weighing #ab to #ae lbs41 and extending full six feet1 from tip to tip of the wings4 ,there it is declared excellent for eating1 but its flesh is much too gamey for ordinary palates4 ,don ,pernetty1 in his ,historical ,journal of the ,voyage to the ,falkland ,islands1 under the command of ,m4 de ,bouganville1 says1 they found the bustard #8exquisite either boiled1 roasted1 or fricasseed4 ,it appeared from the account we kept that we ate #a1ejj4 ,it is1 indeed1 hardly to be conceived that the ship's company of our two frigates1 consisting of a hundred and fifty men1 all in perfect health and with good stomachs1 should have found a quantity of these birds sufficient for their subsistence during a stay of more than two months1 within a tract of country not exceeding three leagues4' ,but they also tried other descriptions of feathered game4 ,the wild ducks were found1 in general1 to have the taste of mussels4 ,of a kind of grey goose1 weighing about #ai or #bj lbs41 it is reported3 #8,its flesh was oily1 had a disagreeable smell and a fenny taste2 but it was eaten by the ships' companies when no bustards were given them4' ,the clucking hen of ,jamaica 7,ardea scolopacea71 on the authority of ,browne and ,robinson1 is looked upon as the best wild fowl in the country1 although the latter writer tells us it feeds upon snakes1 toads1 and lizards1 as well as wood snails and gully crabs4 ,the flavour is1 however1 represented to be remarkably fine--a compound of ham1 partridge1 and pigeon4 ,the flesh is of a peculiarly close and compact texture1 and very tender4 ,the mangrove hen 7,rallus ,virginianus71 indigenous to the watery marshes of ,jamaica1 greatly resembles the dappled grey variety of the common fowl4 ,at the pullet age1 the young birds are run down1 when feeding on the mud1 with great facility4 ,at this time1 ,i have found them to be delicious eating4 ,persons1 on whose taste reliance may be placed1 say that1 though a plover be undoubtedly a fine bird for the table1 and the sanderling a great delicacy1 the young mangrove hen exceeds both1 as it combines all their peculiarity of flavour with the fleshiness of the quail4 ,this is no small commendation4 ,but much depends upon your cuisinier2 if he is a good artiste--a man of undoubted talents1 it matters little what the materials be4 ,the ,rallus crex is another esteemed dainty of no ordinary kind1 and a most delicious bird4 ,in the reign of ,henry the ,eighth1 the bittern was held in great esteem at the tables of the great4 ,its flesh has much the flavour of hare1 and is far from being unpleasant4 ,snipe of all kinds1 from the #8teeterer1' that hovers about the edge of the surf1 to the jack snipe 7,scolopax gallinula71 half-brother to the woodcock1 are in high esteem for the table4 ,the #8green' sportsman finds these birds the most perplexing of all feathered game when on the wing4 ,their catter-cornered1 worm-fence line of flight renders them very difficult to hit1 until long practice has rendered the marksman's eye familiar with their erratic movements4 ,some sportsmen take them at an angle2 others after they have made their tack2 and others1 again1 seem to blaze away at them without any particular aim1 and yet always bring down their bird4 ,the yellow-legged snipe is in ,america considered the best species for the table4 ,they should be larded and roasted in bunches of three1 and served in gravy made from their own unctuous drippings4 ,there are few side-dishes more popular with epicures than snipe on toast4 ,some cooks stuff them with a composition of bread crumbs and egg1 highly seasoned2 but1 in my opinion1 they are far better without this kind of #8trimmings4' ,while the trail of the woodcock is a choice morsel with the ,english epicure1 the inhabitants of the ,north of ,europe1 to whose forests the woodcocks retire in the summer1 never eat the birds1 esteeming their flesh unwholesome1 from the circumstance of their having no crops4 ,but they are particularly fond of the eggs1 which the boors offer for sale in large quantities in the principal markets1 and this contributes1 possibly1 to make the birds so scarce4 ,the semi-palmated snipe1 better known by its common sobriquet of #8pill-will-willet1' the loud shrill note which it emits1 is at certain periods of the year esteemed an excellent bird in ,america4 ,it ought to be served up in the mode that snipes usually are1 and for these delicious viands it is esteemed a tolerable substitute when in good order4 ,dampier1 nearly two centuries ago1 speaking of the flamingo1 says3 #8,their flesh is lean and black1 but not ill-tasted4 ,they have large tongues1 and near the root of them a piece of fat1 which is accounted a great dainty4' ,the flamingo was much esteemed by the ,romans at their sumptuous entertainments4 ,their flesh is thought tolerably good food1 and the tongue was looked upon by the ancients as among the most delicate of all eatables4 ,pliny1 ,martial1 and many other writers1 speak of it in the highest terms of commendation4 ,many who have tried it1 consider the flesh extremely rich1 much like that of the wild duck1 but with a strong fishy taste4 ,the tongue is certainly delicate1 but scarcely worthy the high encomiums bestowed on it by the ancients4 ,during the surveying expedition of ,captain ,owen1 on the east coast of ,africa1 the sailors used to shoot hundreds of these beautiful birds for the purpose of making a dish of the tongues alone4 ,the remainder of the bird--in imitation of the ,roman epicures--being thrown away4 ,,natatores4 ,the ,natatores1 or swimming birds1 supply us with very choice food4 ,even many of the coarse sea fowl are not rejected by voyagers4 ,the ,chinese shoot sea-gulls in large numbers1 which add to their stock of food4 ,a man is constantly engaged in the bay of ,san ,francisco1 ,california1 shooting sea-gulls1 which he sells to the ,chinese at the rate of #be cents each4 ,the ,san ,francisco ,evening ,news says1--#8,this bird is a slow and steady mover1 of large size1 and flies at a convenient distance over the head of the sportsman4 ,the man in the skiff was armed with a double-barrelled shot gun1 both barrels of which he would load1 and taking a dead gull would throw it high in the air and allow it to fall at some distance from the boat4 ,this would naturally attract a flock of gulls1 and as they made their slow circuit around the spot1 the gunner raised his piece and generally succeeded in bringing down a bird for both barrels4 ,he would then re-load as fast as possible1 and if a gull was in range1 another shot was fired and another trophy won4' ,the flesh of sea-fowl is generally too rancid to find much favour with fastidious palates4 ,sailors indeed eat the livers and hearts of the penguins1 which are exceedingly palatable1 but the black flesh of the body is rank and oily1 and has rather a perfumed taste4 ,some voyagers1 however1 tell us1 that eaten in ragouts1 they are good as that made from a hare4 ,the young puffins1 having gorged themselves with sprats and crustacea1 when pickled with spices1 are by some considered dainties1 and they are1 occasionally1 potted in the ,north4 ,but when it has attained its ugly full developed bill1 like a short1 thick plough coulter1 this bird does not look very prepossessing4 ,besides making use of them for food1 some of the islanders use them for fire-wood4 ,they split them open1 dry them1 and then burn them feathers and all4 ,there is a species of puffin1 the ,puffinus urinatrix or ,p4 brevicaudis1 popularly termed the mutton-bird by ,tasmanian colonists1 which is met with on some of the ,new ,zealand islands4 ,it forms the principal food for the native inhabitants of ,foveaux ,straits1 and by them is called the titi4 ,it is a sea bird of black colour1#ae in its usual condition smaller than the common duck4 ,like all sea birds it has thin1 slender legs1 with webbed feet3 the wings are long1 with many joints1 ,i forget how many3 the bill is a little hooked at the point4 ,they are generally in large flocks1 covering the ocean as far as the eye can reach2 sometimes flying all in the same direction1 at other times crossing through each other like swarming bees4 ,they breed on the small uninhabited islands scattered round the coasts of ,stewart's ,island4 ,these islands have a loose1 dry1 peatish soil1 on a stony bottom4 ,their being exposed to the stormy winds1 loaded with the salt spray of the sea1 prevents the growth of a forest1 except patches of stunted bushes intermixed with a sort of soft1 light green fern4 ,the loose soil is perforated with numberless birdholes1 like a piece of worm-eaten wood1 running from two to four feet underground in a horizontal direction1 at the farthest end of which is the nest4 ,each female lays only one egg1 which is nearly as big as a goose egg1 on which they sit--it is believed male and female alternately--many weeks4 ,the young bird is full grown in the month of ,april1 which corresponds to ,october in ,europe4 ,at that time1 almost all the inhabitants of ,foveaux ,straits1 old and young--the infirm only excepted--repair to the ,titi ,islands1 and take the young birds out of their nests1 which amount to many thousands1 and a great many still escape4 ,they put a stick in the hole to feel where the bird is1 which generally betrays itself by biting the stick4 ,if the hole is so long that the bird cannot be reached by the hand1 a hole is dug over it1 the bird taken out and killed by breaking its head1 and the broken hole covered with rubbish and earth1 so that it may be used again the next year4 ,afterwards the birds are plucked1 and1 to clean the skin from the hairy down1 it is moistened and held over the fire1 when it is easily wiped quite clean4 ,then the neck1 wings1 and legs are cut off1 the breast is opened1 the entrails are taken out1 and the body is laid flat1 either to be salted or to be boiled in its own fat1 and preserved in air-tight kelp bags4 ,though it cannot be said that the young birds suffer1 they being killed so quickly1 yet it might seem cruel to rob the parents of their young ones on so large a scale1 and one would fancy a great deal of fluttering and screaming of the old ones1 bewailing the bereavement of their offspring4 ,but that is not the case4 ,none of the old birds make their appearance in the day-time4 ,they are all out at sea1 and come only to their nests in the evening when it gets dark1 and are off again at day-break4 ,but yet it would seem the parents would be distressed at finding their nests robbed4 ,not so4 ,it would seem as if ,providence had ordered it so that man should go and take the young birds for his food without hurting the feelings of the parents4 ,when the young birds are full grown1 then they are neglected by their parents1 in order to starve them to get thin1 else they would never be able to fly for the heaviness of their fat4 ,it seems that at the time when they are taken by men1 they are already forsaken by the old birds2 and those that are not taken are compelled by hunger1 when they have been starved thin and light1 to leave their holes and go to sea4 ,the old birds are tough and lean1 but the young ones1 which are nearly twice as big1 contain1 when the legs1 wings1 neck1 and entrails are taken off1 three-fourths of pure white fat1 and one-fourth of red meat and tender bones4 ,the flavour is rather fishy1 but1 if once used to it1 not bad at all1 only rather too fat4 ,they eat best when salted and smoked a little1 and then boiled a short time1 and afterwards eaten cold4 ,if properly salted1 they might make an article of trade1 like herrings in ,europe4 ,the fat when clean is quite white1 and looks just like goose fat1 but the taste is rather oily2 however1 it may be used for a good many other purposes than for food4 ,it burns very well on small shallow tin lamps1 which get warmed by the light and melt the fat4 ,the feathers are very soft1 and would make excellent beds if they could be cured of the oily smell1 which it is likely they can4 ,the following remarks on the articles of food found in the arctic regions are by one of the officers of the ,assistance3-- #8,to the feathered tribe we are chiefly indebted1 and foremost in the list for flavour and delicacy of fibre stand the ptarmigan 7,lagopus mutus7 and the willow grouse 7,tetrao saliceti74 ,the flesh is dark-coloured1 and has somewhat the flavour of the hare4 ,these may be used in pie1 stewed1 boiled1 or roast1 at pleasure1 and are easily shot4 ,next in gustatory joys1 the small birds rank1 a kind of snipe1 and a curlew sandpiper2 both are1 however1 rarely met with1 and do not repay the trouble of procuring them4 #8,the brent goose 7,anser torquatus7 is excellent eating1 and its flesh is free from fishy taste4 ,then follow the little auk or rotge 7,alca alle71 the dovekey1 or black guillemot 7,uria grylle71 the loon1 or thick-billed guillemot 7,uria ,brunnichii74 ,the first two are better baked with a crust1 and the last makes1 with spices and wine1 a soup but little inferior to that of ,english hare4 ,all these are found together in flocks1 but the easiest method of obtaining them is either to shoot them at the cliffs where they breed1 or as they fly to and fro from their feeding ground4 #8,the ducks now come upon the table1 and are placed in the following order by most ,polar epicures4 ,the long-tailed duck 7,fuliluga glacialis71 the king duck 7,anas spectabilis71 and the eider duck 7,a4 mollissima74 ,they require to be skinned before roasting or boiling1 and are then eatable1 but are always more or less fishy4 #8,the divers are by some thought superior for the table to the ducks1 but the difference is very slight4 ,the red-throated diver was most frequently seen1 but few were shot2 and of the great northern divers 7,colymbus glacialis7 none were brought to table1 two only having been seen4 ,some of the gulls were eaten1 and pronounced equal to the other sea birds2 they were the kittiwake1 the tern1 and the herring or silver gull4 #8,the denizens of the sea have fallen little under our notice1 and they may be dismissed with the remark1 that curried narwhal's skin can be tolerated1 but not recommended4 ,some fresh-water fish were caught1 and proved to be very good2 they are said to be a kind of trout4' ,the eggs of sea-fowl1 although much eaten on the coasts1 are seldom brought to market for consumption in our large ,english towns1 and yet they form a considerable article of traffic in several parts of the world1 and are procured in immense quantities about the lands near the ,north and ,south ,poles4 ,the precipitous cliffs of ,england are occasionally searched for the eggs of the razor-billed auk1 which are esteemed a delicacy1 for salads especially4 ,a correspondent at ,san ,francisco informs me that an important trade is carried on in that city in the eggs of sea birds4 ,he states1 that the ,farallones de los ,frayles1 a group of rocky islets1 lying a little more than twenty miles west of the entrance to the ,bay of ,san ,francisco1 are the resort of innumerable sea-fowl1 known by the fishermen as #8murres4' ,these islands are almost inaccessible1 and1 with a single exception1 are uninhabited4 ,they1 therefore1 very naturally afford a resort for great multitudes of birds4 ,some time since a company was organized in ,san ,francisco for the purpose of bringing the eggs of the murres to market4 ,an imperfect idea of the numbers of these birds may be formed from the fact1 that this company sold in that city the last season 7a period of less than two months1 ,july and parts of ,june and ,august7 more than five hundred thousand eggs6 ,all these were gathered on a single one of these islands2 and1 in the opinion of the eggers1 not more than one egg in six of those deposited on that island was gathered4 ,my correspondent informs me that he was told by those familiar with the islands that all the eggs brought in were laid by birds of a single kind4 ,yet they exhibit astonishing variations in size1 in form1 and in colouring4 ,there is no reason to suppose that he was misinformed in regard to these eggs being deposited by a single species4 ,the men could have had no motive for deception1 and similar facts are observable on the ,labrador coast and in the islands north of ,scotland4 ,besides1 the writer ascertained from other sources1 that all the eggs brought to the market were obtained from a limited portion of the island1 known as the ,great ,farallone--called the ,rookery1 where a single species swarm in myriads1 and where no other kind of bird is found4 ,naturalists1 who have received specimens of these birds1 pronounce them to be the thick-billed or ,brunnich's guillemot1 or murre1 of ,labrador and ,northern ,europe4 ,the eggs are three and a half inches in length1 and are esteemed a great delicacy4 ,there is a small island off the ,cape of ,good ,hope1 named ,dassen ,island1 about six miles from the mainland1 which is one and a half mile long by one broad1 from which #bd1jjj eggs of penguins and gulls are collected every fortnight1 and sold at ,cape ,town for a half-penny each4 ,the late ,lieut4 ,ruxton1 ,r4,n41 speaking of the ,island of ,ichaboe1 on the ,western ,coast of ,africa1 says1 #8,notwithstanding that the island had been occupied for nearly two years1 during which time thousands upon thousands of penguins had been wantonly destroyed1 on the cessation of work these birds again flocked to their old haunts1 where they had again commenced laying their eggs4 ,the rocks round the island are literally covered with penguins1 cormorants1 and albatrosses4 ,the former1 wedged together in a dense phalanx1 have no more dread of man than ducks in a poultry-yard1 although they have met with such persecution on the island2 and any number might be taken by the hand without any difficulty4 ,the sailors eat the livers and hearts1 which are exceedingly palatable1 but the flesh of the body is rank and oily4'#af ,captain ,morrell1 also writing of ,ichaboe 7,nautical ,magazine1 vol4 #ac1 p4 #cgd71 tells us1 #8,eggs may be obtained here in great quantities4 ,in the months of ,october and ,november this island is literally covered with jackass-penguins and gannets1 which convene here for the purpose of laying and incubation4 ,the nests of the gannets are formed like those of the albatross1 but are not so much elevated2 while the jackass-penguins lay their eggs in holes in the ground from twelve to thirty inches in depth1 which they guard with the strictest vigilance4 ,they frequently lay three or four eggs1 but the gannet seldom lays more than two4' ,a correspondent1 writing from ,tristan d',acunha1 in ,september1 gives an account of his adventures in taking penguins' eggs4 #8,this is now the time for penguins' eggs4 ,they get great numbers of them4 ,there are two rookeries1 as they call them2 one on the east1 and one on the west1 of us4 ,to the one on the west1 they go over land1 beyond ,elephant ,bay4 ,i went there last year1 when ,i saw the great sea elephant and the penguins for the first time4 ,but this year ,i have been disappointed1 the weather has been so unsettled4 ,but yesterday was a fine day1 and they were going in the boat to the other1 to which they can go only by water2 so ,i went with them4 ,it was a good day1 and we landed easily1 though it is a very bad beach4 ,fancy the scene--a long1 very narrow strip of land1 at the foot of a great rock1 covered with the thick tussac grass1 far higher than my head2 the whole place swarming with these penguins--pretty to look at1 but the most ungainly creatures in their movements that ,i ever saw8 ,they stand almost upright4 ,the breast is glossy white1 the rest is gray4 ,a couple of tufts of those pretty yellow feathers1 of which ,i sent home a few1 adorn each side of the head and give them a very lively appearance4 ,they have no wings1 but instead1 a couple of flippers1 as they call them1 like arms1 which they use about as gracefully as ,punch does his4 ,and then the way in which they hop along6 ,talk of the motion of a frog6 it is elegance itself compared with them4 ,altogether1 they are the most interesting1 curious things in ,tristan4 ,they are about as big1 and twice as noisy1 as a duck4 ,fancy going into the midst of thick grass higher than your head1 with thousands of them round you1 all croaking out in a harsh1 loud1 quick note1 #8,cover up6 cover up6' and then kicking them right and left1 quickly1 taking care they do not get hold of you1--seizing their great eggs1 till you have got some hundreds of them in your bosom4 ,the men wear a large shirt1 tied round their waist1 so as to form a large loose bag in front1 and so pop them in as fast as they can pick them up4 ,the men will gather two or three hundred in this way1 and the boys from one to two2 and from the other rookery carry them the whole way home--no little load4 ,the eggs vary much in size1 from a large hen's egg to a goose's4 ,they mostly lay two at once4 ,their nests are sometimes close together1 so you can soon pick up a lot4 ,they stand in pairs1 each couple at their nest to defend it1 and some will not give up till they have been kicked away two or three times4 ,they can give a good sharp bite1 if they get hold of you4 ,the men found me a spot where the eggs were very thick1 and very little tussac1 and though ,i was a new hand at the work1 and therefore obliged to look sharp to escape a bite1 ,i managed to collect more than a hundred of them in a short time4 ,fancy what work1 to stand amid hundreds of the birds1 all screaming round you1 so as almost to deafen you1 tumbling them here and there1 and picking up their eggs as fast as you can gather them6 ,it is really amusing sport4 ,i must remind you the kicking them over with our soft moccasins 7shoes7 does not hurt them in the least1 and the next day they will have just as many eggs4 #8,six of the men went round in the boat4 ,we were there about four hours1 and gathered about four thousand--pretty near a boat's load2 and could have got more if we had chosen4 ,it was a pleasant day1 and we had a good row back4' ,an interesting account which recently appeared in a ,jamaica paper1 respecting egg gathering1 is also worth quoting4 ,the annual egg gathering visit1 which the boatmen of ,port ,royal make to the ,pedro ,keys1 we may set down as a remnant of ,indian life4 ,in the work entitled ,the ,discovery of ,america by ,christopher ,columbus1 compiled from his papers by his son ,don ,ferdinand1 we are informed1 that on the #acth of ,november1 #adib1 the discovery squadron weighing from the ,rio de ,mares1 ,cuba1 stood to the eastward1 to search for the island called ,bohio by the ,indians1 and coming to an anchor among some high raised islets on the coast1 found them to be places visited by the ,indians at certain seasons of the year1 for supplies of fish and birds4 #8,the islands1' ,columbus says1 #8were not inhabited1 but there were seen the remains of many fires which had been made by the fishermen2 for it afterwards appeared that the people were in use to go over in great numbers in their canoes to these islands1 and to a great number of other uninhabited islets in these seas1 to live upon fish1 which they catch in great abundance1 and upon birds and crabs1 and other things which they find on the land4 ,the ,indians follow this employment of fishing and bird-catching according to the seasons1 sometimes in one island sometimes in another1 as a person changes his diet1 when weary of living on one kind of food4'#ag #8,from the lighthouse on the ,port ,royal palisades to ,portland in ,vere1 a line encloses a system of coast islands1 reefs1 banks1 and shoals colonized by numerous birds and fishes4 ,each kind has its own locality4 ,pelican ,key and ,pigeon ,island never interchange inhabitants1 and the bank that gives the king-fish furnishes neither the snapper nor the grouper4 ,southward from ,portland1 at a distance of some few leagues1 the great ,pedro bank is reached1 stretching near #ajj miles4 ,there are islets at each extremity1 but the group that attracts the egg gatherers every year1 are the ,keys1 distinguished as the ,pedros1 at its eastern end4 ,we shall loiter a little to describe a living world there that must have been a great attraction to the aboriginal ,indians1 in those periodical junketings that came under the notice of ,columbus4 #8,the ,port ,royal boats bound for the egg harvest1 bring to1 at the outermost of the ,portland ,keys1 and start at midnight from there1 to gain with a favourable breeze in #ad or #ae hours the shelter of the ,pedros1 and to be snug at anchor long before sundown4 ,the vessels in their voyage steer for a single rock in fathomless water1 the ,isla ,sola of the ,spanish maps4 ,it rises about #cj or #dj feet out of the sea like a castle in ruins1 over which the surf breaks fiercely2 and in about five or six hours after making it1 they anchor within what are properly called the ,keys4 #8,there are numerous outlying rocks just above and beneath the water1 between the ,pedro shoal and the open sea1 on which the winds and the currents roll a heavy surf4 ,the spots properly called the islands are seven in number1 and vary from forty to some three or four acres in size4 ,they are upthrown masses of broken coral and shell cemented by calcareous sand1 washed upon rocky ledges above the sea4 ,the breakers shift with the shifting winds1 rolling these fragmentary deposits on before them4 ,by the regularity of their change of action1 they have done the work of accumulation pretty equally on all sides3 they have raised a wall all round the islands1 and left the centres hollow4 #8,from time to time storms of unusual violence have carried the heaped-up coral and sand suddenly1 and in thick layers1 over portions of the islands where the dung of the sea birds had accumulated for years1 and these irruptions have made intermediate deposits of animal matter and cemented rock4 ,it is evident from the prevalence of this succession of deposits within the hollow centres of the islets1 that the sea has washed in the fragmentary materials of the outer margins1 by a more than ordinary rise of the waters1 and laid them in pretty equal strata at distant intervals of time1 so that the centres have risen in height as the sea walls have been built and cemented up4 ,the animal deposits1 which may be characterized as loosely cohering urate of lime1 are sometimes found two feet beneath the strata of cemented coral and shells1 and run about an inch or an inch and a half thick4 #8,immediately within the islands1 the waters shoal1 and make a bank called the ,vibora by the ,spaniards4 ,it runs to the ,cascabel rock1 #ij odd miles westward1 bristled with reefs and sunken rocks1 having a depth of from #g to #ag fathoms4 ,easterly winds1 that is1 the trade winds1 veering southward and northward1 for determinate portions of the year1 roll constant billows over it4 ,westerly breezes1 varying northerly and southerly1 bring tremendous gales and heavy swells4 ,the rough agency of all these movements has heaped up the sands1 and the corals1 and shells1 cementing them into rock1 and giving the island an elevation of from #ae to #bj feet4 #8,the vegetation on these islands is stunted surianas1 among whose tough and twisted branches the birds find nestling places4 ,to these lonely islets resort thousands and tens of thousands of sea-fowl4 ,as soon as visitors land1 myriads of birds are upon the wing in all directions4 ,some flocks rise in circling flight high up into the air1 and descending again in the same dense numbers as they rose1 settle in more remote places2 others break away hurriedly1 and fly in a wide sweep far around1 but return again hastily to the rocks they had quitted1 reconciled to bear with the disturbance4 ,the turmoil and hubbub of the thousands of birds thus suddenly put upon the wing1 overpower for a moment the roar of the breakers1 and darken the air like the sudden passing of a cloud4 #8,the constant inhabitants of the rocks are several species of the booby1 gannets1 terns1 gulls1 and petrels--and the frigate pelican4 ,the frigate-birds preserve their predilection for rapine amid the teeming plenty of the waters1 and subsist by pillaging the gulls and gannets4 ,the migratory visitors are ducks1 herons1 plovers1 snipes1 sandpipers1 curlews1 and ibises1 with the several falcons that follow them4 ,in the autumnal movement of these birds towards the equatorial regions1 they would be found steering from north to south1 but at the time when the egg gatherers visit the islets1 they are seen coming from the south1 just resting and departing north4 ,the successive months of ,march1 ,april1 and ,may1 are those of the egg harvest4 #8,the ,keys are open to all adventurers1 but the egg gathering is regulated by a custom which recognises the first coming vessel as commanding for the season4 ,the second vessel in seniority is called the ,commodore1 the first being styled the ,admiral4 ,they have a code of laws1 to which1 in a spirit of honourable compliance1 all are expected to show obedience2 and in case of any infraction of the obligations thus voluntarily imposed upon themselves1 a jury selected from the several vessels tries complaints1 and with due formality inflicts punishment for offences4 #8,the south-west is the principal of the ,pedro ,keys4 ,the stay of the birds that resort there to breed is prolonged by the successive loss of the eggs they lay4 ,each loss is a stimulus to a fresh act of pairing2 a new lot of eggs being the result1 possibly in number equal to the former lot1 but probably less1 as the latter deposits are a forced production1 at the expense of the vigour of the bird1 without any additional strength to the constitution by the increased nourishment of food1 the process by which domesticated birds1 in changing their habits1 are led to lay a continuance of eggs for a long season4 ,the egg gatherers are careful observers of the progress of incubation1 and take only the eggs they know to be fresh laid4 ,these are a part of the regulations they require to be observed1 or the constant depredations committed on the birds would fatally thin their numbers4 #8,without going into the discussion of naturalists1 who see in the different colours of eggs a certain relation to circumstances favourable to concealment1 it may be observed that the blotched egg1 laid by the ,hydrochelidon fuliginosa1 properly distinguished as the egg-bird1 is found among sticks and dried leaves of the suriana1 whilst the white eggs of the boobies and petrels are deposited in hollows of the coral rocks1 amid sand and chalky dung4 ,there is one curious coincidence between the eggs of the noddy1 ,sterna stolida1 and the peculiarities of the nest1 that must not1 however1 be unremarked4 ,the elaborate pile of sticks slightly hollowed1 in which they deposit their eggs1 is always embellished with broken sea shells1 speckled and spotted like the eggs4 ,audubon records the same occurrence in the nests of the noddy terns he inspected in the ,florida ,keys4 ,the obvious suggestion for this curious prevalence of instinct is deceptiveness1 arising from similarity between the egg shell and the sea shell4 ,the nests are pillaged by what is called the laughing gull 7the ,larus atricilla1 not the ridibundus72 the numerous empty shells lying among the rocks being always set down to the predatory visits of the laughing gull4 #8,south-west ,key1 and the other sandy islets around it1 are beside1 annually resorted to by the fishermen in the turtling season for a different harvest of eggs4 ,the turtles 7,chelone midas7 visit these shoals to deposit their eggs in the dry sand1 and leave them to the fostering influence of the sun4 ,they repeat their layings thrice1 at the interval of two or three weeks1 laying a hundred at a time4 ,some experience is necessary to trace the place of deposit1 for the eggs are always laid in the night2 but few of them escape the detection of the turtler4' ,geese are reared in large numbers in ,alsace1 the livers of which are used in making the famous ,strasburg pies4 ,in ,denmark1 geese and ducks are salted down for winter use4 ,in ,greenland1 the snow goose affords great subsistence to the natives1 and the feathers are an article of commerce4 ,each family will kill thousands in a season2 these1 after being plucked and gutted1 are flung in heaps into holes dug for that purpose1 and are covered only with earth4 ,the mould presses1 and forms over them an arch2 and whenever the family have occasion to open one of these magazines1 they find their provisions perfectly sweet and good4 ,in ,captain ,sir ,john ,ross's ,arctic ,voyage to ,regent ,inlet1 it is recorded1 that when they discovered that the wild geese had begun to lay on the margin of the lakes1 their eggs formed a dainty and wholesome repast4 #8,the eggs on being weighed were found on an average to be #d ounces--of a dingy white1 faintly speckled4 ,the discovery of a goose's nest1 where the process of incubation had not begun1 was regarded by them in the light of a treasure4 ,to the natives1 however1 it appeared to be a matter of very trifling import whether the egg were freshly laid1 or whether it were within a few days of being hatched4 ,half-a-dozen eggs beaten up with the young ones1 in all stages of their growth1 from the first development of the form to the complete formation of the ftus1 proved to the natives what a dish of callipash and callipee is to the gourmandizing alderman2 nor were they very particular as to the embryos being wholly divested of the shells1 for the latter appeared to be nearly of the same use as beans to the food of a horse1 to force him to masticate the oats more thoroughly4' ,the cygnet1 or young of the swan1 was formerly much esteemed2 at ,norwich they were fattened for the corporation4 ,the flesh of the old birds is hard and ill tasted4 ,the pintail 7,anas acuta7 is a very choice bird--the very #8ring tail' of the duck tribe4 ,they are undoubtedly a recherch morceau1 for1 being essentially grain feeders1 they have no fishy flavour4 ,widgeon and teal are in great favour when in good condition4 ,,reptilia4 ,we find various reptiles1 ,chelonian1 ,saurian1 and ,ophidian1 still forming articles of food in many quarters of the world1 and some so repulsive in their appearance1 that it seems difficult to conceive how they could first have been tasted4 ,in the class ,,reptilia1 we have in the first order ,chelonia or tortoises1 comprising the following which are used as food3--#a1 several of the terrestrial tortoises1 genus ,testudo2 #b1 some of the marsh tortoises or ,emydes1 the chelodina1 matamata1 c42 #c1 the cryptopus or river tortoise2 and #d1 the marine tortoises or turtles4 ,in the second order ,,sauria or lizards1 we find--#a1 crocodiles and alligators contributing to the sustenance of man2 #b1 several of the iguarians4 ,in the third order1 ,,ophidia or serpents1 the rattlesnake1 boas and pythons1 and several other snakes4 ,in the fourth order1 ,,amphibia1 some of the edible and tree frogs4 ,we know not1 observes a recent writer1 why the flesh of the vegetable-feeding tortoises should not be adopted1 as well as that of the green turtle1 among the various articles which are in request for the table4 ,there is much in habit and association of ideas2 and though persons who would not refuse turtle might turn from tortoise with disgust1 they may rest assured that in ,sicily and ,italy these land tortoises are sold in the markets1 principally for being made into soup1 which dish is more esteemed than the flesh prepared in any other way4 ,the flesh of a tortoise1 called the matamata by the aborigines of ,cayenne 7,chelys matamata1 ,dumeril1 ,c4 fimbriata1 ,spix71 is said to be highly esteemed in various parts of ,guiana4 ,there is a great variety of land tortoises in ,trinidad and some of the other ,west ,indian ,islands1 which in general are as delicious as the best green turtle4 ,the eggs of the close tortoise 7,testudo clausa7 of ,north ,america1 are reckoned a delicacy1 and are about the size of pigeons' eggs4 ,the gopher tortoise 7,testudo ,carolina1 of ,leconte7 occasionally makes considerable depredations in the potato fields of the farmer1 and in gardens and other cultivated grounds1 but its flesh is excellent1 and hence it is sought after for the table4 ,the flesh of the ,carolina terrapin or box tortoise 7,cistudo ,carolina7 is occasionally eaten1 but it is held in low estimation2 the eggs1 however1 which are about as large as those of a pigeon1 are accounted excellent1 and are much sought after4 ,the flesh of the ,european box tortoise 7,cistudo ,europa71 though not very delicate1 is nevertheless eaten on the ,continent2 it is said1 however1 to be greatly improved by feeding the animals for some time on grains1 bran1 and other vegetable aliment4 ,the salt water terrapin 7,emys concentrica71 which is found both in ,north and ,south ,america1 is in great request1 its flesh being highly esteemed as a delicacy for the table1 especially at the close of the summer1 when the animals have returned to their winter dormitory4 ,they are then fat1 and considered as a luxury4 ,the eggs of the terrapin are not provided with a hard shell1 but a skin like that purest of all parchments1 parchment just before it receives the ink of law upon it4 ,the general method of killing these animals is a most barbarous one4 ,they are laid upon their backs1 either close to the fire1 or upon the red wood-ashes1 until the thick shell becomes so hot to the animal within that he desperately stretches out both legs and neck1 in the vainest of endeavours to extricate himself from the walls of his burning house4 ,the tender-hearted cook watches his opportunity1 and when it is evident that1 in ordinary phrase1 the poor terrapin #8cannot contain itself1' or in other words1 will no longer draw back his head into such a living furnace--the knife descends1 and the head is cut away4 ,the late ,mr4 ,charles ,hooton told me1 that he had seen such heads at least half-an-hour after being cut off1 attempt1 on being touched1 to bite with sufficient force to take the piece out of the finger4 ,during this time the eyes will occasionally open1 though generally they remain shut4 ,the flesh of the ,indian ,cryptopus1 a river or fluviatile tortoise 7,cryptopus granosus1 ,bibr41 ,testudo scabra1 ,latr47 is eaten in ,pondicherry and ,coromandel1 where it lives in large sheets of fresh water or lagoons4 ,the flesh of the soft tortoise of ,america 7,trionyx ferox1 ,cuvier71 which inhabit the rivers of ,carolina and ,georgia1 is eaten4 ,the curious ,new ,holland tortoise 7,chelodina longicollis71 first described by ,shaw1 which1 as far as the head and neck is concerned1 reminds one rather of a snake than a tortoise1 is abundant in some of the lakes of ,western ,australia1 and is considered by the natives a great treat1 as are also the snakes and lizards4 ,chief ,justice ,temple1 of ,honduras1 from whose lively and interesting letters to the ,society of ,arts ,i have already quoted1 says--#8,another article which might be preserved and exported1 and which would1 ,i have little doubt1 be highly prized by epicures in ,england1 is the liver of the hiccatee4 ,the hiccatee is the fresh water turtle or tortoise1 and is1 ,i believe1 altogether unknown in ,europe4 ,it never approaches anything like the size of the large turtles4 ,the weight of the hiccatee seldom exceeds #bj lbs4 ,it has not got fins like a turtle1 or to be more correct1 the sea tortoise1 but round1 webbed-feet1 each having five claws1 like those of a duck4 ,it is made for the land1 therefore1 as well as the water4 ,it does not1 however1 make the former its home1 and its feet are evidently intended merely to enable it1 when one pool becomes dry1 to travel in search of another4 ,the hiccatee is generally caught in the dry season1 when going across the country in pursuit of water4 ,the feet when dressed are gelatinous1 but the flesh is dry and fibrous4 ,it is1 however1 the liver which renders this species of tortoise so highly estimable4 ,it is a dark olive colour1 and immensely large4 ,if this were preserved in oil with truffles1 it would be considered far superior to the goose's liver of which the pt de foie gras is made4' ,the following way of effectually shooting a turtle may be interesting to the sporting world generally1 and aldermen in particular4 #8,the soft-shell turtle is found throughout the south1 and abounds in the rivers and bayous of ,louisiana1 where they are esteemed a delicacy4 ,they are so shy as to elude the various inventions which are adopted to capture them2 the rifle has1 therefore1 been resorted to2 and1 though easily killed by a fair marksman1 when he finds them sunning themselves on the floating or projecting trunk of some old tree1 he still often fails to secure his prize1 since they drop into the bayous1 are swept down into the current1 and scarcely1 if ever1 secured4 ,to remedy this1 a gentleman of ,louisiana adopted the following method successfully4 ,he cut a piece of wood1 one inch long1 and rounded it so as to fit easily in his rifle2 around the middle1 crosswise1 he cut a small groove1 so as to secure to it a twine some six or seven inches long2 at the other end of this string he attached the ball1 by passing the string through a bore in the ball1 and then knotting the end of the string4 ,the ball is first inserted in the rifle2 the string and wood follow1 and all are rammed down4 ,the turtle is now shot1 and as the ball passes through the turtle1 it enters the tree or log some one or two inches2 the piece of wood1 being too light to enter the shell of the turtle1 is left suspended4 ,so that1 at a single shot1 the game is killed1 strung1 and hung up4' ,of course1 this is from an ,american paper4 ,the flesh of the land tortoise is largely used for food1 both fresh and when salted1 in the ,gallipagos ,archipelago and other islands of the ,pacific2 and a beautifully clear oil is prepared from their fat4 ,they are eaten in ,australia by the aborigines2 and in ,russia1 on the shores of the ,mediterranean1 and some parts of ,germany1 are fattened for the table1 and are esteemed a great delicacy4 ,wallace1 in his journeys up the ,amazon1 says he found the land tortoise for dinner as good as turtle4 ,captain ,dampier1 when he visited the ,gallipagos1 in #afhd1 records #8,that there is no place in the world so much stored with guanoes and land tortoises as these isles4 ,the first are fat and of an extraordinary size1 and exceeding tame2 and the land tortoises so numerous1 that some hundred men may subsist on them for a considerable time1 being very fat1 and as pleasant food as a pullet1 and of such bigness that one of them weighs #aej or #bjj lbs42 and are from two feet to two feet six inches over the belly2 whereas1 in any other places1 ,i never met with any above #cj lbs4 weight1 though ,i have heard them say that at ,st4 ,lawrence or ,madagascar there are also very large ones4' ,wafer1 another old voyager1 when at these islands1 salted the flesh of the land tortoise for use on shipboard1 and fried the fat and converted it into lard or oil1 of which they secured #fj large jars4 ,tortoises of an immense size are found on many of the islands of the ,pacific4 ,mr4 ,lawson1 a vice-governor of the ,gallipagos ,archipelago1 states that he has seen several so large that it required six or eight men to lift them from the ground2 and that some had afforded as much as #bjj lbs4 of meat4 ,dr4 ,darwin remarks3 #8,i was always amused when overtaking one of these great monsters1 as it was quietly pacing along1 to see how suddenly1 the instant ,i passed1 it would draw in its head and legs1 and1 uttering a deep hiss1 fall to the ground with a heavy sound1 as if struck dead4 ,i frequently got on their backs1 and then giving a few raps on the hinder part of their shells1 they would rise up and walk away2 but ,i found it very difficult to keep my balance4 ,the flesh of this animal is largely employed1 both fresh and salted2 and a beautifully clear oil is prepared from the fat4 ,when a tortoise is caught1 the man makes a slit in the skin near its tail1 so as to see inside its body1 whether the fat under the dorsal plate is thick4 ,if it is not1 the animal is liberated2 and it is said to recover soon from this strange operation4 ,in chasing the turtle1 a man standing ready in the bow of the boat dashes through the water upon the turtle's back2 then clinging with both hands by the shell of its neck1 he is carried away till the animal becomes exhausted and is secured4 ,in the ,chagos ,archipelago1 the natives1 by a horrible process1 take the shell from the back of the living turtle4 ,it is covered with burning charcoal1 which causes the outer shell to curl upwards2 it is then forced off with a knife1 and before it becomes cold flattened between two boards4 ,after this barbarous process1 the animal is suffered to regain its native element1 where1 after a certain time1 a new shell is formed2 it is1 however1 too thin to be of any service1 and the animal always appears languishing and sickly4 ,dampier1 in #afhd1 speaks of three or four kinds of land tortoises being eaten in the ,west ,indies4 #8,one1' he says1 #8is called by the ,spaniards ,hackatee1 which keep most in fresh-water ponds2 they have small legs and long necks1 and flat feet1 and commonly weigh betwixt ten and fifteen pounds4 ,the second sort they call ,tenopen 7terrapin871 much less than the former1 and something rounder2 but for the rest not unlike them1 except that the shell on their backs is naturally coloured with a curious carved work4 ,both sorts afford very good meat1 and these last delight in low marshy places1 and are in vast numbers at the ,isle of ,pines1 near ,cuba1 among the woods4' ,turtle would seem to have been first introduced in ,england1 as an article of food1 about the middle of the #agth century1 for a record in the ,gentleman's ,magazine1 under date ,august #ca1 #agec1 shows that it was then a rarity4 #8,a turtle1 weighing #cej lbs41 was ate at the ,king's ,arms tavern1 ,pall ,mall2 the mouth of an oven was taken down to admit the part to be baked4' ,the locality for eating them now has been transferred principally to the city2 and the ,ship and ,turtle1 the ,london ,tavern1 ,birch's 7in ,cornhill71 and the ,guildhall or ,mansion-house1 are perhaps the largest depts of consumption4 ,steam communication has greatly increased the imports1 which amount to about #ae1jjj in the year1 weighing from one quarter to three hundred weight1 and valued at1 probably1 #h1jjj4 ,not that all these shielded animals can be called #8lively' turtle1 for the voyage has very often a damaging effect upon them4 ,turtling is much resorted to by the inhabitants of ,grand ,cayman1 #afj miles north-west from ,jamaica4 ,the turtle are now chiefly caught on the ,mosquito coast1 or on the ,south ,keys of ,cuba1 and sold either in ,jamaica or to homeward-bound vessels4 ,formerly1 these valuable animals were abundant at ,grand ,cayman itself1 but the very reprehensible practice which has prevailed there1 for some years past of making use of large quantities of their eggs deposited on the shore1 has almost frightened them entirely away4 ,in an account of ,jamaica1 published in #afhc1 we find the following statement respecting turtle hunting and other articles of food3-- #8,tortoise are taken much on this coast1 but chiefly at the island of ,caymanos1 thirty leagues to the west of this island1 whither the vessels go ,may1 ,june1 and ,july1 to load of their flesh1 that they pickle in bulk1 and take them in that season when they come on shore to lay their eggs1 which they do1 and cover them with sand1 that hatches them2 and then by instinct they crawl to the sea1 where they live1 and feed on weed that grows in the bottom or floats4 ,in many rivers and ponds of ,jamaica1 there is vast numbers of crocodiles or allegators1 that is an amphibious creature1 and breeds an egg1 hatch'd by the sun in the sand4 ,a tortoise egg is just like the yolk of a hen egg1 of which she lays near a peck at a time2 but the allegator but a few1 and are like a turkey's4 ,their flesh is not good2 they are voracious1 and live on fowls and beasts that they catch by surprise1 but seldom or never hurt any man4 #8,here's an ,indian coney1 called racoon1 that is good meat2 but of a distasteful shape1 being something like an overgrown rat4 ,the snakes in this island are not at all hurtful1 but were eaten by the ,indians as regular as the guanaes are by the ,spaniards2 it is but small1 and of the shape of an allegator1 and the flesh is sweet and tender4' ,i was told a story not long ago of a distinguished ,american politician from the rural districts1 who came to ,new ,york1 and resolved to give a splendid dinner to some of his party friends4 ,in order to make sure that everything should be of the very best quality1 he went to the market himself1 and bought first a turtle4 ,after taking great pains to select one of the finest specimens in the lot1 and ordering it to be sent home1 he said to the tradesman1 by way of making it quite right1 #8,this is a right down genuine turtle1 aint it8' #8,oh1 certainly1' was the reply1 #8one of the very best4' #8,because1' he added1 #8although ,i ain't been in the city long1 ,i ain't to be humbugged3 it won't do for you to try to put off any of your confounded mock turtles on me6' ,the turtle dealer stood astounded at his customer's sharpness4 ,sir ,james ,e4 ,alexander calls ,ascension #8the headquarters of the finest turtle in the world1' and his account of the operations connected with turtling in that locality is so interesting that ,i must copy it4 #8,we walked down to the turtle ponds1 two large enclosures near the sea1 which flowed in and out through a breakwater of large stones4 ,a gallows was erected between the two ponds1 where the turtle are slaughtered for shipping1 by suspending them by the hind flippers and then cutting their throats4 ,about #cjj turtle of four and five hundred pounds each lay on the sand or swam about in the ponds--a sight to set an alderman mad with delight6 #8,in the hot weather of ,january1 ,february1 ,march1 and ,april1 the females land at night1 and waddling over the sands in the various bays of the island1 far above high-water mark1--for by a pole in the ponds1 the tide only rises here four feet1--they scrape up1 by alternate scoops of their flippers1 a hole deep enough to cover their bodies4 ,into this they get1 sighing heavily1 and deposit from #aej to #bjj eggs1 cover them up1 leaving them to the sun to hatch2 and then waddle again towards the sea4 ,two stout hands are1 meanwhile1 on the look out1 watching the movements of the unfortunate turtle2 and1 running up to her after the completion of her task1 one seizes a fore flipper and dexterously shoves it under her belly to serve as a purchase2 whilst the other1 avoiding a stroke which might lame him1 cants the turtle over on her back1 where she lies helpless4 ,from fifteen to thirty are thus turned in a night2 and #fjj had been so captured in the season of #ahcd4 #8,in the bays1 when the surf of heavy rollers prevents the boats being beached to take on board the turtle when caught1 they are hauled out to them by ropes4 #8,no ships' crews are now allowed to turn turtle1 which is converted into a government monopoly2 and #b #ajs4 is the fixed price for each4 ,strange to say1 from the time that the young turtle1 the size of a dollar1 are observed scuttling down to the water1 they are never seen again here until they are four or five hundred pounds weight2 and how long they take to attain this great size1 and where they spend the intermediate time1 is as yet a mystery4 ,i was surprised to hear that turtle are kept in the ponds for a year and upwards without a morsel of food of any kind4 ,they sometimes deposit their eggs in the sand1 on the sides of the ponds2 and in due time the little animals are allowed to make their escape to the sea4 #8,one old female called #8,nelson1' because one of her flippers had been carried off by a shark1 was kept1 out of respect1 for two or three years in the ponds4 ,she contrived1 however1 one night to crawl round the enclosure and make her escape2 but she was turned next year in ,clarence ,bay4 ,another turtle was also turned there a short time since1 on the back of which was carved the name of a mate of a ,british vessel1 who had bought it and sailed with it three weeks before2 it is probable that1 imagining it to be dead1 he had thrown it overboard4 #8,the best way to send home turtle from ,ascension is1 to head them up in a sealed cask1 and have the water changed daily by the bung hole and a cork4 ,turtle1 though the extremes of heat and cold are equally injurious to them1 should always arrive in hot weather in ,england4 ,thus1 an unfortunate captain1 on one occasion1 took from ,ascension #bjj turtle1 and timing his arrival badly1 brought only four alive to ,bristol6' ,humboldt1 in his ,personal ,narrative1 speaks of the expertness of the jaguars of ,south ,america1 who turn the turtle on the beach and devour them at their ease1 emptying the double armour of the arraus1 by the introduction of their supple paws1 with greater ingenuity than the most skilful naturalist could do4 ,they also eat the eggs4 ,the eggs are of a globular shape1 with a soft semi-transparent calcareous shell4 ,these are much prized whenever they can be procured as articles of food1 both by natives and ,europeans4 ,a native will consume in ,brazil as many as twenty or thirty eggs at one meal1 and an ,european sometimes eats a dozen for breakfast4 ,scarcely a thirtieth of the number of young turtles1 even if the eggs are all hatched1 reach the sea1 or live after they have gained that element4 ,birds1 and beasts1 and alligators1 and rapacious fishes1 all prey upon them4 ,the flesh of the female is held in the greatest estimation1 and it is considered to be in perfection at the time she is about depositing her eggs4 ,the flesh1 the eggs1 and certain portions of the intestines1 are often salted and barrelled for shipment to a distance4 ,the eggs of the turtle1 although oily1 are very savory1 and make an excellent omelet4 ,the shell does not harden1 but is leathery2 and the white never coagulates1 but is thrown away and the yolk only eaten4 ,the ,indians of ,brazil frequently eat the eggs raw1 mixed with their cassava farinha4 ,captain ,william ,dampier1 in his voyages1 tells us1 the flesh of the hawk's-bill turtle is eaten4 #8,the flesh' 7he remarks7 #8is but indifferent1 yet somewhat better than that of the loggerhead4 ,those taken betwixt the ,sambellas and ,portobello1 make those that eat their flesh vomit and purge vehemently4 ,the flesh however differs according to their food1 for those that feed upon moss among the rocks have a much yellower fat and flesh1 and are not so well tasted as those that feed upon grass4' ,soon after the fall of the waters of the ,orinoco1 which begins in ,february1 millions of turtle deposit their eggs among the sand1 and the ,indians obtain a rich harvest of food4 ,from the eggs they procure a rich oil termed #8mantega1' which is preserved in pots4 ,a good deal is sent down the ,amazon1 fully to the value of #b1jjj1 and several thousand persons are occupied in its preparation4 ,the eggs are not very large1 but about the size of a bantam's egg4 ,the stratum of eggs in the sand is ascertained by a pole thrust in1 the mean depth being about three feet1 and the harvest of eggs is estimated like the produce of a well cultivated acre2 an acre1 accurately measured1 of #abj feet long1 and #cj wide1 having been known to yield #ajj jars of oil4 ,the eggs1 when collected1 are thrown into long troughs of water1 and being broken and stirred with shovels1 they remain exposed to the sun till the yolk1 the oily part1 is collected on the surface1 and has time to inspissate2 as fast as this oily part is collected on the surface of the water1 it is taken off and boiled over a quick fire4 ,this animal oil1 or tortoise grease1 when prepared1 is limpid1 inodorous1 and scarcely yellow4 ,it is used1 not merely to burn in lamps1 but in dressing victuals1 to which it imparts no disagreeable taste4 ,it is not easy1 however1 to produce oil of turtle's eggs quite pure4 ,it has generally a putrid smell1 owing to the mixture of addled eggs4 ,the total gathering of the three shores1 between the junction of the ,orinoco with the ,apure1 where the collection of eggs is annually made1 is #e1jjj jars1 and it takes about #e1jjj eggs to furnish one jar of oil4 ,in the ,comarca of the ,rio ,nigro1 the value of the turtle oil imported in #ahdj was #f1jjj dollars2 and from the small town of ,barra1 on the ,amazon1 in #ahej1 turtle oil of the value of #ahah dollars was sent4 ,it is filled in pots1 of which #afbh were made in ,santarrem1 a mile above the mouth of the ,tapajos4 ,turtle oil is employed for various purposes4 ,in some of the ,west ,india islands1 it is used when fresh in the place of butter1 or salad oil1 and also for lamps4 ,the eggs of most of the species are excellent1 being both nutritive and agreeable to the taste2 those of the green turtle are especially fine4 ,the white1 or albuminous portion1 does not1 however1 harden on boiling4 ,the large tree lizard1 popularly termed the guana1 7,iguana tuberculata1 ,laur4 ,syn4 #di7 is certainly not very attractive in appearance1 and yet by most persons its flesh is highly esteemed1 being reckoned as delicate as chicken1 and but little inferior to turtle in flavour4 ,it is about three feet long1 from the head to the extremity of the tail1 and covered with a soft skin of a bluish green colour on the back and legs2 on the sides and belly1 nearly white4 ,it has a pouch of loose skin under its throat1 of a light green2 eyes black2 and claws1 of which there are three or five on each foot1 sharply pointed4 ,a fringed skin1 or kind of mane1 runs along from the head to the tail1 which it erects when irritated1 and will then snap hold of anything with great tenacity2 but it is perfectly harmless if undisturbed4 ,the bite is painful1 but is not dangerous4 ,this ugly-looking tree lizard1 which looks like an alligator in miniature1 is considered a great delicacy in most tropical countries4 ,however white and tender the flesh may be when cooked1 when one of its fore paws happens to stick up in the dish1 it reminds one too much of the allegator to eat it with any great relish4 ,i know no animal1 or rather reptile1 whose appearance is so little calculated to tempt man to eat of its flesh2 and yet1 despite the repugnance that results from its looks1 neither ,ude nor ,soyer could have compounded any dish that would compare to the delicacy of a well-dressed iguana4 ,we all know that the turtle is most delicious1 yet did we see it for the first time1 we might call it with the rustic #8a great sea toad4' ,the appearance of the turtle does not carry a letter of recommendation to the kitchen2 accordingly1 his introduction to the ,lord ,mayor's table was rather tardy1 and we learn from ,sir ,hans ,sloane that1 at the beginning of the last century1 turtle was only eaten in ,jamaica by the poor4 ,the poet ,gay hath sung1 that he must have been a bold man who first swallowed an oyster3 #8,the man had sure a palate covered o'er ,with steel or brass1 that on the rocky shore ,first ope'd the oozy oyster's pearly coat1 ,and risked the living morsel down his throat4' ,yet neither turtle nor oyster looks so repugnant1 yet tastes so delicious1 as an iguana4 ,although often roasted or fricasseed1 a frequent native mode of cooking the iguana is to boil it1 taking out the leaves of fat1 which are melted and clarified1 and put into a calabash or dish1 into which they dip the flesh of the guana as they eat it4 ,it was long before the ,spaniards could conquer their repugnance to the guana1 the favourite delicacy of the ,indians1 but which the former regarded with disgust as a species of serpent4 ,they found it however to be highly palatable and delicate1 and from that time forward1 the guana was held in repute among ,spanish epicures4 ,the story is thus related by ,peter ,martyn3-- #8,these serpentes are like unto crocodiles1 saving in bygness2 they call them guanas4 ,unto that day none of oure men durste adventure to taste of them1 by reason of they're horrible deformitie and lothsomnes4 ,yet the ,adelantado being entysed by the pleasantnes of the king's sister ,anacaona1 determined to taste the serpentes4 ,but when he felte the flesh thereof to be so delycate to his tongue1 he fell to amayne without al feare4 ,the which thynge his companions perceiving1 were not behynde hym in greedynesse3 insomuche that they had now none other talke than of the sweetnesse of these serpentes1 which they affirm to be of more pleasant taste than eyther our phesantes or partriches4' ,pierre ,labat gives a minute account of the mode of catching this reptile1 and if the reader has no objection to accompany the good father la chasse1 he may participate in the diversion as follows3--#8,we were attended1' says he1 #8by a negro who carried a long rod2 at one end of which was a piece of whipcord with a running knot4 ,after beating the bushes for some time1 the negro discovered our game basking in the sun on the dry limb of a tree4 ,hereupon he began whistling with all his might1 to which the guana was wonderfully attentive1 stretching out his neck1 and turning his head as if to enjoy it more fully4 ,the negro now approached1 still whistling1 and advancing his rod gently1 began tickling with the end of it the sides and throat of the guana1 who seemed mightily pleased with the operation1 for he turned on his back and stretched himself out like a cat before the fire1 and at length fell fairly asleep2 which the negro perceiving1 dexterously slipt the noose over his head1 and with a jerk brought him to the ground2 and good sport it afforded to see the creature swell like a turkey-cock at finding himself entrapped4 ,we caught others in the same way1 and kept one of them alive seven or eight days2 but1' continues the reverend historian1 #8it grieved me to the heart to find that he thereby lost much delicious fat4' ,guanas are very large and plentiful on the outlying cays and islands of the ,bahamas4 ,they are hunted with a small kind of hound1 and if taken alive1 the mouth is sewed up with twine1 and they keep alive a month or six weeks without food4 ,nassau1 ,new ,providence1 the capital is chiefly supplied from these islands with the guana4 ,there are several varieties of this reptile in ,australia1 but that which is most common is from four to six feet in length1 and from about a foot and a half to two feet across the broadest part of the back1 with a rough dark skin1 enlivened by yellow spots4 ,although perfectly harmless1 as far as the human race are concerned1 this huge lizard is a terrible foe to the smaller quadrupeds--opossums1 bandicoots1 kangaroo-rats1 c41--on which it preys4 ,it is very destructive also among hen roosts1 and often takes up its quarters in the vicinity of a farm-house for the convenience of supping on the hens and their eggs4 ,the guana is much sought for and esteemed by the blacks as an article of food1 and is frequently presented as a great delicacy to the young #8gins4' ,by the settlers it is not often eaten1 owing to the natural feeling of dislike which is created by its form and habits4 ,those1 however1 who do not entertain these feelings1 or are able to overcome them1 find the flesh of the creature really excellent4 ,it is not unlike that of a rabbit1 to which1 in flavour1 it is fully equal1 and eats best when stewed or curried4 ,the guana usually lives in trees1 and1 on the approach of man1 it invariably makes off with great alacrity1 scrambling rapidly up the nearest trunk2 but it is easily brought down by a shot4 ,captain ,keppel tells us1 #8that while out on a shooting excursion at ,port ,essington1 he observed a native plucking the feathers off a goose2 while so employed his eye caught the tip-end of the tail of an iguana1 an animal of the lizard kind1 about four feet long1 which was creeping up the opposite side of a tree2 he tossed the goose1 without further preparation1 on to the fire1 and ascended the tree as easily as ,jack would run up the well-rattled rigging of a man-of-war4 ,he almost immediately returned with the poor animal struggling in his scientific grasp4 ,it was the work of a minute to secure it to a stick of about the same length as itself to prevent its running away1 when it was made to change places with the goose1 which1 being warm through1 was considered to be sufficiently done4 ,the whole goose he devoured1 making no bones1 but spitting out the feathers4 ,then came the iguana's turn1 which1 although less tender1 was not the less relished4 ,it appeared to require great muscular strength to detach the flesh from the skin4 ,the operation being finished1 he lay down to sleep4 ,his wife1 having sprinkled him with dirt to keep the flies off1 was proceeding to eat the skin of the iguana1 when the arrival of some more geese offered her a more satisfactory repast4' ,the iguana is1 ,i believe1 the ,talagowa of the natives of ,ceylon--le ,monitor terrestre d',egypte of ,m4 ,cuvier4 ,the ,indian monitor 7,monitor dracna1 ,gray7 is found in great abundance in all the maritime provinces of ,ceylon4 ,the natives are partial to its flesh4 ,dr4 ,kelaart states that he once tasted some excellent soup made from a tender guana1 which was not unlike hare soup4 ,at ,trincomalee they are hunted down by dogs1 and sold in the market for #f;d4 each4 ,they feed on the smaller reptiles and insects1 and measure1 when large1 four feet five inches4 ,despite its repulsive appearance1 the iguana is eagerly hunted for food by the natives of ,africa1 ,australia1 ,america1 and ,asia4 ,the eggs of the guana are another article deserving the attention of gourmands4 ,one of these lizards sometimes contains as many as four-score eggs4 ,these are about the size of a pigeon's egg1 with a very soft shell1 which contains only a very small quantity of the albumen4 ,the yolk1 unlike that of other eggs1 does not become hard and dry when boiled1 but is soft and melting as marrow4 ,it would be a refreshing sight to see ,alderman ,a41 or ,sheriff ,b41 or any other civic dignitary who has gone the round of all the dishes which native and foreign skill have been able to produce1 and to whom a new combination would convey as much delight as a black tulip or a blue dahlia would to a horticulturist1 partaking for the first time of pt de foie gras de l'hiccatee1 or a dish of the eggs of the iguana garnished with anchovies4 ,the inhabitants of some of the ,pacific islands esteem the large oval eggs of the lizards as food4 ,the meat of the ,amblyrynchus subcristatus1 another lizard1 when cooked1 is white1 and by those whose stomachs rise above all prejudices it is relished as very good4 ,humboldt has remarked1 that in intertropical ,south ,america1 all lizards which inhabit dry regions are esteemed delicacies for the table4 ,there are an almost innumerable variety of lizards1 properly so called1 in all parts of the colony of ,new ,south ,wales1 and the whole of the larger kinds are used for food by the blacks1 although but very rarely eaten by the settlers4 ,those who have eaten them1 state that their flesh resembles that of a fowl4 ,the dragon lizard1 or as it is sometimes called1 the frilled lizard1 is the most remarkable1 being provided with a large frill1 which it has the power of extending suddenly1 and in a rather startling manner1 when attacked or alarmed2 it is usually about a foot and a half or two feet long4 ,the ,jew lizards are dark coloured1 with a dewlapped and puffy appearance about the throat and neck1 varying in size1 but seldom exceeding two feet in length4 ,the scaly lizards are fierce looking1 although harmless1 reptiles1 with a spotted scaly hide1 generally about a foot long1 and remarkable for having small round club-shaped tails4 ,they are easily domesticated1 but as their appearance is far from attractive1 they are seldom made pets of4 ,the large spiny-backed rock lizard resembles a guana1 the only material points of difference being that it has a heavy dewlap beneath its chin1 and a row of spines along the back from the head to the tail4 ,the flat-tailed lizard1 called by the natives the ,rock ,scorpion1 is imagined by them to be venomous1 although in reality it is perfectly harmless2 it is nocturnal in its habits1 and possesses to a peculiar extent the singular power1 which is more or less vested in all the lizard family1 of leaving its tail in the hands of any one who attempts to capture it by laying hold of that appendage1 and of making off apparently scatheless4 ,the sleeping lizard is in body1 as well as in its sluggish habits1 exactly like the terrible death adder1 from which it is only to be distinguished by its short feet4 ,many of the lizard family are believed by the settlers to be venomous1 but such is not the case2 ,i believe in fact that no four-footed reptile has yet been discovered which is possessed of venom4 ,a remarkable power possessed by the guana1 and perhaps by others of the lizard family1 is its power of resisting the poison1 ordinarily most destructive to animal life1--prussic acid4 ,a middling sized guana took a small bottle of prussic acid1 and seemed rather to have been exhilarated by it than otherwise2 it was killed1 however1 by a dose of arsenic and spirits of wine4 ,there is a large1 ugly1 amphibious lizard1 about three feet long1 met with in ,guiana1 known as the ,salempenta1 or ,el ,mato1 which is thought 7particularly by the ,indians7 good eating1 the flesh being white and tender4 ,it is1 however1 much more ugly in appearance than the guana4 ,occasionally large lizards of other kinds1 two or three feet in length1 are brought to the ,rio market1 and they are said to be excellent eating4 ,in the reign of ,cheops1 as an ,egyptian gentleman curious in poultry1 and famous even there for his success in producing strange birds1 was walking by the river ,nile1 he met with an egg1 which1 from its appearance1 he thought promised results out of the common way2 so1 picking it up1 he took it home1 and gave directions for hatching it4 ,but some time after1 on visiting his poultry yard1 he found that all his pets had disappeared1 a few feathers only lying scattered about1 whilst a fearful animal rushed upon him open-mouthed4 ,the fact was1 he had hatched a crocodile4 ,mr4 ,joseph1 in his ,history of ,trinidad1 tells us1 that he has eaten the eggs of the cayman or alligator1 7without knowing what eggs they were71 and found them good4 ,in form and taste they much resemble the eggs of the domestic hen4 ,dr4 ,buckland1 the distinguished geologist1 one day gave a dinner1 after dissecting a ,mississippi alligator1 having asked a good many of the most distinguished of his classes to dine with him4 ,his house and his establishment were in good style and taste4 ,his guests congregated4 ,the dinner-table looked splendid1 with glass1 china1 and plate1 and the meal commenced with excellent soup4 #8,how do you like the soup8' asked the doctor1 after having finished his own plate1 addressing a famous gourmand of the day4 #8,very good1 indeed1' answered the other2 #8turtle1 is it not8 ,i only ask because ,i do not find any green fat4' ,the doctor shook his head4 #8,i think it has something of a musky taste1' said another2 #8not unpleasant1 but peculiar4' #8,all alligators have1' replied ,buckland2 #8the cayman particularly so4 ,the fellow whom ,i dissected this morning----' ,at this stage there was a general rout of the whole guests4 ,every one turned pale4 ,half-a-dozen started up from the table2 two or three ran out of the room2 and only those who had stout stomachs remained to the close of an excellent entertainment4 #8,see what imagination is6' said ,buckland4 #8,if ,i had told them it was turtle1 or tarrapen1 or birdsnest soup1 salt-water amphibia or fresh1 or the gluten of a fish1 or the maw of a sea bird1 they would have pronounced it excellent1 and their digestion been none the worse4 ,such is prejudice4' #8,but was it really an alligator8' asked a lady4 #8,as good a calf's head as ever wore a coronet1' answered ,buckland4 ,the ,australian crocodile is more closely allied to the gavial of ,india 7,gavialis gangeticus71 but is now often termed1 like the ,american species1 an alligator4 ,it is large and formidable2 one captured by ,captain ,stokes1 in the ,victoria ,river1 and described in his published journal1 was fifteen feet long1 and some have been taken still larger than this4 ,like all animals of its class1 the ,australian crocodile is a much more formidable enemy in the water than on shore2 but even in the latter position1 it is by no means to be despised1 for it progresses with tolerable speed2 and1 although it seldom or never attacks a man openly when out of its own proper element1 still it is believed to have a strong liking for human flesh1 when that delicacy can safely be obtained4 ,one of these creatures paid a visit to a seaman1 who was asleep in his hammock on shore after a hard day's labour1 and being unable to get conveniently at the man1 it managed to drag off and carry away the blanket which covered him2 the sailor at first charged his comrade with having made him the subject of a practical joke1 but the foot-prints of the huge reptile1 and the discovery of the abstracted blanket in the water1 soon showed him the real character of his nocturnal visitant4 ,the flesh of the crocodile is white and delicate1 resembling veal4 ,it was a favourite dish among the ,port ,essington settlers1 and among the seamen employed in the surveys of the northern coast and rivers of ,australia4 ,it is frequently pursued and killed for food by the aborigines of that part of the country3 the plan which they adopt is to hunt it into some blind creek1 when the reptile1 finding itself closely pressed1 and no water near1 usually forces its head1 and perhaps the upper part of its body in some sand-hole1 fancying that it has1 by so doing1 concealed itself from its pursuers4 ,in this position it is despatched with comparative ease4 ,the crocodile makes a terrible noise by snapping its jaws1 particularly when in pain1 or when it is annoyed by the buzzing about its mouth and eyes of the mosquitoes or other insects1 which are found in myriads among the swamps1 creeks1 and shallow waters1 where it abides2 this snapping noise is often a startling sound to explorers encamping near waters frequented by the monster4 ,the aboriginal tribes far to the southward of the localities in which the crocodile has its habitation1 have an imperfect knowledge of the animal2 stories of its voracity and fierceness have probably been recounted at the friendly meetings of the tribes1 and these stories have in the same manner passed across the continent1 changed and magnified with each new relation1 until on reaching the coast tribes of the south1 the crocodile became a nondescript animal of most terrible form1 frightening the blacks and puzzling the whites under the name of the ,bunyip4 ,in ,dongola1 at the present day1 the crocodile is caught for the sake of its flesh1 which is regarded as a delicacy4 ,the flesh and fat are eaten by the ,berbers1 who consider them excellent4 ,both parts1 however1 have a smell of musk so strong that few strangers can eat crocodiles' flesh without violent sickness following4 ,the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,haensel1 in his ,letters on the ,nicobar ,islands1 tells us that #8part of the flesh of the crocodile1 or cayman1 is good and wholesome when well cooked4 ,it tastes somewhat like pork1 for which ,i took it1 and ate it with much relish1 when ,i first came to ,nancauwery1 till1 on inquiry1 finding it to be the flesh of a beast so disgusting and horrible in its appearance and habits1 ,i felt a loathing1 which ,i could never overcome2 but it is eaten by both natives and ,europeans4' ,the aboriginal natives of ,trinidad considered a broiled slice of alligator as a dainty morsel2 and ,mr4 ,joseph1 the historian1 records having tasted it1 and found it very palatable4 ,tastes in this1 as in other matters1 differ4 ,mr4 ,henry ,koster1 in his ,travels in ,brazil1 says--#8,i have been much blamed by my friends for not having eaten of the flesh of the alligator1 and1 indeed1 ,i felt a little ashamed of my squeamishness when ,i was shown by one friend a passage in a ,french writer1 whose name ,i forget1 in which he speaks favourably of this flesh4 ,however1 if the advocate for experimental eating had seen an alligator cut into slices1 he would1 ,i think1 have turned from the sight as quickly as ,i did4' ,the ,indians of ,south ,america eat these creatures1 but none of the negroes will touch them4 ,dr4 ,madden1 in his ,travels in ,egypt1 appears to have experimentalized on the saurians as food-- #8,i got' 7he says7 #8a small portion of a young crocodile1 six feet long1 broiled1 to ascertain its taste4 ,the flavour a good deal resembles that of a lobster1 and1 though somewhat tough1 it might certainly be considered very excellent food4' ,the spectacled cayman 7,alligator sclerops7 is known under the name of yacar1 or jacquare1 in ,south ,america4 ,azara1 the naturalist1 tells us that the eggs of this animal are white1 rough1 and as large as those of a goose2 they are deposited1 to the number of sixty1 in the sand1 and covered with dried grass4 ,the ,indians of ,paraguay1 and other districts1 esteem them as food1 and also relish the white and savoury flesh of this alligator1 although it is dry and coarse4 ,cayman is the ,spanish word for alligator1 and1 according to ,walker1 alligator is the name chiefly used for the crocodile in ,america4 ,mr4 ,wallace thus describes an alligator hunt1 as pursued on the lakes in ,mexiana1 an island lying off the mouth of the ,amazon3--#8,a number of negroes went into the water with long poles1 driving the animals to the side1 where others awaited them with harpoons and lassos4 ,sometimes1 the lasso was at once thrown over their heads1 or1 if first harpooned1 a lasso was then secured to them1 either over the head or the tail1 and they were easily dragged to the shore by the united force of ten or twelve men4 ,another lasso was fixed1 if necessary1 so as to fasten them at both ends2 and1 on being pulled out of the water1 a negro cautiously approached with an axe1 and cut a deep gash across the root of the tail1 rendering this formidable weapon useless2 another blow across the neck disabled the head2 and the animal was then left1 and pursuit of another commenced1 which was speedily reduced to the same condition4 #8,sometimes the cord would break1 or the harpoon get loose1 and the negroes had often to wade into the water among the ferocious animals in a very hazardous manner4 ,they were from ten to eighteen feet long1 sometimes even twenty1 with enormous mis-shapen heads and fearful rows of long1 sharp teeth4 ,when a number were out on the land1 dead or dying1 they were cut open1 and the fat1 which accumulates in considerable quantities about the intestines1 was taken out1 and made up into packets in the skins of the smaller ones1 taken off for the purpose4 ,after killing twelve or fifteen1 the overseer and his party went off to another lake at a short distance1 where the alligators were more plentiful1 and by night had killed nearly fifty4 ,the next day they killed twenty or thirty more1 and got out the fat from the others4 ,in some of these lakes #ajj alligators have been killed in a few days2 in the ,amazon or ,para rivers it would be difficult to kill as many in a year4 ,the fat is boiled down into oil and burned in lamps4 ,it has rather a disagreeable smell1 but not worse than train-oil4' ,the flesh of the land alligator1 as it is termed by the ,malays 7the ,hydrosaurus salvator71 which occasionally attains the length of five or six feet1 makes1 it is said1 good eating1 and is much esteemed by the natives for its supposed restorative and invigorating properties4 ,at ,manila1 these creatures are regularly sold in the markets1 and fetch a good price2 the dried skin is readily bought by the ,chinese1 who use it in some of their indescribable messes of gelatinous soup4 ,another species eaten is the ,hydrosaurus giganteus4 ,like that of the ,iguan of the ,new ,world1 the flesh of these saurians is delicate eating1 and has been compared to that of a very young sucking pig4 ,the eggs of all the different kinds of alligators1 and there are three or four distinct species abounding in the ,amazon and its tributary streams1 are eaten by the natives1 though they have a very strong musky odour4 ,the largest species of alligator 7,jacare nigra71 reaches a length of #ae or rarely #bj feet4 ,mr4 ,wallace1 in his ,travels1 records1 that on one occasion1 the ,indians on the ,rio ,negro supped off a young alligator they had caught in a brook near1 #8but the musty odour was so strong that ,i could not stomach it1 and after getting down a bit of the tail1 finished my supper with mingau1 or gruel of mandioc4' ,alligators are killed in great numbers in parts of the river ,amazon1 for their fat1 which is made into oil4 ,hernandez states1 that the flesh of the ,axolotl1 an aquatic reptile1 is very agreeable and wholesome4 ,it is the ,siren pisciformis of ,shaw2 the ,menobranchus pisciformis1 ,harl4 ,it is commonly sold in the markets of ,mexico4 ,when dressed after the manner of stewed eels1 and served up1 with a stimulating sauce1 it is esteemed a great luxury4 ,the flesh of the sauve-garde or common ,teguixin of ,brazil 7,teguixin monitor of ,gray1 ,teius ,teguixin7 is eaten1 and is said to be excellent4 ,the flesh of the common ada of ,mr4 ,gray is accounted excellent by the natives of ,guiana1 who compare it to a fowl2 its eggs are also in great request4 ,it is the ,thorictes dracna1 ,bibron2 ,la grande dragonne1 ,cuvier1 and attains the length of four to six feet4 ,some species of lizards are used as food in ,burmah4 ,one of these especially1 called pada1 is stated not to be inferior to a fowl1--this is probably the iguana4 ,nearly every species of serpent is eaten there1 after the head has been cut off4 ,all have a fishy taste4 ,some few kinds1 however1 although the teeth are carefully removed1 cannot be used1 as the flesh appears to be poisonous4 ,the flesh of snakes is eaten by many in ,dominica1 particularly by the ,french1 some of whom are very fond of it2 but it is reckoned unwholesome1 and to occasion the leprosy4 ,a snake called1 by the natives of ,western ,australia wango1 is particularly liked by them as food4 ,there is a very venomous yellow-bellied snake1 from five to six feet long1 called locally dubyt1 which is much dreaded2 but that is also eaten by them4 ,the formidable lance-headed viper1 of the ,leeward ,islands 7,trigonocephalus lanceolatus71 feeds chiefly on birds1 lizards1 and rats4 ,after swallowing their prey1 these snakes exhale a disgusting odour2 this does not prevent the negroes from eating their flesh1 which they find1 it is said1 free from any unpleasant flavour4 ,mr4 ,buckland1 in his interesting volume1 ,curiosities of ,natural ,history1 says1 he once had the opportunity of tasting a boa-constrictor1 that had been killed by an accident1 and came into his possession4 #8,i tried the experiment1' he observes1 #8and cooked a bit of him2 it tasted very like veal1 the flesh being exceedingly white and firm4 ,if ,i had had nothing else1 and could have forgotten what ,i was eating1 ,i could easily have made a dinner of it4' ,the flesh of serpents was held in high repute by the ancients1 medicinally2 and1 when properly prepared1 seems to have made a very agreeable article of diet1 corresponding with the turtle soup of the present day4 ,even now1 in the ,french tariff1 vipers are subject to a duty of #ds4 the cwt4 ,in ,guatemala1 there is a popular belief1 that lizards eaten alive cure the cancer4 ,the ,indians are said to have made this important discovery2 and in #aghj1 the subject was investigated by ,european physicians4 ,i do not find the remedy in the modern pharmacopias1 nevertheless1 the inhabitants of ,amatitlan1 the town where the discovery was first made1 still adhere to their belief in its efficacy4 ,the man who first eat a live oyster or clam1 was certainly a venturous fellow1 but the eccentric individual who allowed a live lizard to run down his throat1 was infinitely more so4 ,there is no accounting for taste4 ,probably some of our learned physiologists and medical men may be able to explain the therapeutic effects4 ,some of the tribes of ,southern ,guinea1 eat the boa-constrictor1 or python1 and consider it delicate food4 ,the more informed among them1 however1 regard the practice as peculiarly heathenish4 ,in ,ceylon1 the flesh of the anaconda1 which is said to devour travellers1 is much esteemed as food by some of the natives4 ,who shall determine what is good eating8 ,when we have gone over so many delicacies1 we must not be surprised at men's eating rattlesnakes1 and pronouncing them capital food4 ,an ,english writer1 who has recently published a work entitled ,a ,ride over the ,rocky ,mountains to ,oregon and ,california1 in describing the journey across the great desert1 says3-- #8#abth ,july4--,shot two prairie dogs4 ,jem killed a hare and rattlesnake4 ,they were all capital eating1 not excepting the snake1 which the parson cooked1 and thought it as good as eel6' ,the ,australian aborigines1 and some of the ,kafir tribes1 commonly eat snakes roasted in the fire--and stewed snakes may1 for aught ,i know1 be as good as stewed eels4 ,the ,italians regale themselves with a jelly made of stewed vipers4 ,the ,bushman of ,africa catches serpents1 not only as an article of food1 but to procure poison for his arrows4 ,various reliable accounts before me prove that rattlesnakes are not unfit for food1 and may be placed among the multifarious articles regarded by man as delicacies of the table4 ,the negroes eat the flesh of the rattlesnake1 as well as that of other serpents4 ,when the skin and intestines are removed1 no bad odour remains4 ,a correspondent of the ,penny ,magazine thus describes his experience of fried rattlesnakes1 at a tavern in ,kaskaskia1 a small town on the ,mississippi4 ,he finds there a party of four or five travellers1 who had been on an exploring expedition3-- #8,after a brief interview1 they politely invited me to partake of the supper they had already bespoken1 informing me1 at the same time1 that they considered themselves peculiarly fortunate in having procured an excellent dish1--in fact1 a great delicacy--in a place where they expected to meet with but indifferent fare4 ,what this great delicacy was1 they did not attempt to explain2 and1 having without hesitation accepted of their invitation1 ,i felt no inclination to make any farther inquiries4 #8,when the hour of supper arrived1 the principal dish--and1 indeed1 almost the only one upon the table--appeared to me to be a dish of good-sized eels fried4 ,i being the guest of my new acquaintances1 had the honor of being the first served with a plate of what the person who presided called #8,musical ,jack4' #8,musical ,jack1' thought ,i1 is some species of eel peculiar to the ,mississippi and its tributary waters2 and taking it for granted that it was all right1 ,i forthwith began to ply my knife and fork4 #8,stop1' said the individual that occupied the bottom of the table1 before ,i had swallowed two mouthfuls4 #8,you1 sir1 have no idea1 ,i presume1 what you are eating2 and since you are our guest for the time being1 ,i think it but right that you should have no cause hereafter to think yourself imposed upon4 ,the dish before you1 which we familiarly call #8,musical ,jack1' is composed of rattlesnakes1 which the hunter who accompanies us in our tour of exploration was so fortunate to procure for us this afternoon4 ,it is far from the first time that we have fared thus2 and1 although our own hunter skinned1 decapitated1 and dressed the creatures1 it was only through dint of coaxing that our hostess was prevailed upon to lend her frying-pan for so vile a purpose4' #8,although curiosity had on many occasions prompted me to taste strange and unsavoury dishes1 ,i must confess that never before did ,i feel such a loathing and disgust as ,i did towards the victuals before me4 ,i was scarcely able to listen to the conclusion of this short address1 ere ,i found it prudent to hurry out of the room2 nor did ,i return till supper was over1 and #8,musical ,jack' had either been devoured or dismissed their presence4 #8,as far as ,i recollect the circumstance1 there was nothing peculiar or disagreeable in the flavour of the small quantity ,i ate2 and when the subject was calmly discussed on the following day1 one of the party assured me he was really partial to the meat of the rattlesnake1 although some of the other members of his party had not been fully able to conquer their early-conceived antipathies towards this snake2 but that during their long journey they had been occasionally prevailed upon to make trial of a small quantity of the flesh1 and were willing to own that had they1 been ignorant of its nature1 they should have pronounced it of a quality passably good4 #8,ever afterwards in my visits to ,kaskaskia1 ,i narrowly examined every dish of a dubious character that was placed before me1 in order to satisfy myself that it was not #8,musical ,jack4'' ,dr4 ,lang1 in one of his works1 gives us an account of snake cooking in ,australia3-- #8,one of the black fellows took the snake1 and placing it on the branch of a tree1 and striking it on the back of the head repeatedly with a piece of wood1 threw it into the fire4 ,the animal was not quite dead1 for it wriggled for a minute or two in the fire1 and then became very stiff and swollen1 apparently from the expansion of the gases imprisoned in its body4 ,the black fellow then drew it out of the fire1 and with a knife cut through the skin longitudinally on both sides of the animal1 from the head to the tail4 ,he then coiled it up as a sailor does a rope1 and laid it again upon the fire1 turning it over again and again with a stick till he thought it sufficiently done on all sides1 and superintending the process of cooking with all the interest imaginable4 ,when he thought it sufficiently roasted1 he thrust a stick into the coil1 and laid it on the grass to cool1 and when cool enough to admit of handling1 he took it up again1 wrung off its head and tail1 which he threw away1 and then broke the rest of the animal by the joints of the vertebr into several pieces1 one of which he threw to the other black fellow1 and another he began eating himself with much apparent relish4 ,neither ,mr4 ,wade nor myself having ever previously had the good fortune to witness the dressing of a snake for dinner by the black natives1 we were much interested with the whole operation2 and as the steam from the roasting snake was by no means unsavoury1 and the flesh delicately white1 we were each induced to try a bit of it4 ,it was not unpalatable by any means1 although rather fibrous and stringy like ling-fish4 ,mr4 ,wade observed1 that it reminded him of the taste of eels2 but as there was a strong prejudice against the use of eels as an article of food in the west of ,scotland1 in my boyhood1 ,i had never tasted an eel1 and was therefore unable to testify to the correctness of this observation4 ,there was doubtless an equally strong prejudice to get over in the case of a snake1 and for an hour or two after ,i had partaken of it1 my stomach was ever and anon on the point of insurrection at the very idea of the thing2 but1 thinking it unmanly to yield to such a feeling1 ,i managed to keep it down4' ,in a paper which ,i published in the ,journal of the ,society of ,arts1 in ,october #ahef1 7vol4 #d1 p4 #hgb17 ,i entered very fully into a description of the various snakes which are met with in different countries1 poisonous or harmless1 and to that paper ,i would refer those who wish to obtain descriptive details--scientific or general--not bearing on the subject of food1 at present under our consideration4 ,the consumption of frogs is not1 as is very often supposed1 confined to the ,french4 ,it is now also indulged in1 to a considerable extent1 by ,americans2 and frogs appear to command a high price in the ,new ,york market4 ,an enthusiastic writer tries to convince us1 that the only objection to frogs as an article of diet is a mere prejudice on the part of those who have never eaten them4 #8,in what respect are they worse than eels8 ,the frog who swallows young birds and ducklings is surely as clean a feeder as the snake-like creature that dines on dead dogs1 and makes the celebrity of the ait at ,twickenham4 ,or is a frog less savoury than a rat8 ,and yet what a price was paid for rats at the siege of ,kars6 ,if the garrison could only have been supplied with lots of frogs--literal or metaphorical--the ,russians would never have taken the place4 ,again1 does a snail--the large escargot1 which people are so fond of in ,paris--appear more tempting than a frog8 ,or that animal picked out of its shell with a pin1 and called1 in vulgar parlance1 a winkle4 #8,away1 then1' as indignant orators say1 #8away1 then1 with this cant of false delicacy and squeamishness1 and the very first opportunity you have1 ,o lector fastidioso6 order ,a ,dish of ,frogs4 ,they are quite as good as whitebait1 when assisted by a flask of ,rhenish4' ,the ,athenum1 also1 recently came out in favour of frogs4 #8,there is no reason1' it remarks1 #8why we should eschew frogs and relish turtle2 still less is there for our eating one or two of the numerous edible funguses1 which our island produces1 and condemning all the rest4' ,the green or edible frog 7,rana esculenta7 is a native of ,europe1 some parts of ,asia1 and also of ,northern ,africa4 ,it is in high request on the ,continent for its flesh1 the meat of the hind quarters1 which is alone used1 being delicate and well tasted4 ,in ,vienna1 where the consumption of these frogs is very considerable1 they are preserved alive1 and fattened in froggeries 7grenouillires7 constructed for the express purpose4 ,in ,america1 the flesh of the huge bull-frog 7,r4 pipiens1 ,harl42 ,r4 mugiens1 ,catesby17 is tender1 white1 and affords excellent eating4 ,some bull-frogs weigh as much as half-a-pound1 but the hind legs are the only parts used as food4 ,they make excellent bait for the larger cat-fish4 ,in the ,antilles1 another huge bull-frog is reared in a state of domestication for the table4 ,it is the ,rana ocellata1 ,linn2 ,r4 gigas of ,spix2 ,cystignathus ocellatus1 ,wagler4 ,toads seem also to be eaten by the ,french1 though unwittingly4 ,professor ,dumeril used to relate1 in his lectures at the ,jardin des ,plantes1 that the frogs brought to the markets in ,paris are caught in the stagnant waters round ,montmorenci1 in the ,bois de ,vincennes1 ,bois de ,boulogne1 c4 ,the people employed in this traffic separate the hind quarters and legs of the frogs from the body1 denude them of their skin1 arrange them on skewers1 as larks are done in this country1 and then bring them in that state to market4 ,in seeking for frogs1 these dealers often meet with toads1 which they do not reject1 but prepare them in the same way as they would frogs2 and1 as it is impossible to determine whether the hind quarters of these creatures1 after the skin is stripped off1 belong to frogs or toads1 it continually happen that great numbers of the supposed frogs sold in ,paris for food are actually toads4#ah ,this account of the mode of bringing the frogs to market1 in ,paris1 does not tally with that given by my friend1 ,mr4 ,f4 ,t4 ,buckland1 in his ,curiosities of ,natural ,history2 he says3-- #8,in ,france1 frogs are considered a luxury1 as any bon vivant ordering a dish of them at the ,trois ,frres1 at ,paris1 may1 by the long price1 speedily ascertain4 ,not wishing to try such an expensive experiment in gastronomy1 ,i went to the large market in the ,faubourg ,st4 ,germain1 and enquired for frogs4 ,i was referred to a stately-looking dame at a fish-stall1 who produced a box nearly full of them1 huddling and crawling about1 and occasionally croaking as though aware of the fate to which they were destined4 ,the price fixed was two a penny1 and having ordered a dish to be prepared1 the ,dame de la ,halle dived her hand in among them1 and having secured her victim by the hind legs1 she severed him in twain with a sharp knife2 the legs1 minus skin1 still struggling1 were placed on a dish2 and the head1 with the fore-legs affixed1 retained life and motion1 and performed such motions that the operation became painful to look at4 ,these legs were afterwards cooked at the restaurateur's1 being served up fried in bread crumbs1 as larks are in ,england2 and most excellent eating they were1 tasting more like the delicate flesh of the rabbit than anything else ,i can think of4 ,i afterwards tried a dish of the common ,english frog1 but his flesh is not so white nor so tender as that of his ,french brother4' ,the ,chinese seem also to appreciate frogs1 for ,mr4 ,fortune1 in describing a ,chinese market1 says-- #8,frogs seemed much in demand4 ,they are brought to market in tubs and baskets1 and the vender employs himself in skinning them as he sits making sales4 ,he is extremely expert at this part of his business4 ,he takes up the frog in his left hand1 and with a knife1 which he holds in his right1 chops off the fore part of its head4 ,the skin is then drawn back over the body and down to the feet1 which are chopped off and thrown away4 ,the poor frog1 still alive1 but headless1 skinless1 and feetless1 is then thrown into another tub1 and the operation is repeated on the rest in the same way4 ,every now and then the artist lays down his knife1 and takes up his scales to weigh these animals for his customers1 and make his sales4 ,everything in this civilised country1 whether it be gold or silver1 geese or frogs1 is sold by weight4' ,according to ,seba and ,madame ,merian1 the negroes eat the flesh of the ,surinam toad 7,pipa ,surinamensis74 ,frogs or toads of an enormous size 7,crapaux7 are very numerous in ,dominica1 and much esteemed as an article of food2 the flesh1 when fricasseed1 being preferred by the ,english1 as well as ,french1 to chickens2 and1 when made into soup1 recommended for the sick1 especially in consumptive cases4 ,wallace1 in his ,travels on the ,amazon1 tells us1 #8his ,indians went several times early in the morning to the gapo to catch frogs1 which they obtained in great numbers1 stringing them on a sipo1 and boiling them entire1 entrails and all1 and devoured them with much gusto4 ,the frogs are mottled of various colours1 have dilated toes1 and are called jui4' ,the eating of frogs seems to be indulged in in the ,philippines1 for a traveller tells us that-- #8,after the rains there may generally be procured1 by those who like them1 frogs1 which are taken from the ditch round the walls in great numbers1 and are then fat and in good condition for eating1 making a very favourite curry of some of the ,europeans1 their flesh being very tender4'#ai ,,fish4 ,more than two-thirds of our globe being covered by the waters of the ocean1 and of the remaining third a great part being washed by extensive rivers1 or occupied by lakes1 ponds1 or marshes1 these watery realms1 teeming with life1 furnish man with a great variety of food4 ,some of these have already passed under consideration in the reptilia1 and others in the great class mammalia1 as seals1 morses1 and manatees1 which can remain at no great distance from the sea1 together with whales1 which never leave it1 though constantly obliged1 by the nature of their respiration1 to seek its surface4 ,mollusca1 crustacea1 annelides1 and zoophytes are almost peculiar to this element1 having but few scattered representatives on earth2 but1 amidst all its varied inhabitants1 there are none more exclusively confined to its realms1 none that rule them with such absolute sway1 none more remarkable for number1 variety of form1 beauty of colour1 and1 above all1 for the infinite advantages which they yield to man1 than the great class of fishes4 ,in fact1 their evident superiority has caused their name to pass as a general appellation to all the inhabitants of the deep4 ,whales are called fish1 crabs are called shell-fish1 and the same term is used to denote oysters2 though the first are mammalia1 the second articulata1 and the third mollusca4 ,milton has well described the abundance of fish-- ----#8,each creek and bay1 ,with fry innumerable swarm and shoals ,of fish1 that with their fins and shining scales1 ,glide under the green waves2 99 99 99 99 99 99 part single1 or with mate ,graze the sea-weed1 their pasture1 and through groves ,of coral stray2 or sporting1 with quick glance1 ,show to the sun their way'd coats dropp'd with gold4' ,the modes of preserving fish are various2 they are salted and dried1 smoked and potted1 baked or marinated1 preserved in oil1 and pounded in a dry mass4 ,several savage nations possess the art of preparing fish in a great variety of ways1 even as a kind of flour1 bread1 c4 ,dr4 ,davy1 commenting upon the remarkable facts respecting the exemption of fish-eating persons from certain diseases1 suggests that there is undoubtedly something in the composition of fish which is not common to other articles of food1 whether vegetable or animal4 ,he believes this consists of iodine4 ,he says1 that in all instances in which he sought for this substance in sea fish he has found it2 and also traces of it in migratory fish1 but not in fresh-water fish4 ,the trials he made were limited to red gurnard1 mackerel1 haddock1 common cod1 whiting1 sole1 ling1 herring1 pilchard1 salmon1 sea-trout1 smelt1 and trout4 ,the experiment was as follows4--,he dried and charred1 lixiviated1 reduced to ashes1 and again washed from a quarter of a pound to a pound of fish4 ,a good deal of limy matter was afforded from the washings of the charcoal of the sea fish4 ,the saline matter was principally common salt1 had a pretty strong alkaline reaction1 and by the blue hue produced by starch and aqua regia1 afforded a clear proof of the presence of iodine4 ,only a slight trace was detected in the fresh-water salmon1 sea-trout1 and smelt4 ,in the spent salmon descending to the sea1 only just a perceptible trace was observable1 and no trace in either parr or trout4 ,dr4 ,davy states further1 that he has detected it in an unmistakable manner in the common shrimp2 also in the cockle1 mussel1 oyster1 crab1 c42 nor is this remarkable1 considering that it enters into the greater part of the food of fishes4 ,he observes1 also1 that cod liver oil is well established as an alterative or cure of pulmonary consumption1 and as this oil contains iodine1 the inference is1 that sea fish1 generally1 may be alike beneficial4 ,the practical application of this inquiry is obvious4 ,a suggestion is also made as to the efficacy of drying fish1 even without salt1 the drying being complete to the exclusion of even hydroscopic water1 for the use of the explorer and traveller4 ,the inference as to the salutary effects of fish depending on the presence of iodine1 in the prevention of tubercular disease1 might be extended to goitre1 which it is known has already yielded to iodine4 ,this formidable complaint appears to be completely unknown to the inhabitants of sea-ports and sea-coasts4 ,respecting another and concluding question1 viz41 the different parts of fish1 it is to be remarked that1 so far as experiments have gone1 the effects will not be the same from all parts of the fish1 because the inorganic elements are not the same4 ,the examples chosen are the liver1 muscle1 roe1 or melt4 ,in the ash of the liver and muscle of sea-fish1 ,dr4 ,davy always found a large proportion of saline matter1 common salt1 abounding1 with a minute portion of iodine1 rather more in the liver than the muscle1 and free alkali1 or alkali in a state to occasion an alkaline reaction1 as denoted by test-paper2 whilst in the roe or melt there has been detected very little saline matter1 no trace of iodine1 nor of free alkali2 on the contrary1 a free acid1 viz41 phosphorus1 analogous to what occurs in the yolk of an egg1 and in consequence of which it is very difficult to digest either the roe or melt of a fish1 or the yolk of an egg4 ,the same conclusion on the same ground is applicable to fresh-water fish1 viz41 the absence of iodine4 ,a very common ,north ,american dish is chowder1 which is thus prepared3-- ,fry brown several slices of pork2 cut each fish into five or six pieces2 flour1 and place a layer of them in your pork fat2 sprinkle on a little pepper and salt2 add cloves1 mace1 and sliced onions2 if liked1 lay on bits of the fried pork1 and crackers soaked in cold water4 ,repeat this till you put in all the fish2 turn on water just sufficient to cover them1 and put on a heated bake pan lid4 ,after stewing about #bj minutes1 take up the fish1 and mix two teaspoonfuls of flour with a little water1 and stir it into the gravy1 adding a little pepper and butter4 ,a tumbler of wine1 catsup1 and spices will improve it4 ,cod and bass make the best chowder4 ,in making clam chowder1 the hard part of the clam should be cut off and rejected4 ,fish glue consists almost wholly of gelatine2 #ajj grains of good dry isinglass1 containing rather more than #ih of matter soluble in water4 ,isinglass may be obtained from many fish4 ,jackson states1 that the sounds of cod afford it2 and that the lakes of ,america abound with fish1 from which the very finest isinglass may be obtained4 ,this substance is best prepared in summer1 as frost impairs the colour1 and deprives it of weight and of gelatinous principle4 ,it is made into jellies and blanc-manger1 by the cook and confectioner1 and with some sort of balsam1 spread on silk1 forms the court-plaister of the shops4 ,fish maws are the dried stomachs of fishes1 like our cod's sounds1 which being considered a great luxury by the ,chinese1 and as possessing strengthening and aphrodisiac properties1 are brought over in the junks from the ,indian islands4 ,crawford states1 that they often fetch upwards of #ad per cwt4 in the ,canton market4 ,the exports of fish maws from ,bombay average from #aejj to #bejj cwts4 per annum2 from ,madras1 about #ej cwts42 and from ,bengal about #d1jjj lbs4 ,caviar is the common name for a preparation of the dried spawn1 or salted roe of fish4 ,the black caviar is made from the roe of sturgeon1 and a single large fish will sometimes yield as much as #abj lbs4 of roe4 ,a cheaper and less prized red kind is obtained from the roe of the gray mullet1 and some of the carp species1 which are common in the rivers1 and on the shores of the ,black ,sea4 ,caviar is principally consumed in ,russia1 ,germany1 and ,italy1 by the ,greeks1 during their long fasts1 and also in small quantities in ,england4 ,inferior caviar is made into small1 dry cakes4 ,one thousand cwt4 of caviar has been shipped from ,odessa in a single season1 and from ,astracan1 about #cj1jjj barrels4 ,the produce of caviar from the ,caspian sea1 some years ago1 was as much as a million and a half of pounds4 ,a preparation called botargo is made on the coasts of the ,mediterranean from the spawn of a kind of fine mullet of a red color4 ,the best is said to be made at ,tunis1 but it is also common in ,sicily4 ,the dried roe of an enormous species of shad1 which frequents the great river of ,siak in ,sumatra1 constitutes an article of commerce in the ,east4 ,according to ,dr4 ,richardson1 very good bread may be made from the roe of the pollack1 an ocean fish 7,gadus pollachius71 found on both sides of the ,atlantic1 and in the ,indian seas3 on the ,british coasts it is often termed the cod-fish2 and when young1 the whiting pollack4 ,in ,north ,america1 this fish is so plentiful that it is salted and sold by the quintal like cod or ling4 ,the ,chinook ,indians of the ,columbia rivers are very fond of herrings' roes1 which they collect in the following manner3--,they sink cedar branches to the bottom of the river1 in shallow places1 by placing upon them a few heavy stones1 taking care not to cover the green foliage1 as the fish prefer spawning on anything green1 and they literally cover all the branches by next morning with spawn4 ,the ,indians wash this off in their water-proof baskets1 to the bottom of which it sinks2 this is squeezed by the hand into little balls and then dried1 and is very palatable4 ,the large roe of the ,callipeva fish1 already alluded to1 is considered a delicacy in the ,west ,indies4 ,the mode of curing it differs widely from that in which the roe of the sturgeon and the sterlet is prepared4 ,the following is the account given by ,goldsmith1 in his ,history of the ,earth and ,animated ,nature1 of the way in which the latter is manufactured3-- #8,they take the spawn1 and freeing it from the small membranes that connect it together1 they wash it with vinegar1 and afterwards spread it to dry upon a table2 they then put it into a vessel with salt1 breaking the spawn with their hands1 and not with a pestle4 ,this done1 they put it into a canvas bag1 letting the liquor drain from it4 ,lastly1 they put it into a tub with holes at the bottom1 so that if there be any moisture still remaining1 it may run out2 then it is pressed down and covered up for use4' ,very different is the manner adopted by the ,spaniards in ,central ,america in curing the roe of the callipeva4 ,they do it in this wise3--,first1 they rub the roe well with salt and a little nitre1 then they put a number of them one upon another1 and compress them by means of a heavy weight4 ,after this1 they make an altar of green boughs1 covering the top also with green branches traversing each other4 ,the inside being filled with straw and fresh leaves1 which are ignited1 they place the roes on the top and cover them well up likewise with green boughs4 ,they are allowed to remain there six or seven days1 during which time the fire keeps smouldering and sending up a thick smoke which is concentrated upon the roes by the upper layer of branches4 ,this they call barbecuing4 ,the membraneous covering of the roe is not taken off1 consequently it will keep for a long time1 the air being entirely excluded from it4 ,when the roe is eaten1 it should be cut in very thin slices4 ,the outer coating should not be taken off1 but rubbed clean with a dry napkin4 ,in ,new ,caledonia1 the natives are said to eat the roe of the ,salmo scouleri mixed with rancid oil1 which1 in their estimation1 gives the savoury morsel additional flavour4 ,the smell alone is said by a traveller to be so nauseous as to prevent any but a native from partaking of it1 unless severely pressed with hunger4 ,dr4 ,richardson tells us that1 when well bruised and mixed with a little flour1 the roe of the methy 7,lotha maculosa7 can be baked into very good biscuits1 which are used in the fur countries as tea-bread4 ,among the ,anglo-,saxons and in the middle ages1 fish of almost every kind were eaten1 including many now thought unwholesome4 ,whales1 when accidentally taken on our coasts1 appear in those early times to have been also salted for food2 an allowance is entered1 amongst the other expenses of ,john de ,lee1 ,sheriff of ,essex and ,herts1 for guarding a whale taken off ,mersey ,island2 for emptying of casks to put it in2 for salt to salt it2 and for carrying it to the court of ,stamford4 ,brand states porpoises to have been sold for food in the ,newcastle market as late as #aege4 ,sturgeon1 and in the northern nations1 whales1 were early reserved as royalties2 and in ,england1 whales and great sturgeons taken in the sea were1 by the ,act #ag ,edward ,,ii41 to be the king's1 except in certain privileged places4 ,in the dinner bills of the ,goldsmiths' ,company1 besides the ordinary fish1 we find blote-fish1 jowls and middles of sturgeons1 salt lampreys1 congers1 pike1 bream1 bass1 tench1 and chub1 a seal1 and porpoise mentioned4 ,the red herring is included in an inquisition #bh ,henry ,,iii42 and the ,act of ,parliament #ca ,edward ,,iii41 called the ,statute of ,herrings1 shows the great request in which this most useful article of food was then held by the ,english4 ,herrings by the last1 or #aj1jjj1 were sent from ,hull to ,london1 and from ,yarmouth to ,hull1 as also red herrings1 in the time of ,edward ,i4 ,the tariff of prices of fish1 fixed by the same king1 acquaints us with the rates at which the various kinds were sold4 ,it limits the best soles to #c;d4 per dozen2 the best turbot to #f;d42 the best mackerel in ,lent to #a;d4 each2 the best pickled herrings to twenty the penny2 fresh oysters to #b;d4 per gallon2 a quarter of a hundred of the best eels to #b;d42 and other fish in proportion4 #8,congers1 lampreys1 and sea-hogs1' are enumerated4 ,mackerel are first mentioned in #abdg1 as allowed to certain religions on the third day of the ,rogation1 and are noticed as a metropolitan cry in the ballad of ,london ,lickpenny2#bj and #8stokfish1 salt fische1 whyt herring1 rde herring1 salt salmon1 salt sturgeon1 salt eels1 c41' are mentioned as common provisions in the ,earl of ,northumberland's household1 in the reign of ,henry ,,vii42 and then formed part of every meal4 ,thus1 #8for my ,lord and ,ladie's table1' is to be bought1 #8ij pecys of salt fische1 vj pecys of salt fische1 vj becormed herryng1 iiij white herryng1 or a dish of sproots4' ,and these breakfasts of salt fish extended through the household1 whose separate departments1 and the way they were to be served with this article1 both in and out of ,lent1 are particularized1 and afford a curious picture of the style of living in the ancient ,catholic periods1 and of the amazing use and consumption of salt-fish4 ,in short1 it formed part of the allowances of the ,king and the ,nobility1 of monastic establishments1 and of all ranks of society4 ,the fish ordinaries still kept up at the taverns at ,billingsgate1 where all kinds of fish in season may be partaken of for a moderate charge at fixed hours1 are but a continuation of a very old practice1 although the locality is removed2 for ,stow tells us that ,knightrider street1 was famous #8for fish and fish dinners2' and he derives the name of ,friday-street from fishmongers dwelling there and serving the ,friday markets4 ,philip ,,ii4 of ,spain1 the consort of ,queen ,mary gave a whimsical reason for not eating fish4 #8,they are1' said he1 #8nothing but element congealed1 or a jelly of water4' ,the broth or jelly of fish1 which is usually thrown away1 will be found one of the most nourishing animal jellies that can be obtained4 ,it is a pity that those who find it difficult to obtain a sufficiency of nourishing food should not be aware of this1 as they might thereby make a second meal of what otherwise yields but one4 ,supposing a poor family to buy a dinner of plaice1 which is a cheap fish--the plaice would be boiled and the meat of the fish eaten1 and the liquor and bones of the fish thrown away4 ,now1 let the good housewife put the remains of the fish into the liquor and boil for a couple of hours1 and she will find she has something in her pot1 which1 when strained off1 will be as good to her as much of that which is sold in the shops as #8gelatine4' ,this she may use as a simple broth1 or she may thicken it with rice1 and flavor it with onion and pepper1 and have a nourishing and satisfying meal2 or1 should she have an invalid in her family1 one-third of milk added and warmed with it1 would be nourishing and restoring4 ,dr4 ,davy1 in his ,angler and his ,friend1 tells us1 #8,there is much nourishment in fish1 little less than in butcher's meat1 weight for weight2 and in effect it may be more nourishing1 considering how1 from its softer fibre1 fish is more easily digested4 ,moreover1 there is1 ,i find1 in fish--sea-fish--a substance which does not exist in the flesh of land-animals1 viz41 iodine--a substance which may have a beneficial effect on the health1 and tend to prevent scrofulous and tubercular disease1 the latter in the form of pulmonary consumption1 one of the most cruel and fatal with which civilized society1 and the highly educated and refined are afflicted4 ,comparative trials prove that1 in the majority of fish1 the proportion of solid matter--that is1 the matter which remains after perfect desiccation1 or the expulsion of the aqueous part--is little inferior to that of the several kinds of butcher's meat1 game or poultry4 ,and1 if we give our attention to classes of people--classed as to quality of food they principally subsist on--we find that the ichthyophagous class are especially strong1 healthy1 and prolific4 ,in no class than that of fishers do we see larger families1 handsomer women1 or more robust and active men1 or greater exemption from maladies just alluded to4' ,in the pastry cooks' shops of ,russia1 the tempting morsel offered to ,russian appetites is the piroga1 an oily fish-cake4 ,little benches are ranged round tables1 on which the favourite dainty is placed1 covered over with an oily canvass1 for it must be eaten hot4 ,a large pot of green oil and a stand of salt are in readiness1 and1 as soon as a purchaser demands a piroga1 it is withdrawn from its cover1 plunged into the oil1 sprinkled with salt1 and presented dripping to the delighted ,muscovite4 #8,in some countries1 fish1 when tainted or even putrid is preferred to that which is fresh4 ,the inhabitants of the banks of the ,senegal and ,orange rivers pound some small fish of the size of sprats in a wooden mortar1 as they are taken from the stream1 and afterwards make them up into conical lumps1 like our sugar-loaves1 which they dry in the sun4 ,in this state1 they soon become slightly decomposed1 and give out a most unpleasant odour2 notwithstanding which1 these people consider them a luxury1 and eat them dissolved in water1 mixed with their kouskoussoo1 or dough4 ,fish1 prepared in a somewhat similar manner1 is eaten by the ,indians on the banks of the ,orinoco4#ba' ,in ,beloochistan1 the inhabitants feed almost entirely on fish2 and their cattle are also fed on dried fish and dates mixed together4 ,no one who has observed a boiled fish upon the table can have passed unremarked the spinal column with its upward and downward processes1 and the four transverse strips of flesh1 adjusted alternately in different directions with strong semi-transparent tendons between4 ,the spinous processes1 proceeding from the vertebr upward1 support the dorsal fins1 whilst the transverse processes downward1 with curved bones1 encircle partially the bulk of the body4 ,without being ribs1 these latter resemble ribs4 ,those placed far forward represent the proper thoracic ribs of fishes1 but have no direct connexion with the spine4 ,there are other rib-like bones behind4 ,these are abdominal appendages2 very numerous in some fishes1 such as the herrings1 and very few1--and those few conveniently large1--in others1 such as the perches and labruses4 ,they are wanting in several of the osseous tribes1 such as the ,diodons and ,tetradons1 and are altogether non-existent in the cartilaginous fishes4 ,it is from this fact--that so many of the ,west ,indian fishes belong to the ,percoid and ,labroid families--that persons are so seldom troubled with what are called by the cook1 #8bony fishes4'--,hence1 very little annoyance is experienced from the bones in the fish dishes there4 ,very serious consequences have often arisen from eating fish or molluscs1 which are poisonous or in an unhealthy state4 ,all ,ostraceans1 ,diodons1 and ,tetradons1 are deleterious1 and are to be treated as objectionable1 if not absolutely dangerous fishes4 ,every one acquainted with the bad reputation of the common mussel 7,mytilus edulis7 knows also the symptoms produced by the hurtful qualities of it1 even when cooked--for it is not generally1 like the oyster1 eaten raw4 ,the mussels would seem to owe this injurious quality to feeding on the spawn of the star-fish 7,asteria74 ,there are many persons who break out with irritative eruptions after eating certain descriptions of shell-fish1 though they injure no other idiosyncrasies--others again are subject to diarrha from fish-diet1 though the same food be harmless to other persons4 ,almost all fishes are unwholesome at certain seasons1 and hence the regulations laid down for the vend of oysters1 lobsters1 salmon1 c41 only in prescribed periods4 ,science1 in searching to determine the reason why this is the case1 encounters certain wholesale occurrences which are due to some general1 but at the same time1 very specific causes4 ,mackerel sold in the ,new ,york market occasionally produce poisonous effects2 and ,london is sometimes supplied with unwholesome salmon in large quantities4 ,dr4 ,burroughs1 in a paper on ,poisonous ,fishes1 published last year in a ,jamaica journal1 remarks3 #8,there are five obvious circumstances to be taken into consideration in the incidents of fish-poison4 #8#ast4 ,the existence of a sanies1 from some disorder indicated in the living tissues of the animal4 #8#bndly4 ,a natural deleteriousness in the flesh1 without reference to a state of disease4 #8#crdly4 ,the adventitious presence of something deleterious in the fish1 from the food recently eaten4 #8#dthly4 ,the injury resulting from cooking fish with such large organs as the liver unextracted1--the liver being at all times dangerous as food in some particular fishes4 #8#ethly4 ,the poisonous putrefaction known to prevail in some fishes after #bd hours keeping4 ,morbid action set up in the healthy animal body that receives the putrefactive poison being indicated by oppression1 nausea1 giddiness1 and general prostration4' ,we might add a #fth1--the known existence of an irritating fluid1--issuing from the surface of some fishes of peculiar structure4 ,we know that fish liver contains an enormous quantity of oil2 that fish oil is an important article of commerce1 and fish liver oil is a valuable medicine2 but we know beside1 that these oils1 in a corrupt state1 are active poisons4 ,hence1 we may infer that the liver is a great operator in the injury done by the deleterious fishes1 and if we but knew all the genera in which the gall bladder is wanting1 we might arrive at some rule for estimating the possible development of those prejudicial fluids that mingle from the liver with fish-flesh in cooking4 ,we must not overlook1 when speaking of fish-liver1 the adventure of ,tobias and the ,angel at the ,river ,tigris1 in chap4 vi4 of the ,apocryphal ,tobit4 ,the heart and liver of the fish they took were a charm against evil spirits1 and the gall was a salve for blind eyes2 the one was used successfully in the nuptial chamber of ,sarah1 the daughter of ,ragual1 and the other as an ointment in restoring the sight of the blind ,tobit4 ,the two incidents are thus related4 ,ch4 viii4--#8,tobias took the ashes of the perfumes1 and put the heart and the liver of the fish thereupon1 and made a smoke therewith--the which smell when the evil spirit had smelled1 he fled into the utmost parts of ,egypt1 and the angel bound him4' ,ch4 xi4--#8,tobit stumbled1 and his ,son ,tobias ran unto him1 and strake of the gall on his ,father's eyes1 and when his eyes began to smart1 he rubbed them1 and the whiteness pilled away from the corners of his eyes4' ,there are but few natural orders of fishes--and they divide themselves for the purposes of our enquiry chiefly into the ,acanthopterygii1 or those that possess bony skeletons1 with prickly1 spinous processes on the dorsal fins1 such as the perch1 the mullet1 and the gurnard2 the ,malacopterygii1 or soft-finned fishes1 including the carp1 the salmon1 c42 and the ,chondropterygii1 with cartilaginous spines and bones1 embracing such fish as the sturgeon1 shark1 and skate4 ,instead of describing or specifying them in consecutive order1 it will perhaps be better to take a glance at the fishes of different seas1 at least1 as far as they are held in any repute as food4 ,many of the most common must1 however1 be passed over without notice4 ,it is strange how little attention1 7comparatively speaking17 is paid even to our coast fisheries1 and especially those of our colonies4 ,fisheries have been called the agriculture of the sea4 ,raleigh attributes the wealth and power of ,holland1 not to its commerce or carrying trade1 but to its fisheries4 ,mirabeau was of the like opinion2 ,de ,witt held the same2 and ,franklin seemed to prefer the fisheries of ,america to agriculture itself4 ,a great nursery of the marine is by this means best supported1 from whence a constant supply of men1 inured to the perils of the sea and the inclemency of the weather1 is always ready for the maritime service of their country4 ,fishing has been celebrated from the earliest times1 as being the prelude1 and if ,i may be allowed the expression1 the apprenticeship of navigation2 offering1 from the line to the harpoon1 more amusement with less fatigue than perhaps any other species of pursuit1 and occupying the smallest boat up to ships of great burthen2 thus drawing forth the means of subsistence and profit to an infinite number of persons4 ,the ocean fish are generally very dry eating4 ,in eating the flesh of the bonito1 it is necessary to lard it well1 as its flesh is very dry4 ,the flesh of the tunny of the ,atlantic is something like veal1 but dryer and more firm4 ,that of the dolphin was formerly held in great esteem4 ,it is also1 however1 very dry and insipid2 the best parts are those near the head4 ,it is seldom eaten now at sea1 except when the fish caught happens to be young and tender4 ,in the ,maldive ,islands1 the bonito is preserved in the following manner3-- ,the back bone is taken out1 the fish laid in the shade1 and occasionally sprinkled with sea water4 ,after a certain period has elapsed1 the fish is wrapped up in cocoa-nut leaves1 and buried in sand1 where it becomes hard4 ,fish thus prepared is known in ,ceylon1 and perhaps over all ,india1 by the name of cummelmums4 ,the pieces of this fish brought to the market have a horny hardness4 ,it is rasped upon rice to render it savoury4 ,the ,havana is1 ,i believe1 the only place where the flesh of the shark is exposed for sale in the markets1 although it is often tasted at sea by the curious4 ,the shark1 judging by an ,european palate1 is not good eating2 the flesh is dry and of an acid taste4 ,the fins and tail are1 however1 very glutinous1 and are the portions most relished by the seamen2 and dried1 they form an article of commerce to ,china1 where they are used in soups1 and considered an excellent aphrodisiac4 #8,how thankful we ought to be to a bountiful ,providence1 who has created all things for us richly to enjoy1' observed an alderman at the last great city dinner1 whilst sumptuously regaling on turtle soup1 crimped cod1 with oyster sauce1 and other delicacies4 #8,the beasts of the earth1 the fowls of the air1 and the fishes of the sea1' he continued1 #8were all created for the use of man4' #8,very true1' replied his next friend1 #8but if you had witnessed the hair-breadth escape which ,i experienced of being devoured alive by a shark1 when in the ,west ,indies1 you would have been satisfied that the horrible monster entertained just the opposite opinion4 ,he believed that man was created for him6' ,sharks1 which are very numerous there1 form a common article of food with the ,gold ,coast negroes1 and hippopotami and alligators are occasionally eaten4 ,mr4 ,george ,bennett informs us1 that #8the shark is eaten eagerly by the natives of the ,polynesian ,islands2 and ,i have often seen them feasting on it in a raw state1 when they gorge themselves to such an excess as to occasion vomiting4' ,it is not an unfrequent source of illness among these islanders1 and they suffer so much in consequence1 as to lead them to suppose that their dissolution is nigh3 but they cannot be persuaded that the eating of raw fish is the cause4 ,an emetic soon removes the symptoms by removing the cause1 and the sufferer considers the cure as almost miraculous4 ,sharks are caught on the ,new ,zealand shores in great numbers1 during the months of ,november1 ,december1 and ,january1 by the natives1 who use them as an article of food4 ,shark hunting is most exciting sport4 ,he who has hooked the fish holds tight--like grim ,death on his victim2 and if you watch his face you will see powerful indication of excitement1 mental and muscular2 his teeth are set1 his colour is heightened1 the perspiration starts on his brow1 while something like an oath slips through his lips as the cord1 strained to the utmost1 cuts into the skin of his empurpled fingers3 he invokes aid1 and with his feet jammed against stretcher1 thwart1 or gunwale1 gradually shortens his hold4 ,meanwhile1 the others1 seizing lance and gaff-hook1 stand by to assist the overtasked line1 as the monster1 darting hither and thither in silvery lightnings beneath the translucent wave1 is drawn nearer and nearer the surface4 #8,my eyes1 he's a whopper6' cries the excited young boatman4 #8,he's off6' shouts another1 as the shark makes a desperate plunge under the boat1 and the line1 dragged through the hands of the holder1 is again suddenly slackened4 #8,he's all right1 never fear--belay your line a bit1 sir1 and look here1' says the old fisherman4 ,and sure enough there is the huge fish clearly visible1 about ten feet under the keel of the boat1 and from stem to stern about the same length as herself4 #8,now1 sir1 let's have him up4' ,and the instant the line is taut1 the shark shoots upwards1 his broad snout showing above the surface1 close to the boat4 ,then comes a scene of activity and animation indeed4 ,the fish1 executing a series of summersaults1 and spinning1 gets the line into a hundred twists1 and if once he succeed in bringing it across his jaws above the chain links--adieu to both fish and tackle4 ,but1 in the midst of a shower-bath1 splashed up by the broad tail of the shark1 both lance and gaff are hard at work4 ,he is speared through and through1 his giant struggles throwing waves of bloody water over the gunwales of the little boat2 the gaffs are hooked through his tough skin1 or within his jaws--for he has no gills to lay hold on2 a shower of blows from axe1 stretcher1 or tiller1 falls on his devoted head1 and1 if not considered too large1 heavy1 or dangerous1 he is lugged manfully into the centre of the boat1 and1 threshing right and left with his tail to the last1 is soon dispatched4 ,a smart blow a few inches above the snout is more instantly fatal than the deepest stab4 ,the school-shark is dealt with as above4 ,but if the #8grey-nurse1' or old solitary shark be hooked1 the cable is cut1 or the grapnel hauled on board1 and he is allowed to tow the boat as he darts away with the line4 ,the tables1 however1 are soon turned upon him2 and after being played 7as this cruel operation in fishing is blandly styled7 for a while1 until some portion of his vast strength is exhausted1 the line is drawn over a roller in the stern of the boat1 the oars are set to work1 and1 towed instead of towing1 the shark is drawn into some shallow cove near the shore1 where his bodily powers avail him less than in deeper water2 and after a fierce resistance1 and some little risk to his assailants1 he falls a victim to their attack4 ,man has as innate an horror of a shark as he has of a snake1 and he who has frequented tropical climates1 felt the absolute necessity of bathing1 had his diurnal plunge embittered by the haunting idea of the vicinity of one of these sea-pests1 and has occasionally been harrowed by accidents arising from their voracity--feels this antipathy with double force4 ,there is1 therefore1 a species of delightful fury1 a savage excitement1 experienced by the shark-hunter1 that has no affinity with the philosophy of ,old ,isaak's gentle art4 ,he revels in the animated indulgence of that cruelty which is inherent in the child of wrath2 and the stings of conscience are blunted by the conviction that it is an act of justice1 of retribution1 of duty1 he is engaged in1 not one of wanton barbarity4 ,these were precisely my own sensations when1 drenched to the skin with showers of salt water1 scorched to blisters by the burning sun1 excoriated as to my hands1 covered with blood1 and oil1 and dirt1 and breathless with exertion1 ,i contemplated the corpse of my first shark4 ,tiger-hunting is a more princely pastime2 boar-hunting in ,bengal ,proper the finest sport in the world2 fox-hunting an ,englishman's birthright2 the chase of the moose is excellent for young men strong enough to drag a pair of snow shoes five feet long upon their toes2 and ,mr4 ,gordon ,cumming tells you how man may follow the bent of his organ of destructiveness on the gigantic beasts of ,south ,africa3 shark-fishing is merely the best sport to be had in ,new ,south ,wales2 and affords a wholesome stimulation to the torpid action of life in ,sydney4 ,the humane or utilitarian reader will be glad to hear that the shark is not utterly useless after death4 ,the professional fishermen extract a considerable quantity of excellent oil from the liver2 and the fins cut off1 cured1 and packed1 become an article of trade with ,china--whose people1 for reasons best known to themselves1 delight in gelatinous food4 ,the most hideous to behold of the shark tribe is the wobegong1 or woe-begone as the fishermen call it4 ,tiger-shark is another of the names of this fish4 ,his broad back is spotted over with leopard-like marks2 the belly is of a yellowish white2 but to describe minutely so frightful a monster would be a difficult and ungracious task4 ,fancy a bloated toad1 elongated to the extent of six or seven feet1 and weighing some #bj stone2 then cut off his legs1 and you have a flattering likeness of the wobegong--two of which we killed this day4 ,a heavy sluggish fish1 he lies in wait for his prey at the edge of some reef of rocks1 or bank of sea-weed2 swallows the bait indolently2 appears but little sensible to the titillation of the barbed hook1 and is lugged hand over hand to the slaughter without much trouble or resistance4 ,neither lance nor gaff will penetrate his tough hide1 but a blow on the head with an axe proves instantly fatal4' ,the schnapper affords a long and strong pull at the line2 and is considered by the colonists as one of their best table fish4 #8,we killed one to-day1' writes a correspondent1 #8weighing #ba lbs4 ,the flat-head is half buried in the sand at the bottom1 but bites freely2 and is1 in my mind1 a much better fish than the former4 ,our fishing-basket of this day comprised nine sharks1 four schnappers1 and about #dj flat-heads4' ,the picked shark 7,galeus acanthias7 is very common about the coasts of ,scotland1 where it is taken in order to be prepared for sale1 by splitting and drying2 and is then much used as food among the poorer classes4 ,in some parts of ,scotland the large spotted dog-fish constitute no inconsiderable part of the food of the poor4 ,in ,north ,america1 they are principally caught for their oil4 ,if very large1 the liver will yield a barrel of oil1 or about thirty gallons4 ,in ,nova ,scotia1 the dried bodies are sold at #bs4 #f;d4 the hundred1 for feeding pigs4 ,during the winter1 from ,november till ,may1 two fish1 boiled or roasted1 are given per day to a good sized store pig4 ,in #ahdb1 in consequence of the great havoc committed by the swarms of sharks on the fishing banks on the coast of ,finmark1 eight vessels were fitted out at ,hammerfest1 expressly for the purpose of shark fishing1 and no less than #bj1jjj of these rapacious fish were taken1 without any apparent diminution in their numbers4 ,the shark oil obtained from them was about #a1jjj barrels4 ,there are shark fisheries on the eastern coast of ,africa1 and in several parts of the ,indian ,ocean1 for the sake of the fins1 which are exported to ,china4 ,about #g1jjj cwt4 were imported into ,canton1 in #ahej1 chiefly from ,india and the ,eastern ,archipelago4 ,from #g1jjj to #aj1jjj cwt4 of sharks' fins are shipped annually from ,bombay1 and about #a1djj cwt4 from the ,madras territories1 to ,china4 ,sumatra1 ,manila1 ,malacca1 ,arracan1 and the ,tenasserim ,provinces1 also send large quantities4 ,dr4 ,buist1 of ,bombay1 in a communication to the ,zoological ,society1 in #ahea1 stated1 #8that there are thirteen large boats1 with twelve men in each1 constantly employed in the shark fishery at ,kurrachee2 the value of the fins sent to market varying from #ae1jjj to #ah1jjj rupees 7#aejj to #ahjj71 or #ajjj to #abjj rupees for each boat1 after allowing the ,banian or factor his profit4 ,one boat will sometimes capture at a draught as many as #ajj sharks of different sizes4 ,the average capture of each boat probably amounts to about #cjjj1 so as to give the whole sharks captured at not less than #dj1jjj a year4 ,the great basking shark1 or mhor1 is always harpooned3 it is found floating or asleep near the surface of the water4 #8,the fish1 once struck1 is allowed to run till tired2 it is then pulled in1 and beaten with clubs till stunned4 ,a large hook is now hooked into its eyes or nostrils1 or wherever it can be got most easily attached1 and by this the shark is towed on shore2 several boats are requisite for towing4 ,the mhor is often #dj1 sometimes #fj1 feet in length2 the mouth is occasionally #d feet wide4 ,all other varieties of shark are caught in nets1 in somewhat like the way in which herrings are caught at home4 ,the net is made of strong ,english whip-cord2 the meshes about #f inches2 they are generally #f feet wide1 and from #fjj to #hjj fathoms1 or from three-quarters to nearly a mile1 in length4 ,on the one side are floats of wood about #d feet in length1 at intervals of #f feet2 on the other1 pieces of stone4 ,the nets are sunk in deep water1 from #hj to #aej feet1 well out at sea4 #8,they are put in one day and taken out the next2 so that they are down two or three times a week1 according to the state of the weather1 and success of the fishing4 ,the lesser sharks are commonly found dead1 the larger ones much exhausted4 ,on being taken home1 the back fins1 the only ones used1 are cut off1 and dried on the sands in the sun3 the flesh is cut off in long strips1 and salted for food2 the liver is taken out and boiled down for oil2 the head1 bones1 and intestines left on the shore to rot1 or thrown into the sea1 where numberless little sharks are generally on the watch to eat up the remains of their kindred4 ,the fishermen themselves are only concerned in the capture of the sharks4 ,so soon as they are landed they are purchased up by ,banians1 on whose account all the other operations are performed4 ,the ,banians collect them in quantities1 and transmit them to agents in ,bombay1 by whom they are sold for shipment to ,china4' ,at the ,bonin ,islands1 the colonists have trained their dogs to catch fish2 and ,dr4 ,ruschenburger1 who visited the islands in the ,united ,states' ship ,peacock1 tells us1 #8that two of these dogs would plunge into the water and seize a shark1 one on each side1 by the fin1 and bring it ashore in spite of resistance4' ,blumenbach states1 #8that the white shark weighs sometimes as much as #aj1jjj lbs42 and even a whole horse has been found in its stomach4' ,i may cite a few statements which have come under my notice in the course of newspaper reading3-- ,the ,new ,orleans ,picayune tells the following3--#8,we have read many fish stories1 and they are generally of that tenour that the very name inclines one to disbelieve them4 ,we have one to tell now1 and1 as we know the person who was the main actor in the incident1 we can vouch for its being true1 particularly as there is ocular evidence of the matter4 ,some days ago1 the captain of a ship at anchor outside the ,pass1 threw overboard a shark hook baited1 not expecting in the least1 as the captain himself says1 to catch anything of the fish tribe4 ,there was hooked1 however1 a shark of the spotted kind1 and1 as it afterwards proved1 a regular #8man-eater4' ,he had to be harpooned before his capture could be effected4 ,his size and weight may be imagined from the fact1 that it took #aa men to hoist him in1 with a double lift on the main yard4 ,the monster measured #ag feet #aa inches in length1 from tail to snout1 and #i feet in circumference4 ,he had seven rows of teeth1 three of the rows being almost hidden in the upper gums4 ,his liver exactly filled up a beef barrel4 ,in his paunch was found the body of a man in a half decomposed state4 ,so far as could be judged1 the corpse was that of a well-dressed man1 of medium-size--shirt white1 with pearl buttons1 coarse silk under-shirt1 cotton socks1 and shoes nearly new1 of the ,congress gaiter kind4 ,the shark had also in his stomach several pieces of old canvas1 such as are used by vessels on their rigging4 ,the jawbone of this sea pirate has been brought up to the city4 ,it is large enough to take in a sugar barrel4' ,a shark was caught a year or two ago1 by the boats of one of the ,east-end whaling establishments at ,bermuda1 which measured #ah feet in length4 ,its liver yielded #gb gallons of oil4 ,the jaws1 when detached from the body and extended to their full width1 afforded space sufficient for three persons--the tallest at least #e feet #aj inches--to stand erect within them4 ,it had two-and-a-half rows of teeth4 ,the basking shark1 or sun-fish 7,squalus maximus71 is the largest of the genus4 ,the average size is about #be feet long1 by #ah in circumference1 in the largest part4 ,it often lies on the surface of the water1 apparently sunning itself1 and very frequently may be seen steadily swimming with its dorsal fin above the water4 ,this species is viviparous1 and possesses nothing of the fierceness and voracity so peculiar to the shark family4 ,a large one1 caught not long ago in the ,mersey river1 ,van ,diemen's ,land1 #ad feet long1 upon hoisting it upon deck1 gave birth to #bc young ones1 each about #ah inches long4 #8,some #be years since1 the capture of this valuable fish was prosecuted very successfully from ,innis ,boffin and the vicinity of ,westport1 at which town1 as well as ,newport1 there were works erected for trying out the oil4 ,about that date1 as much as five pipes of oil of #abj gallons were received by one ,dublin house alone per season4 ,it has much decreased of late years1 which is attributable rather to the decline of the means of pursuit than to the absence of the fish1 as it is seen every year in large numbers on the distant banks1 and occasionally close to the shore in packs of #be or #cj1 in very fine weather4 ,there were four taken at ,galway this year1 and many were seen in the vicinity of the ,arran ,islands4 ,the liver has hitherto been considered the only valuable part1 averaging #cj cwts41 and containing about #ahj gallons of fine oil1 second only to sperm1 and selling from #ds4 to #es4 per gallon4 ,the carcase1 which may be estimated at from four to five tons1 is of a gelatinous character1 consequently of great value2 it is now thrown away as useless4 ,neither skill nor courage is required in the capture2 it being of a sluggish nature1 and literally presenting its most vulnerable part to the harpoon4'#bb ,a correspondent of the ,new ,york ,tribune1 writing from ,stone ,bridge ,house1 ,tiverton1 ,rhode ,island1 says3--#8,a party of ladies and gentlemen1 on the evening of the #dth1 caught and hauled about #bj of these monsters 7sharks7 upon the bridge1 measuring from #c to #e feet4 ,the sport is generally continued from twelve until nine o'clock in the evening1 and as each new-comer is laid at his scaly length up the stone causeway1 the #8head-ache stick1' as ,uncle ,ned quaintly calls it1 is applied to his hard sconce1 until all propensity for biting off swimmers' legs has disappeared4 ,one ,deacon ,smith caught1 on the same evening1 an enormous shark1 which on being beached1 measured over #g feet across the fins4 ,but the crowning sport was reserved for the next day1 when ,mr4 ,r4 ,w4 ,potter1 of ,pawtucket1 went off with a party1 among whom were several ladies1 and fastened to a huge shark1 of the mackerel species4 ,the monster1 on taking the bait and finding himself hooked1 went off with the line1 like a harpooned whale1 despite all efforts to hold him4 ,having a small tow-boat at hand1 ,mr4 ,p4 took to that1 and paid out1 the shark towing him rapidly a long distance into the bay1 when1 getting tired1 returned1 and came toward the little boat with expanded jaws1 and made desperate fight to extricate himself1 snapping at the line to bite it off1 and then throwing up his tail1 would again shoot off rapidly1 carrying the boat after him1 spinning through the water4 ,hauling him cautiously back1 however1 he was at last mastered by repeated vigorous blows with the end of the oar1 which was finally run down the rascal's throat1 in which condition he was towed ashore4 ,it required the united strength of six men1 with a stout rope1 to haul the creature upon the beach1 and he measured1 from the tip of his nose1 over the fin1 to the end of his tail1 #c feet #i inches4' ,a shark1 #bh feet long1 and measuring #ah feet round the body1 was caught in a weir1 by ,john ,horan1 at ,rice's ,island1 between ,eastport and ,lubec4 ,his liver1 it is said1 filled three barrels1 and yielded a large quantity of valuable oil4 ,the ,rangoon ,chronicle of #crd ,march1 #ahed1 reported the capture of a shark of enormous size4 ,the animal1 it seems1 got stranded on the shoal or bar at ,yangeensiah1 from which it could not extricate itself4 ,about #dj boatmen plunged into the water with dahs and spears1 and commenced a furious attack on the monster1 who inflicted very serious wounds on six of the party1 stripping the flesh entirely from the thigh of one and leaving the bone bare4 ,after a hard fight1 the shark fell a victim1 dyeing the water with his blood4 ,the creature measured #ce feet1 and afforded by very imperfect cutting #cfe lbs4 of solid flesh1 which the men dried and brought to ,rangoon for food4 ,the ,barotse of ,central ,africa eat alligators4 ,the meat has a strong1 musky odour1 not at all inviting for any one except the very hungry4 ,after crossing the ,kasai1 ,livingstone saw that he was in a land where no hope could be entertained of getting supplies of animal food1 for one of the guides caught a light blue coloured mole and two mice for his supper4 ,the care with which he wrapped them up in a leaf and slung them on his spear1 told the ,doctor that he would have but little chance of enjoying larger game4 ,at ,cabango1 in ,western ,londa1 a large amount of beer and beef was consumed at a funeral2 yet when the leg of a cow was offered to ,bango1 a ,londa chief1 he said that neither he nor his people ever partook of beef1 as they looked upon cattle as human1 and living at home like men4 ,there are several other tribes who refuse to keep cattle1 though not to eat them when offered by others1 #8,because1' say they1 #8oxen bring enemies and war2' but this is the first instance met with by ,livingstone in which they have been refused as food4 ,the fact of these people killing pallahs for food shows that their objection does not extend to meat in general4 ,near the ,tanba1 7,w4 ,londa17 ,dr4 ,livingstone saw some women carefully tending little lap dogs1 which were to be eaten4 ,the ,mambari1 while in the ,borotse valley1 showed their habits in their own country1 7,s4,e4 of ,angola17 digging up and eating1 even there1 where large game abounds1 the mice and moles which infest the country4 ,the flesh of the sturgeon has been esteemed in all ages2 but modern nations do not consider it so great a luxury as the ancients2 and1 although deemed a royal fish1 it often hangs on hand in ,billingsgate market1 and is retailed at a low price by the pound4 ,this fish was in high repute among the ,greeks and ,romans4 ,the flesh is white1 delicate1 and firm1 and when roasted resembles veal2 it is generally eaten pickled1 and what we receive in that form comes from the ,russian rivers or from ,north ,america4 ,there are several varieties of sturgeon1 the flesh of most of which is nutritious1 wholesome1 and of an agreeable flavour4 ,the fat may be used as a substitute for butter or oil4 ,the flesh of the sharp-nosed sturgeon of ,north ,america 7,acipenser oxyrinchus7 is like coarse beef1 quite firm and compact1 but very rank and unsavoury4 ,the ,indians of ,new ,brunswick cut it up in large pieces and salt it for winter use4 ,it is only eaten by those who can obtain no better fare4 ,the flesh of a young fish is much more delicate than that of an old one2 when stewed with rich gravy1 its flavour is not unlike that of veal4 ,mr4 ,wingrove ,cooke1 in his account of a select ,chinese dinner1 says3--#8,the next dish was sturgeon skull-cap--rare and gelatinous1 but ,i think not so peculiar in its flavour as to excuse the death of several royal fish4 ,this fish1 being taken from its brazen1 lamp-heated stand1 was succeeded by a stew of shark fins and pork4 ,the shark fins were boiled to so soft a consistency that they might have been turbot fins4 ,the ,chinaman must have smiled at the unreasonable prejudices of the occidentals when he saw some of us tasting the pork but fighting shy of the shark4 ,he probably1 however1 did not know that the same occidentals would eat with relish of a fish which they themselves enticed to their angle by a worm or a maggot4 ,next in order came a soup composed of balls of crab4 ,i have tasted this better prepared at ,macao4 ,it assumes there the form of a very capital salad1 made of crab and cooked vegetables4' ,the fondness of the ,chinese for all gelatinous substances is well known1 and has been described by all those who have visited that country and partaken of their banquets4 ,in addition to employing animals and parts of animals which are rejected in other countries1 as articles of diet1 they import various substances which can be valuable only as yielding gelatine of different degrees of purity2 of these we have examples in tripang1 birdsnests1 sharks' fins1 fish maws1 and agar-agar1 a fucus4 ,the fresh water lamprey 7,petromyzon fluviatilis7 was formerly of great importance as a delicacy1 and also largely used as bait by fishermen4 ,in ,germany another species 7,p4 ,planeri7 are taken in large quantities1 fried1 packed in barrels by layers1 with bay leaves and spices1 sprinkled with vinegar1 and thus exported to other countries4 ,the sea lamprey 7,p4 marinus7 is held in high estimation by epicures in the ,united ,states and elsewhere1 but is not eaten in the ,british ,american ,provinces4 ,it is a formidable enemy to the royal sturgeon1 fastening upon its belly and eating into the flesh2 and not unfrequently a sturgeon has leaped into a canoe1 in its efforts to disengage itself from several of these troublesome parasites4 ,lampreys1 well known to have given a fatal surfeit to ,henry ,i41 when made into pies1 were anciently esteemed a #8pretty present4' ,eels appear to have been early favourites1 particularly in the monasteries4 ,the cellaress of ,barking ,abbey1 ,essex1 in the ancient times of that foundation1 was amongst other eatables #8to provide russ aulx in ,lenton1 and to bake with elys on ,shere ,tuesday3' and at ,shrovetide she was to have ready #8twelve stubbe eles and nine schaft eles4' ,the regulation and management for the sale of eels seems to have formed a prominent feature in the old ordinances of the ,fishmongers' ,company4 ,there were artificial receptacles made for eels in our rivers1 called ,anguilonea1 constructed with rows of poles that they might be more easily taken4 ,the cruel custom of salting eels alive is mentioned by some old writers4 ,the flesh of the eel 7,anguilla vulgaris71 being highly nutritious1 is excellent as food1 but is sometimes found too oily for weak stomachs4 ,eel pies and stewed eels cause a large demand in this metropolis1 and some #gj or #hj cargoes1 or about #gjj tons a year1 are brought over from ,holland4 ,the total consumption of this fish in ,england is estimated at #d1cjj tons per annum4 ,eels are very prolific4 ,they are found in almost all parts of the world4 ,an abundance of large eels of fine quality are caught in the rivers and harbours of ,new ,brunswick4 ,if a market should be found for this description of fish from ,north ,america1 they could be furnished to an unlimited extent4 ,my friend and correspondent1 ,mr4 ,perley1 says1 #8,in the calm and dark nights during ,august and ,september1 the largest eels are taken in great numbers by the ,micmac ,indians and ,acadian ,french1 in the estuaries and lagoons1 by torch-light1 with the ,indian spear4 ,this mode of taking eels requires great quickness and dexterity1 and a sharp eye4 ,it is pursued with much spirit1 as1 besides the value of the eel1 the mode of fishing is very exciting4 #8,in winter1 eels bury themselves in the muddy parts of rivers1 and their haunts1 which are generally well known1 are called eel grounds4 ,the mud is thoroughly probed with a five pronged iron spear1 affixed to a long handle1 and used through a hole in the ice4 ,when the eels are all taken out of that part within reach of the spear1 a fresh hole is cut1 and the fishing goes on again upon new ground4' ,it was by a mistake that the ,jews abstained from eating eels4 ,the prohibition is as follows3--#8,all that have not fins and scales1 c41 ye shall have in abomination4'--,lev4 xi41 #aj1 #aa4 ,the ,silurid1 which have no scales1 were held in abomination by the ,egyptians4 ,in describing one of them 7the ,schall7 which he had found in the ,nile1 ,m4 ,sonnini1 says--#8,a fish without scales1 with soft flesh1 and living at the bottom of a muddy river1 could not have been admitted into the dietetic system of the ancient ,egyptians1 whose priests were so scrupulously rigid in proscribing every aliment of unwholesome quality4 ,accordingly1 all the different species of ,siluri found in the ,nile were forbidden4' ,this then was probably one of the forbidden kinds1 and this fact supports the opinion before ventured as to the origin of the custom4 ,the rest of the prohibition was probably levelled against aquatic reptiles1 which were generally looked upon as possessing poisonous qualities4 ,it has been well observed by a recent popular writer1 that any ,cockney1 with two shillings and sixpence in his pocket1 may regale himself at ,billingsgate1 at ,blackwall1 or ,richmond1 on delicacies to which the senate and people of ,rome were utter strangers4 ,indeed1 it is no inconsiderable set off against the disadvantages of living so far from the sun1 that the supplies of northern fish markets are incontestably and greatly superior to those of any ,italian or ,sicilian pascheria3 superior1 #ast1 because in those kinds which are common to our great ocean1 and their #8great sea1' our own are better flavoured2 because1 #bndly1 even the finer sorts1 which belong exclusively to the ,mediterranean1 are for the most part poor2 and #crdly1 and above all1 because there is an almost total want in its waters of species which we consider1 and advisedly1 as our best4 ,were superiority to be determined by mere beauty and variety of colouring1 the market of ,billingsgate could not enter into competition for a moment with the smallest fishing town in the south1 where the fish are for the most part coasters1 and derive their gorgeous hues from the same buccina and coquillage whence the ,tyrians got their superb dyes4 ,but as the gayest plumage is by no means indicative of the bird best adapted for the table1 so brilliancy of scales affords no criterion by which to judge of the culinary excellence of fish1 the beauty of whose skin1 in this instance1 contrasts singularly with the quality of the fish1 which is generally poor and insipid1 and sometimes unwholesome and even deleterious4 ,the ,mediterranean pelagians 7or open sea-fish7 have neither brilliancy of colour nor delicacy of flesh to atone for the want of it2 so that no ,englishman will repine to leave tunny beef to the ,sicilian ichthyophagist1 whilst he has the genuine pasture-fed article at home in place of it4 ,nor though1 to such coarse feeders as the ancient ,greeks1 sword-fish might be held equal to veal1 will his better instructed palate assent to such a libel upon wholesome butcher's meat4 ,mullet must indeed be admitted on all hands to be good fish2 but one good thing only in a hundred does not satisfy omnivorous man1 and toujours ,triglia is not better than toujours ,perdrix1 as every one who has passed a winter at ,naples knows to his cost4 ,sardines are only palatable in oil2 au naturel they are exceedingly poor and dry3 and for that other small clupean1 the anchovy 7the latent virtues of which are only elicited by the process which metamorphoses the fish into sauce71 ,british whitebait is far more than an equivalent4--,but if the ,mediterranean has but few alumni to be proud of1 the poverty of its waters is certainly more conspicuous in its deficiencies than in its supplies2 indeed1 the instinct of all first-rate fish seems to be to turn their tails upon this sea4 ,thus among the ,salmonid1 salmon and smelt are alike unknown2 of the ,gadian family1 all the finest species1 as cod1 haddock1 whiting1 ling1 and coal fish are wanting2 and to quote but one other example-- #8,whilst migrant herrings steer their myriad bands ,from seas of ice to visit warmer strands1' as we read in the ,apocrypha of ,dr4 ,darwin1 not one ever entered the ,bay of ,naples1 unless salted in a barrel from ,england4#bc ,the ,finnon1 ,buckie1 and ,bervie smoked haddock is largely vended in ,london and other large towns1 being esteemed an excellent relish4 ,they are split1 cleaned1 and steeped in strong pickle about three hours1 and then smoked for fifteen or sixteen hours4 ,after a kiln full is smoked and cooled1 the fish are packed in dry barrels the same as pickled mackerel1 excepting that every two tiers are packed face to face1 so that the back of one fish does not come in contact with the split side of another fish4 ,the increase in the timber trade of late years1 and the establishment of saw-mills1 have rendered sawdust abundant1 and the ,scotch fisherwives have made the discovery that haddocks can be smoked with sawdust to look nearly as well as when smoked with peat2 while they have not the wisdom to anticipate the loss of custom which must unavoidably ensue as soon as the deficiency of flavour is discovered4 ,fresh herrings come in in enormous quantities to our metropolitan markets1 and1 from the consumption of several millions of them1 must be esteemed a dainty by some4 ,pickled or cured herrings1--of which #ehj1had barrels were salted in #aheg1 at the ,british ,fisheries1--are chiefly consumed abroad2 the shipments to the ,continent last year having been #bai1jjj barrels1 and #eh1ecd barrels went to ,ireland4 ,in #ahee1 out of a cure of #gff1gjc barrels1 the ,continental export reached #cdd1jbi barrels4 ,last year 7#aheg71 #abh1fjj barrels went to ,stettin4 ,scotch herrings go to ,russia quite as much as ,st4 ,petersburgh tallow comes to ,london1 #fj1jjj or #gj1jjj barrels passing the ,sound1 or going via ,konigsberg and ,dantzic4 ,one great inducement to the ,russian population to purchase the herrings is1 it is said1 the quantity of undissolved salt the barrels are found to contain4 ,it is in the form of red-herrings and bloaters that the largest consumption of this fish takes place in the metropolis4 ,the sale of bloaters at ,billingsgate is about #bfe1jjj baskets of #afj each annually1 and about #ej1jjj1jjj of red-herrings4 ,there was a pleasant tradition current in ,yarmouth not many years since1 that the #8red' herring was the result of accident4 ,according to the story1 a fisherman had hung up some salted herrings in his hut and forgotten them4 ,they hung where they were exposed to the smoke from the wood fire of the hut2 and1 some days afterwards1 his attention was attracted to them1 when1 being struck by their appearance1 he determined to see how one of them tasted4 ,the result was so satisfactory that he hastened to ,king ,john1 who was then lying near ,norwich1 to make a present of the remainder2 when the herrings were esteemed such a delicacy by the monarch that he then and there expressed his determination to grant a charter of incorporation to the town from which they were brought4 ,the only certain portion of this story is1 that the first charter of ,yarmouth was granted by ,king ,john4 ,there is a curious item in this town charter of ,yarmouth1 long famous for its herring fair4 ,the burgesses are obliged to send to the sheriffs of ,norwich #ajj herrings1 to be made into #bd pies2 and these pies are to be delivered to the ,lord of the manor of ,east ,carleton1 who is to convey them to the king4 ,the receipt for making herring pie would be a curious1 though perhaps not a valuable1 addition to our modern cookery books4 ,it is probably lost1 unless ,her ,majesty continues to receive these once prized patties4#bd ,the stromming1 or herring of the ,north seas1 is only about the size of a sprat1 but a much more delicate fish2 when salted and mixed with potatoes it is the staple food of the people1 being washed down with a bowl of milk1 or a glass of corn-brandy4 ,the conger is found in the seas of ,europe1 of ,northern ,asia1 and in those of ,america1 as far as the ,antilles4 ,it is very abundant on the coasts of ,england and ,france1 in the ,mediterranean ,sea1 where it was much sought after by the ancients1 and in the ,propontis1 where it was not long ago in considerable estimation4 ,those of ,sicyon were more especially esteemed4 ,the flesh of this fish is white and well flavoured2 but as it is very fat1 it does not agree with all stomachs4 ,in many places the conger eels are dried for exportation4 ,for this purpose1 they are cut open in their under part1 through their entire length1 the intestines are removed1 deep scarifications are made upon the back1 the parts are kept separate by means of small sticks1 and they are suspended by the tail to poles1 on the branches of trees4 ,when they are perfectly dry1 they are collected in packets1 each weighing about #bjj lbs4 ,the voracious conger eel 7,conger vulgaris1 of ,cuvier2 the ,murna conger1 of ,linnus17 although a coarse fish1 forms a considerable article of commerce in ,cornwall and ,devonshire4 ,i only notice it here from the fact1 that it is sometimes dried and shipped to ,spain and other ,catholic countries1 where fish of any kind is acceptable4 ,when dried in a particular manner1 the flesh used formerly to be ground or grated to powder1 and in this state was employed to thicken soup4 ,the ,murn conger1 were carefully reared in vivaria by the ,romans4 ,as early as the time of ,csar1 the multiplication of the domestic ,murn was so great1 that on the occasion of one of his triumphs1 that great general presented #fjjj of them to his friends2 ,licinius ,crassus reared them so as to be obedient to his voice1 and to come and receive their food from his hands2 while the celebrated orator1 ,quintus ,hortensius1 wept over the loss of those of which death had deprived him4 ,such is the testimony to the quality and estimation of the conger eel1 which ,griffiths has collected in his ,supplement to ,malacopterygii apodes in ,cuvier's ,animal ,kingdom4 ,its flesh does not agree with all stomachs2 but it is yet a matter of dispute what renders it so frequently deadly4 ,the condition of the liver of the fish in most cases has a great deal to do with danger attending fish-poisons4 ,the sand eel 7,ammodytes tobianus7 and the sandlaunce 7,a4 lancea71 though of small size1 are very delicate eating1 and vast numbers are consumed in summer by the natives of the ,hebrides4 ,they are also much sought after by the fishermen for bait4 ,the smelt or spirling 7,osmerus eperlanus71 found abundantly on the ,british coasts1 is a very delicate fish4 ,it is generally taken in greatest plenty at the mouths of large rivers1 or in estuaries1 such as the ,thames and ,medway1 from ,august to ,may1 as well as on sandy shores1 in small nets2 and always commands a ready sale4 ,it has a peculiar odour1 whence its popular name1 which has been compared to that of a cucumber or a violet4 ,this is strongest when the fish is first taken1 but it may be perceived by raising the gill covers1 after the fish has been for some time out of the water4 ,a whitebait dinner1 at ,blackwall or ,greenwich1 is one of the epicurean celebrities of the metropolis2 and the fishing for whitebait1 which commences about the beginning of ,april1 and becomes abundant during the summer months till ,september1 is productive of considerable benefit to those concerned4 ,it was long supposed that these were the fry of a larger fish1 but they are now identified as a particular species 7,clupea alba71 so named from the sides of the fish being uniformly of a white colour4 ,it attains to the length of #f inches4 ,the whitebait are taken in long bag-nets1 from vessels moored in the tide-way2 and the fish are taken out by untying the end of the hose1 and shaking it into the boat4 ,but there are small and delicate fish1 which are substitutes for whitebait1 in other quarters of the world4 ,thus ,mr4 ,t4 ,atwood 7,history of ,dominica7 tells us1 #8that the chief dainty among the fresh-water fish of that island is the young frey1 with which the rivers there are filled twice or thrice every year1 and which are called by the ,french #8,trz-trz4' ,these consist of various kinds of sea-fish just spawned1 and with which that element swarms for some miles distance from the shore1 in numbers truly astonishing4 ,these little creatures come into the rivers like a living stream1 and in a short time swim two or three miles1 to an amazing height up the country4 ,this they perform in a wonderful manner1 skimming over such rapid streams as repel their weak endeavours1 from rock to rock1 the surfaces of which are covered with them2 or seeking the smoothly gliding stream at the sides of the banks1 by degrees ascend the highest parts of the rivers4 #8,the first day of the appearance of these frey in the rivers1 they are transparent and clear as crystal1 so that every bone in them may be counted1 and the movement of their vitals can be plainly discerned4 ,the second day after they lose much of that transparency2 and the third or fourth day1 it is wholly lost by the nutriment which they feed on4 ,they are caught in baskets1 in which is put a tablecloth or sheet1 and sinking the basket with stones1 vast quantities are taken at a time4 ,they are fried in a batter made of flour and milk1 or stewed with herbs and spices1 and are excellent food cooked either way4' ,at ,moutrah1 a town situated in a deep bay1 not far from ,muscat1 they dry and export large quantities of a diminutive fish1 about two inches long1 which are packed in bales4 ,this species of fish literally fills the waters of ,oman4 ,dr4 ,ruschenberger 7,voyage ,round the ,world1 p4 #aba7 says1 #8,they sometimes appeared in dense strata about the ship1 so as completely to hide the cable from view1 which was distinctly seen when they were not present4' ,don ,pernety1 in his ,journal of a ,voyage to the ,falkland ,islands1 speaks of a small fish1 called by the ,spaniards pajes1 and by the ,french gras dos1 which was almost transparent1 and of a most exquisite delicacy4 ,it was found excellent when fried1 and not inferior to the eel pout4 ,there is a small fish resembling a shrimp1 not half-an-inch long1 which makes its annual appearance in some of the rivers of ,peru1 in ,february1 or in the beginning of ,march4 ,it is called chantisa1 and is really a great delicacy1 when prepared by the natives4 ,the numbers which ascend the rivers are so great1 that on each side they appear to form a white path in the water1 about two feet broad1 and several miles in length4 ,the women employ themselves in taking them1 for which purpose they have a canoe2 two of them hold a piece of flannel1 three yards long1 by the corners1 and place it under the surface of the water1 one end being a little elevated1 to prevent the chantisa from passing2 and when a considerable quantity are collected1 the flannel is taken up and emptied into the canoe1 after which the operation is repeated4 ,mr4 ,stephenson 7,travels in ,america7 says1 he has frequently seen in the course of two hours1 from six to eight bushels taken in this manner by these women4 ,they are preserved by using as much salt as is necessary to season them2 they are then put into baskets1 lined with leaves1 and a large stone is placed on the top1 to press them into a solid mass1 like a cheese4 ,after standing a day or two1 the baskets are placed on a frame made of canes1 which is elevated about a yard from the ground2 they are then covered with plantain leaves1 and a small fire of green cedar1 sandal1 or other aromatic wood1 is kindled underneath1 for the purpose of smoking them4 ,after remaining #aj or #ab hours1 the cakes are taken out of the baskets1 and again exposed to the smoke till it has penetrated through them1 when they are laid up for use4 ,a small portion of the smoked chantisa is generally added to the fish while cooking1 to which it communicates a very delicate flavour4 ,at the mouth of the river ,columbia1 a very small fish1 about the size of the sardine1 is caught in immense numbers by the ,chinooks4 ,it is called by them uhlekun1 and is much prized on account of its delicacy and extraordinary fatness4 ,when dried1 this fish will burn from one end to the other with a clear1 steady light1 like a candle4 ,the uhlekuns are caught with astonishing rapidity by means of an instrument about seven feet long2 the handle is about three feet1 into which is fixed a curved wooden blade1 about four feet1 something the shape of a sabre1 with the edge at the back4 ,in this edge1 at the distance of an inch and a half1 are inserted sharp bone teeth1 about an inch long4 ,the ,indian1 standing in the canoe1 draws this edgeways with both hands1 holding it like a paddle1 rapidly through the dense shoals of fish1 which are so thick1 that almost every tooth will strike a fish4 ,one knock across the thwarts sharply deposits them in the bottom of the canoe4 ,this is done with such rapidity1 that they will not use nets for this description of fishing4#be ,the anchovy 7,engraulis encrasicolus1 ,cuvier7 is a small fish1 much resembling the sprat1 which is often sold for it1 but may be readily distinguished from the sprat by the anal fin being remarkably short4 ,it is common on the southern coasts of ,france and ,spain1 on the shores of ,italy1 ,greece1 and other parts of the ,mediterranean1 but those coming from ,gorgona 7an island in the gulf of ,leghorn7 are esteemed the best4 ,anchovies should be chosen small1 fresh pickled1 silver white on the outside1 and red within4 ,they must have a round back1 for those which are flat or large1 dark outside1 with pale coloured flesh1 and tapering much towards the tail1 are often nothing but sardines4 ,first quality anchovies are used as a condiment1 and among epicures are esteemed a luxury4 ,the trade in them with the ,italian ,states is very considerable2 about #aej1jjj lbs4 being annually exported4 ,the fishing is chiefly in the night time1 when a light being placed on the stern1 the anchovies flock around1 and are caught in the nets4 ,mr4 ,couch1 in his ,cornish ,fauna1 says1 that he has seen it about the ,cornish coast1 of the length of seven inches and a half1 which is nearly double the length it is met with in the ,mediterranean4 ,it abounds1 he adds1 towards the end of summer1 and if attention were paid to the fishing1 enough might be caught to supply the consumption of the ,british islands4 ,frezier 7,voyage to the ,south ,seas7 speaks of seeing a sort of anchovy on the west coast of ,america1 in such great numbers1 that whole baskets full of them were readily taken on the surface of the water4 ,the anchovy and tunny fisheries of ,dalmatia are important1 though not so much so as during the last century2 at present they furnish employment to about #h1jjj men4 ,anchovies are imported in small kegs1 weighing about #ab lbs4 each4 ,the consumption varies here1 from #ej to #ajj tons a year4 ,sheridan used to relate an amusing story of an ,irish officer1 who once belonged to a regiment in ,malta1 who returned to ,england on leave of absence1 and1 according to the custom of travellers1 was fond of relating the wonders he had seen4 ,among other things1 he one day1 in a public coffee-room1 expatiated on the excellence of living in general among the military at ,malta4 ,but1 said he1 #8as for anchovies1 by the powers1 there is nothing to be seen like them in the known world2' and he added1 #8,i have seen the anchovies grow upon the trees with my own eyes many's the hundred times1 and beautiful is the grove of them the governor has in his garden on the esplanade4' ,a gentleman present disputed the statement that anchovies grew on trees1 which the ,irishman with much warmth re-affirmed4 ,the lie passed1 a challenge was given1 and the upshot of the matter is thus humorously related4 #8,the ,englishman gave his address1 and the next day the parties met1 attended by their seconds2 they fired1 and ,o',flanagan's shot took effect in the fleshy part of his opponent's thigh1 which made the latter jump a foot from the ground1 and fall flat upon his back1 where he lay a few seconds in agony1 kicking his heels4 ,this being observed by the ,irishman's second1 he said3--#8,you have hit your man1 ,o',flanagan1 that is certain1 ,i think not dangerously1 however1 for see what capers he cuts4' #8#8,capers1 capers6' exclaimed the ,irishman4 #8,oh6 by the powers1 what have ,i done8 ,what have ,i done8 ,what a dreadful mistake6' and running up to his wounded antagonist1 he took his hand1 and pressing it eagerly1 thus addressed him3--#8,my dear friend1 if you're kilt1 ,i ax your pardon in this world and in the next1 for ,i made a devil of a mistake3 and it was capers that ,i saw growing upon the trees at ,malta1 and no anchovies at all4' #8,the wounded man1 smiling at his ludicrous explanation and apology1 said1--#8,my good fellow1 ,i wish you had thought of that a little sooner2 ,i don't think you have quite killed me1 but ,i hope you will remember the difference between anchovies and capers as long as you live4'' ,that highly esteemed fish1 the sardine 7,clupea sardina71 which is closely allied to the pilchard1 though much smaller1 is found chiefly in the ,mediterranean4 ,it is taken in considerable quantities on our shores1 and is exceedingly plentiful on the coast of ,algarva1 in ,portugal1 ,andalusia and ,granada in ,spain1 and along the shores of ,italy4 ,the small sardines1 caught on the coast of ,provence1 in ,france1 are esteemed the best4 ,the ,french frequently cure them in red brine1 and when thus prepared1 designate them anchovied sardines4 ,sardines constitute a considerable portion of the food of the lower orders in ,lisbon4 #f1bfi cases of sardines were imported into ,san ,francisco1 in #ahec4 ,in #aheb1 #egf millions of sardines were taken on the coast of ,brittany1 which extends about #bjj miles4 ,half of these were sold fresh and the other half preserved in oil4 #afj vessels manned by #c1ejj sailors and fishermen are engaged in the trade4 ,the preparation1 transport1 and sale of the fish employ #aj1jjj persons4 #i1jjj of these1 of whom one half are females1 are occupied all the winter in making and mending of nets4 ,on shore1 the preparation1 conveyance1 and sale of the fish give occupation to #d1ejj persons1 of whom #b1ejj are women2 and in the interior of the country #d1djj other persons are occupied in the sale4 ,the fishing lasts about #bjj days1 and yields a net profit to all concerned of three millions of francs4 ,the sardines disappear in ,november and return in ,april4 ,where they go during these four months1 why they go1 or what they do while gone1 has never yet been discovered4 ,the fishermen say that the same individuals never come twice1 that every successive arrival is composed of fish of smaller size than those that left last1 and that they appear to be their young4 ,at any rate1 they count implicitly on their appearance1 and no sardine was ever yet known to break an engagement thus tacitly entered into4 ,a very intelligent naturalist and correspondent of mine1 ,mr4 ,r4 ,hill1 has furnished me with some interesting information respecting the ,west ,indian fishes4 ,one of the best labroid fishes is the hog fish1 both for its flesh1 thick1 white1 and luscious1 separating in large strata1 and its exemption from small abdominal bones4 ,it is one of the commonest and yet one of the best fishes taken in the harbour of ,port ,royal1 either by the fish pot or the line1 the only source for supplying the ,kingston market in the deep waters there4 ,the hog fish has its scales red with yellow at the base of each4 ,it feeds amongst rocks1 attains #c and #d feet of length1 though #b feet is usually the largest dimension in ,jamaica4 ,the flesh is most delicious1 but its fullness and firmness make it good for drying and smoking1 when too large for a one day's dish4 ,there are several ,lachnolaimes ordinarily in the market1 but only one properly called the hog fish 7,suillus74 ,the villous membrane that covers part of the pharyngeals and palate gives it its scientific name1 #8woolly throat4' ,the most beautiful is the aigula1 the aigrette of the ,windward ,islands4 ,they are all sought after for the excellence of their flesh1 #8la bont de leur chair1' but one1 the caninus1 is occasionally poisonous4 ,the yellow tail snapper 7,mesoprion cynodon7 and other species of the genus1 attain a large size1 and are much esteemed in the ,east and ,west ,indies as an article of food4 ,the flesh of the ,queen mullet 7,upeneus martinicus7 of the ,indian and ,american seas is very delicious1 and resembles in some respects the true mullet 7,mullus surmuletus74 ,the paracuta 7,sphyrna ,barracuda71 the pike of the ocean1 has a firm and palatable flesh1 and is esteemed by many people4 ,it proves1 however1 sometimes poisonous when caught in certain localities4 ,the callipeva 7,mugil liza7 is an esteemed river fish of the ,west ,indian seas1 which seldom extends further than the embouchures of streams or into the ponds and marshes4 ,chief ,justice ,temple1 of ,honduras1 characterizes it as the salmon of the tropics2 and indeed1 it very much resembles that prince of the finny tribe in its size1 shape1 habits1 and flavour4 ,the flesh1 however1 is not red1 neither is it so firm as that of the salmon1 but it is quite as fat and infinitely more juicy and delicate4 ,when cut in slices1 folded in tissue paper1 and lightly fried--which is the only way in my opinion of dressing a fish1 the flavour of which is so volatile1 so smooth1 so ethereal1 that it more resembles an odour1 or the rich fragrance of a thousand different flowers mixed and mellowed by distance1 than an actual taste on the palate--nothing can surpass it2--to subject it unprotected to the fumiginous influence of an iron pan1 would be the act of a ,hottentot or a ,tartar4 ,dressed in the manner ,i have mentioned1 it would not have disgraced ,olympus1 nor offended the critical taste of the ,apicii1 the last of whom would have refrained from hanging himself whilst a single callipeva remained in his fish pond4 ,the callipeva is very excellent when cured1 and it is often brought in that state to the ,belize market in large quantities4 ,the roe of this fish is very superior and almost equals caviare4 ,this is dried and sold separately4 ,i may incidentally mention that the large strong brilliant scales of this fish now enter into commerce for the manufacture of those pretty fish-scale ornaments1 brooches1 bracelets1 c41 sold at the ,crystal ,palace and elsewhere4 ,the ,mugil curema1 another species1 is taken about ,port ,royal harbour1 ,jamaica1 and when large1 passed off in the ,kingston market for callipeva4 ,the true callipeva or calipever1 as it is indifferently spelt1 is the #8white salmon' of ,jamaica1 and weighs from #f to #ah lbs4 ,it is caught in the brackish waters of the ,ferry on the road to ,spanish ,town4 ,mullet of various kinds1 the salt water species being white1 and the mountain or river species red1 are one of the three delicacies of ,jamaica4 ,then1 there is the delicate smook1 either fresh or salt water1 weighing from #aj to #af lbs42 the stone bass1 of the river or sea1 much esteemed1 from #b to #d lbs42 the delicate black snapper1 weighing #d or #e lbs42 the chuck1 a delicate fresh-water fish1 of about #f lbs42 and the cutlass1 a good flat frying fish3 which will suffice to show that there need be no lack of a dish of good fish for the ,west ,indian epicure4 ,the anchovy or silver fish 7,engraulis edentatus of ,cuvier and ,val7 abounds on the palisade shallows of ,port ,royal harbour4 ,they are a most exquisite fry1 cooked1 strung together on a palm straw through the eye by half-dozens1 and served up as they serve whitebait4 ,king fish are only occasionally taken within the harbour1 at ,port ,royal ,bank4 ,they are very delicate eating and weigh from #aj to #bj lbs4 ,the king fish mackerel 7,cymbium regale7 is taken at the head of the harbour by being gently towed for with a line4 ,the pine fish1 in great estimation with the ,jews1 which ranges from four to thirty pounds1 are frequently harpooned from ,port ,royal dock yard1 six feet long4 ,the sun fish1 or lucannany of ,demerara1 is excellent food1 being firm1 fat1 and with few bones2 owing to its extreme lusciousness1 it is difficult to salt or dry4 ,it is about two feet in length and attains to #g or #h lbs4 in weight4 ,the arawan is another ,guiana fish1 particularly fine as food1 but like the last named1 very fat and luscious4 ,the pacou are caught in large numbers by means of weirs or dams1 and weigh on an average #g lbs4 each4 ,they are split1 salted1 and dried1 and when cured1 highly prized4 ,the morocoto1 or osibu1 is also a most delicious fish1 in taste nearer resembling flesh than fish1 and eagerly sought after by the epicure4 ,if the gourami1 which the ,french have introduced to the tanks and ponds of ,cayenne and their ,west ,indian ,islands1 was entitled to no more than half the praise ,commerson bestows upon it1 it must be considered a fish worth some trouble and expense to possess4 #8,nihil inter pisces1' he says1 #8tum marinos1 tum fluviatiles1 exquisitius unquam degustavi4' ,if neither the fishes of the sea nor those of fresh water streams1 to ,commerson1 who had described so many fishes1 and tasted as many as he had described1 were found to exceed the deliciousness of the gourami1--the ,osphromenus olfax1--it should be imported into every ,west ,indian colony4 ,the ,dutch at ,batavia1 in ,java1 have long bred it in large earthen vases1 changing the water daily1 and feeding it on herbs of rivers and ponds1 particularly on the ,pistia natans4 ,in the ,mauritius1 they have become a common river fish1 and are esteemed the most delicate of the dishes brought to table4 ,capt4 ,philibut carried the specimens of the gourami from ,mauritius to ,cayenne4 ,out of #ajj taken on board he lost #bc on the passage4 ,the ,french colonists feed and breed it in ponds1 much as the ,barbadians do the caffum 7,megalops ,atlanticus74 ,the caffum is allied to the herring1 and weighs #ab or #ae lbs42 and though an important stand-by for a dinner in ,barbados1 it is an inferior fish4 ,twenty years ago1 ,i well remember that ,mr4 ,richard ,hill called attention in ,jamaica to the gourami1 which was first then being introduced as a tank fish into ,martinique and ,guadaloupe4 ,his communication appeared in ,dr4 ,paul's ,physical ,journal1 published at ,kingston4 ,it is supposed that this valuable fresh-water fish was procured originally from ,china1 but not a single author gives intimation of it in the natural history of the ,chinese empire4 ,so interesting a species1 among people so attentive to the breeding and cultivating whatever can be added to their food supplies1 must have been brought under their notice4 ,the ,dutch have it only artificially bred in ,java1 but neither ,renard1 ,valentine1 ,russell1 nor ,buchanan1 who have all written largely on the fishes of ,india and of the ,indian ,islands1 are acquainted with any such river-fish as the gourami4 ,in ,india they give the name gouragi or koragi to a fish known to naturalists as the ,ophicephalus1 and the probability is that ,commerson1 who first noticed the ,osphromenus olfax1 had corruptly applied that word and made gourami of it4 ,this delicious fish1 so easily bred and fed1 from its food being the duck weed of the ponds1 has a contour plump1 round1 and massy like the carp of ,europe4 ,the colour is a burnished brown1 somewhat golden tinted1 faintly ruddy1 particularly on the head and fins4 ,vertical bands of bronze stretch obliquely from the back to the belly2--and the ventral fin in its first spine is lengthened into a long thread as long as the entire fish from head to tail4 ,it belongs to a very curious family distinguished as labyrinthan-pharyngeals4 ,the structure of fishes of this family is peculiar3--it consists of the upper surface of the pharyngeal bones being divided into leaves1 which form cavities and ledges1 more or less complicated1 for the retention of water1 very much like the web of cells in the paunch of the camel4 ,this apparatus lies immediately under the opercula4 ,it is closely shut in1 and pours out a ceaseless stream to moisten the gills and keep them from drying up when the fish quits the water and betakes itself to the grass1 either to feed on herbs or to change its domicile when the ponds grow muddy and stagnant4 ,the ancient writers on ,natural ,history were familiar with the character of these curious pharyngeals4 ,theophrastus1 in his ,treatise1 speaks of certain of the fishes of ,india that come forth from the rivers at times1 and then return to them again3 and he mentions that they resemble mullets4 ,the strange habit of the ,anabas1 which has received this name from its climbing predilections1 7anabaino1 ascendo17 is well authenticated4 ,m4 ,daldorf1 a ,lieutenant in the service of the ,dutch ,east ,india ,company1 in an article in the ,linnan ,transactions for #agig1 mentions that1 in the month of ,november #agia1 he took one of these anabas fishes from the cleft foot-stalk of a palm tree1 growing near a pond4 ,the fish was five feet above the water1 and was endeavouring to ascend still higher4 ,another observer1 ,m4 ,john1 tells a similar story4 ,the fish1 he says1 usually remains in the muddy bottom of ponds and lakes2 but it will take to creeping on dry ground for several hours1 by the inflexion of its body2 and by the assistance of its serrated opercula1 and the spines of its fins1 it will climb on the palm-trees which are in the neighbourhood of ponds1 along which drops the water that the rains have accumulated at their tops4--7,griffith's ,supplement to ,cuvier's ,animal ,kingdom4 ,fishes1 p4 #cfa47 ,though the gourami belongs to the family of fishes1 having a reservoir for water to moisten the gills when they quit their ponds1 it does not climb trees as the anabas1 but only traverses the grass4 ,this fish would be a most desirable acquisition to our colonies4 ,it could be readily procured from ,guadaloupe4 ,it is as remarkable for its size as its flavour4 ,it becomes as large as a turbot1 and is equally delicious4 ,it would be soon naturalized in our streams4 ,the female hollows a little fosse in the edge of the reservoir in which it is kept1 and there deposits its eggs4 ,the pirarucu 7,sudis gigas7 is a splendid fish #e or #f feet long1 with large scales of more than an inch in diameter1 and beautifully marked and spotted with red4 ,the lakes in ,brazil contain great quantities of them1 and they are salted and dried for the ,para market4 ,it is a very fine flavoured fish1 the belly in particular being so fat and rich that it cannot be cured1 and is therefore generally eaten fresh4 #8,this fish' 7remarks ,mr4 ,wallace7 #8with farinha and some coffee made us an excellent supper2 and the alligator's tails which ,i now tasted for the first time1 was by no means to be despised4 ,a smaller kind is that eaten1 the flesh being more delicate than in the larger species4' ,the sheep's head1 or1 in more scientific language1 the ,sargus ovis1 is a favourite fish in ,north ,america1 where it visits the coasts in large shoals during the summer and autumn4 ,the principal fishery is off the coasts of ,new ,york1 and thousands are occasionally taken at a single cast of the large nets used at some places4 ,the fish1 immediately on their capture1 are packed in ice1 and sent to the ,new ,york market1 where they have been known to sell as high as #g for one of large size1 although the usual price for one is only about a dollar4 ,this fish is pretty generally considered throughout the ,states1 both by epicures and others1 as an almost sans-pareil2 and ,dr4 ,mitchell1 who has written much on ,american ichthyology1 is of the same opinion4#bf ,the green cavalla 7,caranx ,bartholomi7 is very good eating1 and much in demand4 ,they are caught by the ,barbados fishermen1 sometimes in nets and in large numbers4 ,another species1 the ,jack #8or ,john and ,goggle-eye1' as it is locally termed 7,c4 ,plumieri71 is in some seasons of the year very poisonous4 ,when they are suspected of being so1 an experiment is tried upon a duck1 by giving her one of them to swallow1 and if at that season it is poisonous1 the duck dies in about two hours4 ,the flounder or plaice 7,rhombus ocellatus71 a fish which belongs to the turbots1 is a very delicate fish4 ,the common flying-fish 7,exoctus ,roberti7 is so abundant in some seasons of the year about ,barbados1 that they constitute an important article of food1 and during the season1 a large number of small boats are occupied in fishing4 ,they are very delicate and tender4 ,some experiments have been made to preserve them1 by salting and smoking1 and with perseverance this would probably be successful1 and a new dainty be added to ,european tables4 ,such large numbers are occasionally caught that they meet with no sale1 and are thrown away1 or used as manure4#bg ,sprats are a cheap delicacy with the lower classes in this country1 and are pretty plentiful at times1 but they are also greatly esteemed in the ,west ,india ,islands4 ,a species1 called the #8yellow-tailed sprat1' proves unfortunately poisonous at certain periods of the year1 chiefly among the ,leeward and ,virgin ,islands4 ,the cuckold or horned coney fish 7,monacanthus tomentosus7 is much used as food1 and1 when stuffed and baked1 considered a delicacy4 ,under the general name of the ,spanish mackerel1 several species of ,cymbium1 ,c4 ,caballa1 ,c4 regale1 and ,c4 immaculata1 are caught in the ,west ,indian seas4 ,they are a coarse1 dry fish1 and not much esteemed1 except when coveeched4 ,to coveech a fish1 it must be cut into junks1 fried with onions and oil1 and afterwards potted with vinegar1 a little pepper or cloves1 fried onions1 and some oil4 ,it becomes an article of trade in that manner1 and a considerable quantity1 according to ,sir ,robert ,schomburgk1 is sent from the ,leeward ,islands and ,barbados to ,guiana4 ,the young king-fish1 termed ,coramour in the ,west ,indies1 kept in a fish pond or craal for some time1 is esteemed a great delicacy4 ,the mud-fish 7,eleotris gyrinus71 found in the water courses of ,antigua1 is also considered a dainty4 ,this fish is common in the streamlets and creeks of the other ,west ,indian ,islands1 and is considered a most delicious fish when in full perfection4 ,it resembles the smelt in appearance1 and is easy of digestion4 ,the common cod of ,newfoundland 7,morrhua vulgaris7 is well known as an article of food the wide world over4 ,it is always a thick1 well-fed fish1 and often attains a great weight1 sometimes #gj or #hj lbs41 and even more4 ,there is another variety1 slightly1 though permanently distinct1 the ,american cod1 fine specimens of which may be seen in the fish market of ,halifax1 ,nova ,scotia1 during the season2 their quality is admirable4 ,dried cod for the ,brazils are packed in large flat tubs1 called drums1 into which they are pressed by a powerful screw4 ,each drum contains exactly #abh lbs4 of dry fish1 that being the ,portuguese quintal2 and the drums are shaped to suit the convenience of the ,brazilians1 who transport them into the interior of ,south ,america slung in pairs upon mules4 ,for the ,mediterranean markets1 the fish are stowed in the holds of the vessels in bulk1 and seldom receive damage1 such is the excellent manner in which they are cured and stowed4 ,the best and whitest of the cod are required for the ,neapolitan market1 for even the ,lazzaroni of ,naples are very particular as to the quality of their fish4 ,on the coast of ,norway1 cod are caught in nets1 and it is stated by ,mr4 ,laing1 in his journal of a residence in that country1 that these nets are becoming more in use every season4 ,for this fishery1 every boat is provided with six or eight nets1 each twenty fathoms in length1 and thirty meshes deep4 ,the mesh of the cod net is six inches from knot to knot1 and is made of three-ply hemp thread4 ,the back ropes and ground ropes of each net are fastened to the net1 and the whole are set like ,scotch herring nets1 only with longer buoy-ropes4 ,the cod nets are set at night1 in #fj to #hj fathoms water1 and are taken up in the morning4 ,the introduction of nets in the cod fishery is said to have improved very considerably the condition of the inhabitants of the coast of ,norway1 as by means of nets1 the quantity of fish caught has been nearly doubled4 ,it is not at all unlikely1 that cod nets might be used with advantage on the ,gulf-coast of ,new ,brunswick1 especially in the early part of each season1 when the cod come close to the shore in pursuit of herring1 capelin1 and gaspereaux4 #8,some of the purely national dishes of ,sweden1 as lut-fisk on ,christmas-eve1 are most extraordinary things1 lut-fisk being the stock fish steeped in a solution of potash until in fact decomposition takes place4 ,on ,christmas-eve1 the great evening of ,sweden1 this thing is boiled and eaten with oil sauce2 and this1 together with grot1 which is simply boiled rice1 form the ,christmas dishes of ,sweden1 just as roast beef and plum pudding do of ,england4 ,the smell of the lut-fisk is terrific1 but a true ,swede clings to his national dish on ,julaften as much as any beef-eating ,englishman does to his4 ,the poor often substitute boiled corn for rice2 and at all times rye porridge made with milk1 not water1 is their common food2 the number of meals might seem to make amends for their quality4 ,fish is almost the staple of food2 quantities are salted in the autumn1 and even in winter4 ,they are taken in a most ingenious manner from under ice4 ,you see holes cut in certain distances1 and a man seated on a stool at the furthest end on each side4 ,the man you are looking at appears to be sitting idly on the ice1 but suddenly he puts his hand into the small opening cut in it1 and pulls up a bright coloured little fish1 and then another and another1 throwing them on the frozen lake1 where they jump about1 displaying their colours1 poor things1 to advantage1 and suffering cruelly4'#bh ,much more attention is now paid to the prosecution of the fisheries1 and the preparation of the fish for export1 in our ,north ,american colonies4 ,last season1 an enterprising firm in ,carleton1 ,new ,brunswick1 sent to the ,gulf of ,st4 ,lawrence a vessel of #cj tons1 fitted with the necessary apparatus and well supplied1 for the preparation of spiced salmon2 which vessel1 after an absence of two months and a half1 returned with a full fare of the estimated value of #a1gej1 or yielding a profit of about #gjj per cent4 on the outlay1 with all expenses defrayed6 ,a large ,new ,brunswick vessel recently brought to ,liverpool #ajj boxes1 containing #a1bjj tons of preserved lobsters1 of the presumed value of #cjj1 also the result of colonial enterprise4 ,the flesh of the sea-perch or cunner 7,ctenolabrus cruleus71 sometimes called1 on account of its prevailing colour1 the blue perch1 is sweet and palatable4 ,they are skinned before being dressed4 ,the fish is taken by myriads1 on the coasts of ,maine and ,massachusetts4 ,the striped bass 7,labrax lineatus7 is a very fine salt-water fish1 and so is the diminutive white bass1 better known by its popular name #8white perch4' ,they are a very fine fish for the table when in season4 ,their ordinary weight is from four to six ounces in ,september2 they are often taken above half-a-pound in weight2 the largest seen weighed above a pound4 ,a schull of the striped bass1 #ejj or #fjj in number1 weighing from #d to #h lbs4 each1 have often been taken at one haul of the net1 in ,new ,brunswick4 ,they ascend fresh-water streams for shelter during the winter1 and were formerly taken in large quantities in the ,richibucto and ,miramichi rivers4 ,the fish gathered in large shoals1 lying in a dull1 torpid state under the ice1 and holes being cut1 they were taken in nets in immense numbers1 corded up stiff on the ice1 like fire-wood1 and sent off in sled-loads to ,fredericton and ,st4 ,john4 ,the chub is usually considered a coarse fish1 but those of large size1 eaten fresh1 are very palatable4 ,mr4 ,yarrell says1 #8that boiling chub with the scales on is the best mode of preparing it for table4' #8,the brook-trout of ,america' 7,salmo fontinalis71 says ,mr4 ,herbert1 #8is one of the most beautiful creatures in form1 colour1 and motion that can be imagined4 ,there is no sportsman1 actuated by the true animus of the pursuit1 who would not prefer basketing a few brace of good trout1 to taking a cart-load of the coarser and less game denizens of the water4 ,his wariness1 his timidity1 his extreme cunning1 the impossibility of taking him in clear and much fished waters1 except with the slenderest and most delicate tackle--his boldness and vigour after being hooked1 and his excellence on the table1 place him without dispute next to the salmon alone1 as the first of fresh-water fishes4 ,the pursuit of him leads into the loveliest scenery of the land1 and the season at which he is fished for is the most delightful portion of the year4' ,the sea-trout of the basin of ,bonaventura are of large size1 #c lbs4 and upwards1 brilliantly white1 in fine condition1 very fine and well flavoured4 ,the summer gaspereaux1 or alewives1 7,alosa tyrannus7 are an exceedingly fat fish1 and well flavoured2 the only objection to them is their oily richness4 ,besides their being fatter1 they are smaller and more yellow in colour than the spring fish4 ,to the epicure1 a fresh caught salmon-trout of the ,gulf of ,st4 ,lawrence1 especially early in the season1 will always afford a rich treat4 ,the flesh is of a brilliant pink colour1 and most excellent3 its exceeding fatness early in the season1 when it first enters the mixed water of the estuaries1 is such that it can be preserved fresh but a very short time4 ,the sportsman will find it a thoroughly game fish2 rising well at a brilliant fly of scarlet ibis and gold1 and affording sport second only to salmon fishing4 ,in some parts of the ,gulf they have been caught weighing #e to #g lbs4 ,that beautiful and savoury fish1 the smelt1 is a great table delicacy with us2 but on the ,gulf coasts of ,new ,brunswick1 large quantities are used every season merely for manure4 ,as food1 the skate is held in very different degrees of estimation in different places4 ,in ,london1 large quantities are consumed1 and crimped skate is considered delicate and well flavoured2 but on some parts of the ,english coast1 although caught in considerable numbers1 the flesh is seldom eaten1 and is only used for baiting lobster pots4 ,the ,french are great consumers of the skate2 and its flesh is used extensively both at ,new ,york and ,boston4 ,by many it is deemed a great delicacy4 ,after the fish is skinned1 the fleshy part of the huge pectoral fins1 which is beautifully white1 is cut into long thin slips1 about an inch wide2 these are rolled like ribbon1 and dressed in that form4 ,the capelan 7,mallotus villosus71 the smallest species of the salmon family1 possesses like the smelt the cucumber smell1 but it differs from the smelt in never entering fresh-water streams4 ,as an article of bait for cod1 and other fish of that class1 the capelan is a fish of much importance2 whenever abundant1 the cod-fishing is excellent4 ,it has been found as far north in the arctic region as man has yet penetrated2 and it forms so important an article of food in ,greenland1 that it has been termed the daily bread of the natives4 ,in ,newfoundland1 it is dried in large quantities1 and exported to ,london1 where it is sold principally in the oyster shops4 ,the large1 flat-fish known as the halibut 7,hippoglossus vulgaris71 which sometimes attains the weight of #cjj lbs1 is often taken by the cod-fishers in the ,gulf of ,st4 ,lawrence4 ,these fish are cut in slices1 and pickled in barrels1 in which state they sell at half the price of the best herrings4 ,the flesh1 though white and firm1 is dry1 and the muscular fibres coarse4 ,the fins and flaps are however esteemed delicacies4 ,the mackerel of the ,british ,north ,american coasts is of a much finer flavour than those caught on the shores of ,europe4 ,the salmon are also noted for their very fine flavour4 ,if there are no turbot1 brill1 or sole1 in the ,st4 ,lawrence1 there are other delicacies4 ,a species of eel is exceedingly abundant and frequently of large size4 ,one of these1 a sea-eel1 split1 salted1 and smoked1 without the head1 was #cj inches in length1 and #ae inches in diameter1 breadth as split1 nearly the size of an ordinary smoked salmon and quite as thick4 #cjj barrels of large eels1 taken with the spear in the ,buctouche river1 are usually salted-down for winter use4 ,they are generally excessively fat1 the flesh very white and exceedingly well flavoured4 ,packages of eels have been lately imported into ,london from ,prince ,edward's ,island4 ,smoked eels are very delicious1 and they have even begun to preserve these fish thus at ,port ,phillip4 ,the fisheries of the ,north ,american lakes and rivers are not prosecuted as they might be1 but are beginning to receive more attention4 ,the white-fish 7,corregonus albus7 is found in all the deep lakes west of the ,mississippi1 and indeed from ,lake ,erie to the ,polar ,sea4 ,that which is taken in ,leech ,lake is said by amateurs to be more highly flavoured than even that of ,lake ,superior4 ,there is another species of this fish1 called by the ,indians tuliby or ottuniby 7,corregonus artidi71 which resembles it1 but is much less esteemed4 ,both species furnish a wholesome and palatable food4 ,the ,french ,canadians call this fish ,poisson ,pointu1 and the ,english term them #8gizzard fish4' ,the origin of the latter name appears to be1 that the fish feeds largely on fresh-water shell fish and shelly molluscs2 and its stomach thereby gains an extraordinary thickness1 and resembles the gizzard of a fowl4 ,the stomach1 when cleaned and boiled1 is a favourite morsel with the ,canadian voyageurs4 ,the white-fish of the bays and lakes of ,canada is represented to be the finest fish in the world by the ,canadians4 ,the flavour of it is incomparable1 especially when split open and fried with eggs and crumbs of bread4 ,they weigh on the average about #b lbs4 each when cleaned--#ajj of them filling a good sized barrel4 ,those caught in ,lake ,huron are more highly prized than any others4 ,several ,indian tribes mainly subsist upon this fish1 and it forms the principal food at many of the fur posts for eight or nine months of the year1 the supply of other articles of diet being scanty and casual4 ,its usual weight in the northern regions is from #b to #c lbs41 but it has been taken in the clear1 deep1 and cold waters of ,lake ,huron1 of the weight of #ac lbs4 ,the largest seen in the vicinity of ,hudson's ,bay weighed between #d and #e lbs41 and measured #bj inches in length1 and #d in depth4 ,one of #g lbs4 weight1 caught in ,lake ,huron1 was #bg inches long4 ,among other species of fish that inhabit these great inland seas are the mashkinonge1 or mashkilonge1 the pike or jack1 the pickerel or gilt carp1 the perch1 and a species of trout called by the ,chippeways1 namogus4 ,a huge mashkilonge1 so ravenous is its propensities1 is often caught from the stern of a steamer in full speed1 by throwing out a strong line with a small tin fish attached4 ,a marked peculiarity of most of the ,lake fish is the quantity of fat1 resembling that of quadrupeds1 which they contain1 entirely different from the salt-water fish--while their flavor differs from that of the latter1 being much more delicate and white than that of river fish4 ,lake ,superior abounds with fish1 particularly trout1 sturgeon1 and white-fish1 which are caught at all seasons and in large quantities4 ,of these the trout1 weighing from #ab to #ej lbs41 and the white-fish1 weighing often over #bj lbs41 are perhaps the most important4 ,the salmon trout are equally large1 weighing from #aj to #gj lbs4 ,lake ,champlain also abounds with fish1 among which are salmon1 lake-shad1 pike1 and other fish4 ,the reciprocity treaty has given a new field to the fisheries on the ,canada side of ,lake ,huron4 ,some #bjj ,american fishermen are now engaged within fifty miles each side of ,goderich in the business4 ,this has greatly stimulated the ,cannucks1 and it is estimated #djj of them are now engaged in the same business4 ,about #ajj miles of the ,lake shore is lined with gill nets and seines4 ,every boat that comes in has a large number of salmon-trout from #cj to #ej lbs4 weight4 ,white-fish are very large4 ,the fish caught at ,collingwood terminus of the northern railway1 from ,toronto1 are packed in ice1 and go to ,oswego1 ,rome1 ,utica1 ,albany1 and ,new ,york4 ,great quantities taken at ,goderich go in ice from thence to ,cleveland and ,cincinnati4 ,the ,toronto and ,oswego markets are supplied with fish from ,collingwood1 and a well organized company1 with nets1 ice-houses1 c41 might do a fine business by supplying the ,new ,york1 ,boston1 and other ,american markets1 daily with trout1 bass1 and white-fish from the waters of ,georgian ,bay4 ,fishing with the scoop net is the most laborious of all modes of fishing4 ,it was found in practice at the ,sault ,st4 ,marie by the ,baron ,de ,hortan1 when he penetrated to that point in #afhd4 ,it has been practised ever since1 because it is the only mode by which the white-fish can be taken4 ,they go there to feed and not to spawn2 the bottom of the river is a rocky broken ground1 and the current runs at the rate of #ab miles per hour2 the eddy in which the fish are found is of small circuit1 and only one canoe at a time can enter it4 ,the canoe is forced into it by setting poles4 ,the man in the bow has a scoop net1 the handle to which is about #ae feet in length4 ,he has only time to make one stroke with the scoop1 the next instant the canoe is whirled away by the current far below the point where the stroke was made4 ,the plunge of the scoop may be successful or not according to chance2 one fish or half-a-dozen may be taken1 or very frequently none4 ,as soon as one canoe is thus swept away1 another one supplies its place1 and in this manner some eight or ten canoes in rapid succession take their turn4 ,canoes are used because1 being lighter1 they can be forced up where it would not be possible to put a boat4 ,even though the white-fish would take the hook1 still in such rapid water it could not be used4 ,again1 the character of nearly the whole of the coasts of ,lakes ,huron and ,superior forbids any other mode of fishing than by gill nets4 ,gill nets are often set in #fj feet of water1 and the fish cannot be taken at such localities in any other mode1 except at some seasons of the year when they will take the hook4 ,again1 there are localities along ,lake ,superior1 where fish such as the rock sturgeon and mashkilonge can only be taken with the spear1 and that in #cj feet water2 the bottom is so disturbed1 distorted1 upheaved1 and broken by volcanic action1 that gill nets cannot be used1 and the fish can only be reached in the hollows1 crevices1 and chasms of the rock where they lie1 by means of a spear1 which is thrown and has a line attached to the extremity4 ,the ,lake ,superior ,journal says3--#8,angling through the ice to a depth of #cj fathoms of water is a novel mode of fishing somewhat peculiar to this peculiar region of the world4 ,it is carrying the war into fishdom with a vengeance1 and is denounced1 no doubt1 in the communities on the bottoms of these northern lakes as a scaly piece of warfare4 ,the large and splendid salmon-trout of these waters have no peace2 in the summer they are enticed into the deceitful meshes of the gill-net1 and in the winter1 when they hide themselves in the deep caverns of the lakes1 with fifty fathoms of water above their heads1 and a defence of ice two or three feet in thickness on the top of that1 they are tempted to destruction by the fatal hook4 ,large numbers of these trout are caught every winter in this way on ,lake ,superior4 ,the ,indian1 always skilled in the fishing business1 knows exactly where to find them and how to kill them4 ,the whites make excursions out on the ,lake in pleasant weather to enjoy this sport4 ,there is a favourite resort for both fish and fishermen near ,gros ,cap1 at the entrance of ,lake ,superior1 through the rocky gateway between ,gros ,cap and ,point ,iroquois1 about #ah miles above the ,sault1 and many a large trout at this point is pulled up from its warm bed at the bottom of the ,lake in winter1 and made to bite the cold ice in this upper world4 ,to see one of these fine fish1 four or five feet in length1 and weighing half as much as a man1 floundering on the snow and ice1 weltering and freezing to death in its own blood1 oftentimes moves the heart of the fisherman to expressions of pity4 ,the modus operandi in this kind of great trout fishing is novel in the extreme1 and could a stranger to the business overlook at a distance a party engaged in the sport1 he would certainly think they were mad1 or each one making foot-races against time4 ,a hole is made through the ice1 smooth and round1 and the fisherman drops down his large hook1 baited with a small herring1 pork1 or other meat1 and when he ascertains the right depth1 he waits--with fisherman's luck--some time for a bite1 which in this case is a pull altogether1 for the fisherman throws the line over his shoulders and walks from the hole at the top of his speed till the fish bounds out on the ice4 ,i have known of as many as fifty of these splendid trout caught in this way by a single fisherman in a single day2 it is thus a great source of pleasure and a valuable resource of food1 especially in ,lent2 and the most scrupulous anti-pork believers might here #8down pork and up fish' without any offence to conscience4' ,the ,cleveland ,plain-dealer has a lengthy account of the trade of the house of ,j4 ,m4 ,craw and ,son1 of that city4 ,it says3--#8,at the warehouse1 #acc1 ,river street1 in this city1 is a grand dept of its receipts4 ,from this place large supplies of salt provisions1 fisherman's tackle1 seines1 lines1 and everything needed on the coasts of the upper lakes1 are forwarded4 ,at ,washington ,harbour1 in ,green ,bay1 engagements are made with the fishermen of #aah boats1 each of which has a head fisherman1 who has his crew engaged in fishing4 ,over #cjj men are constantly engaged1 spring and fall1 in that locality in catching1 packing1 and forwarding fish4 ,similar settlements of fishermen are scattered all along the coasts of ,lakes ,michigan1 ,superior1 ,huron1 and ,erie4 ,the number of varieties of ,lake fish fit for packing is large1 including white-fish1 siskawit1 trout1 pickerel1 cat-fish1 bass1 herring1 perch1 shad1 and bayfish4 ,the amount of fish received by ,craw and ,son1 in #ahef1 exceeded #ad1jjj barrels1 and as their receipts this year from ,lake ,michigan will be about #f1jjj barrels1 an increased aggregate is anticipated4 ,this large amount is so much added to the food of the country1 and constitutes an important addition to its wealth4 ,from the details of this single house we may learn something of the extent of the entire trade4' ,in the ,baikal ,lake1 ,siberia1 there is a fish 7,callyonimus ,baicalensis7 from four to six inches long1 so very fat1 that it melts before the fire like butter4 ,it yields an oil sold to great advantage to the ,chinese4 ,the ,lake ,superior ,journal1 of ,october #bg1 notices the arrival of a #ajj barrels of the famous siskawit from ,isle ,royale1 and learns from one of the fishermen that there have been caught this season between #cjj and #djj barrels of this fish1 together with a few trout and white fish4 ,they fish on that island for this fish principally1 as the siskawit are worth as much again as whitefish and mackinac trout in the lake markets4--,the siskawit is said to be the fattest fish that swims1 either in fresh or salt water4 ,the fishermen assert1 that one of these fish1 when hung up by the tail in the hot sun of a summer day1 will melt and entirely disappear1 except the bones4 ,in putting up about #ej barrels this season1 one of the fishermen made two and a half barrels of oil from the heads and #8leaf fat' alone1 without the least injury to the marketableness of the fish4 ,besides this leaf fat1 the fat or oil is disseminated #8in a layer of fat and a layer of lean' throughout the fish4 ,they are too fat to be eaten fresh1 and are put up for market like whitefish and trout4 #8,fish being here very scarce1' 7,falls of the ,uaups17 #8we were obliged1' says ,mr4 ,wallace1 #8to live almost entirely on fowls1 which1 though very nice when well roasted1 and with the accompaniment of ham and gravy1 are rather tasteless1 simply boiled or stewed1 with no variation in the cookery1 and without vegetables4 #8,i had now got so thoroughly into the life of this part of the country1 that like everybody else here1 ,i preferred fish to every other article of food4 ,one never tires1 and ,i must again repeat1 that ,i believe there are fish here superior to any in the world4 #8,our fowls cost us about a penny each1 paid in fish-hooks or salt1 so that they are not such expensive food as they would be at home4 ,in fact1 if a person buys his hooks1 salt1 and other things in ,para1 where they are about half the price they are in ,barra1 the price of a fowl will not exceed a halfpenny2 and fish1 pacovas1 and other eatables that this country produces1 in the same proportion4 #8,many of the fish of the ,rio ,negro are of a most excellent flavour1 surpassing anything ,i have tasted in ,england1 either from the fresh or the salt waters2 and many species have real fat1 which renders the water they are boiled in a rich and agreeable broth4 ,not a drop of this is wasted1 but with a little pepper and farinha is all consumed1 with as much relish as if it were the most delicate soup4'#bi ,piraruc1 the dried fish1 which with farinha forms the chief subsistence of the native population of ,brazil1 and in the interior is the only thing to be obtained1 resembles in appearance nothing eatable1 looking as much like a dry cow-hide1 grated up into fibres1 and dressed into cakes1 as anything ,i can compare it with4 ,when eaten1 it is boiled or slightly roasted1 pulled to pieces and mixed with vinegar1 oil1 pepper1 onions1 and farinha1 and altogether forms a very savoury mess for a person with a good appetite and a strong stomach4 ,if we pass to the ,pacific coasts of ,south ,america1 we find the most esteemed fish are the robalo1 the corvino1 the lisa1 and the king-fish4 ,the robalo 7,esox ,chilensis1 ,hemiramphus ,brazillensis of ,cuvier17 is nearly of a cylindrical form1 and from two to three feet long4 ,it is coated with angular scales of a golden colour upon the back1 and silver on the belly2 the fins are soft and without spines1 the tail is truncated1 and the back marked longitudinally with a blue stripe1 bordered with yellow4 ,the flesh is very white1 almost transparent1 light1 and of a delicious taste4 ,those taken upon the ,araucanian coast are the most in repute1 where they are sometimes caught of eight pounds weight4 ,the ,indians of ,chiloe smoke them1 after having cleaned and soaked them for #bd hours in sea water1 and1 when sufficiently dry1 pack them up in casks of #ajj each1 which are generally sold for about three dollars4 ,the robalo prepared in this manner is said to be superior to any other kind of dried fish4 ,the corvino 7,sparus ,chilensis7 is nearly of the same size as the robalo2 it is sometimes1 however1 found of five or six feet in length4 ,this fish has a small head1 and a large oval body1 covered with broad1 rhomboidal scales1 of a mother-of-pearl colour1 marked with white4 ,the tail is forked1 and the body encircled obliquely1 from the shoulders to the belly1 with a number of brownish lines4 ,the fins are armed with spiny rays1 and the flesh is white1 firm1 and of a good taste1 particularly when fried4 ,it would probably be better still if it were prepared like that of the tunny4 ,the lisa 7,mugil ,chilensis7 in its form1 scales1 and back is much like the common mullet1 but is distinguished by the dorsal fin1 which in the lisa is entire4 ,there are two species of this fish1 the sea and the river lisa1 neither of which exceeds a foot in length2 the first is a very good fish1 but the latter is so exquisite1 that it is preferred by many to the best of trout4 ,another esteemed fresh-water fish of ,chile is the bagre1 or luvur 7,silenus ,chilensis1 probably the ,a4 geneionis inermis71 which has a smooth skin1 without scales1 and is brown upon the sides1 and whitish under the belly4 ,in appearance1 it is not very prepossessing1 for in form it resembles a tadpole2 the head being of a size disproportionate to the length of the body1 which does not exceed eleven inches at the most4 ,it has a blunt mouth1 furnished like that of the barbel with barbs4 ,it has a sharp spine on the back fins1 like the tropical bagre1 but its puncture is not venomous1 as that is said to be4 ,the flesh is yellow1 and the most delicious of any esculent fish that is known4 ,there is said to be another species of this fish inhabiting the sea1 which is black--the same1 probably1 that ,anson's sailors called1 from its colour1 the chimney-sweep4 ,while on the subject of fish common to this locality1 ,i may mention that the ,abb ,molina states1 that #8the river ,talten1 which waters the ,araucanian provinces1 produces a small fish called paye1 which1 as ,i have been assured by those who have seen them1 is so diaphanous1 that if several are placed upon each other1 any object beneath them may be distinctly seen4 ,if this property is not greatly exaggerated1 this fish might serve to discover the secret process of digestion and the motion of the fluids4' ,mr4 ,ruschenberger thus describes a ,hawaiian restaurant3--#8,the earth floor of a straw hovel was covered by mats4 ,groups of men squatted in a circle1 with gourd plates before them1 supplied with raw fish and salt-water1 and by their side was an enormous gourd1 of the dimensions of a wash tub1 filled with po1 a sort of paste made of taro4 ,they ate of the raw fish1 occasionally sopping the torn animal in the salt water as a sauce1 then sucking it1 with that peculiar smack which indicates the reception of a delicious morsel4' ,the noble salmon1 which honest ,izaak ,walton justly calls1 #8the king of fresh-water fish1' is too well known as a choice article of food to need description4 ,a jowl of fresh salmon was one of the requisites1 in #addd1 at the feast of the ,goldsmiths' ,company2 and in #adgc1 three quarters of ,colnbrook salmon are charged #fs4 #d;d42 and at a fish dinner of the same company in #adih1 among large quantities of fish mentioned1 are a fresh salmon #aas42 a great salmon #a2 and two salmon-trout #bs4 #h;d4 ,in #aeah1 for ij4 fresh samon xvij j ,item1 a fresh samon xiij iiij2 and in the eighth year of ,king ,henry ,,viii4 iiij4 fresh samons are charged xl ,in the great rush after gold1 the fisheries of the ,pacific coast1 which have been famous for years past for their extent and value1 have not received that attention which they merit4 ,now that the living tide has again set in strongly towards the ,north-,west1 the demand for food to feed the thousands will cause the fishery to be more largely developed4 ,the whole coast is particularly rich in the more valuable species of the finny tribe4 ,a ,san ,francisco paper states3--#8,the salmon of ,california and ,oregon1 with which our markets are supplied in the fresh and cured state1 are nowhere surpassed in quality or flavour4 ,our rivers1 bays1 and estuaries are alive with these valuable fish1 and the fishermen are busy in securing them during the present run4 ,it is estimated that there are #djj boats on the ,sacramento river alone1 engaged in fisheries4 ,the boats are valued at #fj1jjj dollars1 the nets at #hj1jjj dollars1 and seines at #f1jjj dollars4 ,the fishing season lasts from the #ast of ,february to the #ast of ,august1 during which time the estimated average of each boat per day is #cj dollars1 or an aggregate of #ab1jjj dollars4 ,the hauling seines yield #ajj dollars each per day1 or #b1jjj dollars in the aggregate4 ,the fish thus caught supply the markets of ,san ,francisco1 ,sacramento1 ,marysville1 and the mining towns in the interior4 ,sometimes #b1jjj lbs4 are sent to one order4 ,the amount shipped daily to ,san ,francisco at present is from #e1jjj to #f1jjj lbs41 which will be increased as the season advances4 #8,the fishing smacks outside the harbour in the vicinity of ,drake's ,bay1 ,punto de los ,reyes1 ,tomales1 and similar points1 as well as other portions of the coast1 are busily engaged in the trade4 #8,this business is becoming every year of greater interest1 and the attention of our legislature has recently been drawn to its proper regulation and protection4 ,a description of the fishes common to these waters1 with an account of their habits1 quality1 and relative value1 would be of great interest4 #8,in addition to salmon there are other varieties of fish deserving more than a passing notice4 ,much difficulty is experienced in classifying them under the proper heads1 and recognizing the species under their various arbitrary names4 ,the sturgeon1 the rock cod1 the mackerel--which1 although it bears some resemblance to the ,atlantic fish is inferior to it in flavour and fatness--the herring1 the smelt1 the sardine1 and other varieties found in our markets1 are all more or less valuable4 ,myriads of sardines abound along the whole southern coast4 ,the ,bay of ,monterey has especially become famous for its abundance of this small but valuable fish4 ,it is a matter of surprise that the taking and preparation of this fish1 which enters so largely into the commerce of the world1 has never been attended to as a source of revenue and profit in this region4 ,the experiment certainly is worth testing4 ,there are doubtless many persons here1 familiar with the trade as practised on the coast of ,france1 whose services might be secured in the business4' ,another ,californian paper1 the ,sacramento ,union1 remarks3--#8,the fishing interest in the ,sacramento at this point is increasing and expanding with astonishing rapidity1 from year to year1 and from month to month4 ,the water of the river must be alive with salmon1 or such numbers caught daily would sensibly reduce their numbers4 ,but experienced fishermen inform us1 while the run lasts1 so countless is the number1 that no matter how many are employed in the business1 or how many are taken daily1 no diminution can be perceived4 ,even the #8tules' between this and the ,coast ,range are reported to be filled with salmon4 ,the run this year is said to be greater than ever before known at this season4 ,the extraordinary run of the present time is only expected to continue for something like three weeks4 ,they seem to run in immense schools1 with some weeks intervening between the appearance of each school1 during which the numbers taken are light1 as compared with the quantity taken during a time like the present4 ,no account is kept of the number engaged in fishing1 or of the amount caught1 and all statements relative thereto are made from estimates obtained from those who have experience in the business1 and probably approximate correctness4 ,these estimates give the number of men employed now in taking fish in the ,sacramento at about #f,,oo--the number of fish taken daily1 on an average1 at #b1jjj--their average weight #ag lbs41 making #cd1jjj lbs4 per day4 ,two cents per lb41 which is probably more than the present average price by the quantity1 would give a daily income to those employed of #fhj dollars1 not very high pay4 ,either the number of men engaged in the business1 we imagine1 must be over estimated1 or the number of fish caught under estimated4 ,it requires two men to man a boat1 which would give #cjj boats for #fjj men3 #b1jjj fish a day would give to each man a fraction over three as his share4 ,we presume few are fishing who do not catch a good many more than that number4 ,we saw a boat-load1 the product of the previous night1 consisting of #ff salmon1 weighed yesterday morning4 ,they averaged a fraction over #ag lbs41 and gave #cc as the number caught by each man1 instead of three1 as estimated above4 ,say the #fjj fishermen man1 on an average1 #bjj boats a night2 the average number caught by each boat put at #bj1 and the sum total would be #d1jjj fish1 instead of #b1jjj1 as estimated4 ,our impression is that the latter comes nearer the mark than the former1 as a good many of the fishermen send their fish directly to ,san ,francisco2 others take them to different points for salting4 ,large numbers are salted down daily1 several firms and individuals being extensively engaged in this branch of the trade4 ,the fish are put down in hogsheads1 which average1 when filled1 about #hjj lbs4 ,from #a1jjj to #c1jjj lbs4 are put down daily by those engaged in salting4 ,an acquaintance has filled #fe hogsheads this season4 ,the most of those engaged in salting live on the ,washington side of the river1 and salt their fish there4 ,including those engaged in salting1 catching1 and selling1 probably the fish business furnishes employment for #a1jjj men4' ,the salmon is found in no other waters in such vast multitudes as are met in the rivers emptying into the ,pacific4 ,on the ,atlantic side1 the leading fish feature is the run of shad in the spring2 on the ,pacific side1 salmon ascend the rivers at all seasons1 in numbers beyond all computation4 ,in ,california and ,oregon1 the rivers are alive with them2 the great number taken by fishermen are but a drop from the bucket4 ,above this1 on the coast side1 tribes of ,indians use no other food4 ,as a table luxury1 they are esteemed by most persons the finest fish caught4 ,unlike many fish1 they contain but few bones1 and the orange-coloured meat can be served in slices to suit customers4 ,it is emphatically the meat for the million2 it costs so little--not a quarter that of other meats--that rich and poor can feast upon salmon as often in the day as they choose to indulge in the luxury4 ,in the course of a few years1 salmon fishing will extend itself to all the prominent rivers in the ,north ,pacific ,states4 ,catching and curing salmon will then have become a systematized business2 the fish consumption will then have extended itself generally over those ,states1 and more than likely become1 in the meantime1 an important article of export4 ,while upon the subject of these fisheries1 it may be added1 that a considerable portion of the ,chinese population1 both at ,san ,francisco and at ,sacramento1 have engaged extensively in this business4 ,in the vicinity of ,mission ,creek1 near the former city1 they have gone into the business upon a large scale4 ,the average #8catch1' each day1 is estimated at about #e1jjj lbs41 for which a ready market is found among the ,chinese population1 at five dollars per cwt4 ,the process of catching1 cleaning1 and curing1 presents a busy and curious scene4 ,sir ,john ,bowring remarks that1 #8,the multitudes of persons who live by the fisheries in ,china afford evidence not only that the land is cultivated to the greatest possible extent1 but that it is insufficient to supply the necessities of the overflowing population2 for agriculture is held in high honour in ,china1 and the husbandman stands next in rank to the sage1 or literary man1 in the social hierarchy4 ,it has been supposed that nearly a tenth of the population derive their means of support from fisheries4 ,hundreds and thousands of boats crowd the whole coasts of ,china--sometimes acting in communities1 sometimes independent and isolated4 ,there is no species of craft by which a fish can be inveigled which is not practised with success in ,china4 ,every variety of net1 from vast seines1 embracing miles1 to the smallest hand-filet in the care of a child4 ,fishing by night and fishing by day--fishing in moonlight1 by torchlight1 and in utter darkness--fishing in boats of all sizes--fishing by those who are stationary on the rock by the seaside1 and by those who are absent for weeks on the wildest of seas--fishing by cormorants--fishing by divers--fishing with lines1 with baskets--by every imaginable decoy and device4 ,there is no river which is not staked to assist the fisherman in his craft4 ,there is no lake1 no pond1 which is not crowded with fish4 ,a piece of water is nearly as valuable as a field of fertile land4 ,at daybreak every city is crowded with sellers of live fish1 who carry their commodity in buckets of water1 saving all they do not sell to be returned to the pond or kept for another day's service4 ,the fishing grounds of ,van ,diemen's ,land are periodically visited by a splendid fish named arbouka1 a well-known piscatory visitant on the coast of ,new ,zealand4 ,great numbers of these beautiful denizens of the deep have been caught1 varying in weight from #fj lbs4 to #ajj lbs4 each4 ,the trumpeter is one of the most magnificent of ,tasmanian fish2 and is unrivalled in the quality of its flesh by any visitant in those waters4 ,a demand has been created for them in ,victoria2 and before long1 a stirring trade will be established between the two colonies in these beautiful fish4 ,the native cooking-oven of ,new ,zealand1 called the unu1 is a very curious contrivance1 and is thus described by ,mr4 ,s4 ,c4 ,brees4 ,it consists of a round hole1 about two or three feet in diameter1 and twelve inches deep1 in which some wood is placed and lighted4 ,large pebble-stones are then thrown on the fire and heated1 which remain at the bottom of the hole after the wood is consumed2 the stones are next arranged1 so as to present a level surface1 and sprinkled with water2 wild cabbage or other leaves are moistened and spread over them1 upon which the food intended to be cooked is laid2 the whole is then covered over with leaves and flax-baskets1 and lastly1 filled over with earth1 which completes the operation4 ,after allowing it to remain a certain time1 according to circumstances1 which the cook determines with the utmost precision1 the oven is opened and the food removed4 ,eels and potatoes are delicious when cooked in this manner1 and every other kind of provision4 ,the seer-fish 7,cybium guttatum7 is generally considered the finest flavoured of the finny race that swims in the ,indian seas2 it has a good deal the flavour of salmon4 ,there are several esteemed fish obtained round ,ceylon4 ,the ,pomfret bull's eye 7,holocentrus ruber7 is found at certain seasons in abundance on the southern coast of ,ceylon1 in deep water4 ,it is greatly esteemed by the natives as an article of food1 and reaches a considerable size1 frequently nearly two feet in length4 ,the flesh is white and solid4 ,for splendour and beauty1 this fish is almost unsurpassed4 ,a fish called by the natives great-fire 7,scorpna volitans7 is eaten by the native fishermen1 the flesh being white1 solid1 and nutritive4 ,linnus describes the flesh as delicious4 ,the pookoorowah 7,holocentrus argenteus7 is a very delicious fish1 seldom exceeding twelve or thirteen inches in length4 ,the gal-handah 7,chtodon araneus71 a singular and much admired fish1 only about three inches in length1 has a delicate and white flesh1 and is greatly esteemed4 ,in ,java and ,sumatra1 a preparation of small fish1 with red-rice1 having the appearance of anchovies1 and the colour of red-cabbage1 is esteemed a delicacy4 ,so in ,india1 the preparation called tamarind fish is much prized as a breakfast relish1 where the acid of the tamarind is made use of for preserving the white pomfret-fish1 cut in transverse slices4 ,the mango-fish 7,polynemus longifilis1 ,cuvier2 ,p4 paradiscus of ,linnus71 about eight or nine inches long by two deep1 is much esteemed in ,india4 ,at ,calcutta the ,lates nobilis1 different species of ,polynemus1 and the ,mugil ,corsula1 daily cover the tables of ,europeans1 who will more readily recognize these fishes under the names of the ,begti or ,cockup1 ,sudjeh1 ,tupsi1 and the ,indian ,mullet4 ,at the ,sandheads may be found some of those delicious fishes1 which are more familiar to the residents of ,madras and ,bombay1 for instance1 the ,indian soles1 the roll-fish1 and above all1 the black and white pomfrets1 and the bummolah1 which latter in a dried state is known by the name of the ,bombay duck4 ,the bummolah is a small glutinous transparent fish1 about the size of smelt4 ,there are many excellent fish obtained from the sea round the ,cape ,colony1 and about #b1ejj tons are shipped annually to the ,mauritius1 forming nearly three fourths of the island consumption2 the principal consumers being the coolie labourers or ,indian population4 ,geelbeck1 or yellow mouth1 sometimes called ,cape salmon 7,otolithus quidens1 ,cuv4 and ,val471 is the finest as to quality2 they are taken abundantly with the hook and line1 or net1 and weigh about #ad lbs4 ,the cost of preparation ready for shipment is about #ab4 ,it forms an article of food for the poor and lazy4 ,the ,malays at the ,cape cure a great deal in vinegar 7for home consumption71 the same as pickled salmon in ,england2 and it is not a bad representative of it4 ,for exportation they are opened down the back1 the intestines taken out1 head cut off1 salted for a night1 and dried in the sun4 ,snook 7,thyrsites atua71 similar to the baraconta1 is a long1 slim1 oily fish1 taken with any shining bait2 it is a perfect salt-water pike1 very strong and ferocious1 and is dispatched1 after being pulled on board1 by blows on the head with a kind of knob-kerrie4 ,these are cured the same way as the geelbeck2 the cost of production is about #af per ton4 ,they are highly prized by the colonists1 and esteemed before any fish imported into ,mauritius1 fetching about #b per ton more than cod4 ,these fish are very fine eating when cured fresh4 ,they are also much esteemed in ,ceylon4 ,the ,malays cure them without salt by drying in the sun1 with a little pepper and spice2 they are then delicious4 ,silver fish 7,dentex argyrozona7 are similar to the bream of ,england2 each weighs from #f to #h lbs4 ,they are got up for shipment the same as the others2 the cost of production is about #aj per ton4 ,they are the least esteemed of any at the ,mauritius market1 but when fresh they are very nice eating4 ,the bastard silver fish 7,d4 rupestris7 is considered one of the very finest fishes in the colony4 ,it is esteemed for foreign markets4 ,harders are a mullet1 about eight inches long1 which are principally cured in small casks in brine1 for up-country use4 ,the ,cape farmers are very fond of them1 but few are exported4 ,they have also mackerel very large1 very fat1 which are better cured than fresh4 ,the ,jacob ,evertsen 7,sebastes capensis71 so called after a ,dutch captain1 remarkable for a red face and large projecting eyes1 is a fish which1 though common in ,table ,bay almost at all seasons1 is highly prized for its flesh by most colonists4 ,another species1 the sancord 7,s4 maculatus71 which is not so common1 is a very delicious fish4 ,the kabeljauw 7,scina hololepidota7 is a large fish from two to three feet long1 common on the coast1 being caught with the hook and the drag-net4 ,it is one of the staple fishes in the ,cape ,town market2 dried and salted like cod it is exported to the ,mauritius and elsewhere4 ,its flesh when young is good1 but firm and dry in adult individuals4 ,the baardmannetje 7,umbrina capensis1 ,pappe71 another newly described fish of the same family1 which is chiefly caught in ,false ,bay during summer1 measures from #b to #b feet1 and is reputed for its delicious flesh4 ,the hangberger 7,sargus ,hottentotus71 a fish about #ah inches long1 which is common in ,table ,bay from ,june to ,august1 is much in request1 particularly at the time when it is with roe4 ,it is also cured and pickled for economical purposes4 ,it feeds on shell fish1 and is caught with the hook4 ,the ,hottentot fish 7,sargus capensis71 from #ab to #ad inches long1 which is mostly confined to ,table ,bay and the ,west ,coast1 may be caught at all seasons with the hook4 ,it is not only a superior table fish1 but forms when salted and dried an article of export4 ,the roode steen brassem of the ,dutch 7,chrysophrys laticeps1 ,cuvier7 is a bulky fish1 often exceeding #c feet in length and #ad inches in breadth4 ,it is very voracious1 and feeds generally on crabs and cuttle fish 7,sepia and ,loligo74 ,as food it is much prized1 and is also cured for exportation4 ,the ,roman fish 7,chrysophrys cristiceps7 is one of the prettiest and most delicious fish met with in the ,cape markets4 ,it is generally acknowledged to be a superior dish4 ,the daggerath 7,pagrus laniarius7 is of a dark rose colour1 about #ab inches long4 ,it is highly prized in the colony for its delicious flesh4 ,this handsome fish owes its surname1 laniarius 7butcher71 both to its colour and to its sharp teeth and voracity4 ,the windtoy 7,cantharus ,blochii7 is a delicious table fish1 more commonly caught in winter1 and often put up in bundles along with the ,hottentot fish 7,sargus capensis74 ,the flesh of the dasje fish1 another species 7,cantharus emarginatus71 is also highly esteemed as food4 ,there is a fish called by the colonists the bamboo fish 7,boops salpa71 from feeding on alg and being caught principally in localities where there is an abundance of sea-weed4 ,on account of its vegetable nourishment1 it exhibits at times a particular smell when embowelled1 and is for that reason called stink-fish by some of the fishermen4 ,it is a rich and delicate fish1 and though scarce in the ,cape ,town market1 is common in ,saldanha ,bay1 where it is dried and salted for home consumption4 ,the flesh of the bastard ,jacob ,evertsen 7,pimelepterus fuscus7 is well flavoured and very nice4 ,this fish is of a uniform dusky brown colour4 ,it feeds on shell-fish4 ,the galleon fish 7,dipterodon capensis7 is more plentiful in the western division of the ,cape ,colony2 it is highly esteemed as food and always fetches a good price4 ,it is1 however1 disliked by some on account of the many black veins traversing its flesh1 and is at times rather unwholesome1 from being too rich and requiring good digestive organs4 ,the elft-fish 7,temnodon saltator7 is uniformly lead coloured1 shaded with dark green on its back4 ,from leaping now and then out of the water it has obtained its name of saltator 7jumper74 ,it is held in great esteem as a table fish1 and the younger individuals are truly deemed a dainty4 ,there are several species of mullet recorded as inhabitants of the bays and rivers of the ,cape ,colony4 ,all of them are caught with the net4 ,they make good table fish1 but are more frequently salted or smoke-dried 7under the name of bokkoms7 like the herring1 and thus preserved1 form a very considerable article of home consumption as well as of export4 ,the klip-fish 7,blennius versicolor1 ,pappe7 is greatly reputed for its flesh1 which is nice1 well flavoured1 and wholesome4 ,the flesh of the bagger 7,bagrus capensis7 is extremely delicate1 and bears a greater resemblance to that of the eel than that of any other sea fish in the colony4 ,owing to its ugliness1 this curious fish1 which hides itself among stones in muddy water the better to entrap its unsuspecting prey1 is from popular prejudice less prized than it deserves4 ,english writers on ,ichthyology comment very unfavourably on the merits of the hake 7,gadus merluccius7 and call it #8a coarse fish1 scarcely fit for the dinner table4' ,at the ,cape its qualities are generally and fully appreciated2 in fact1 its flesh is highly delicate and little inferior to that of the haddock 7,gadus glefinus74 ,at times it makes its appearance in large shoals4 ,it is then abundantly caught1 salted1 and dried1 for exportation4 ,the cured or dried ,cape stock-fish is an excellent dish1 far superior to that insipid stuff introduced from ,holland or other countries4 ,the rock-cod 7,serranus ,cuvierii7 is highly esteemed as an article of food4 ,sardines in myriads swarm round ,table ,bay1 at one season of the year2 klip-fish1 king klip-fish1 and soles 7rather scarce71 are considered a luxury4 ,it is hardly requisite to say much of that cosmopolitan fish1 the sole1 which is for its delicacy prized as well at the ,cape as elsewhere4 ,thousands of cray-fish are caught daily2 four of the largest can be obtained for a penny2 but it is not fashionable to eat them1 although they are very good4 ,the quantity of fish throughout the whole extent of the coast1 bordering on the ,agulha's bank1 is immense1 and would be the richest fishery in the world4 ,exports of sardines in the ,french style1 of potted cray-fish in the ,american1 and the choicest fish preserved fresh in tins1 might be made profitable4 ,i may add here that ,dr4 ,l4 ,pappe1 of ,cape ,town1 to whom ,i am indebted for my information on the ,cape fishes1 has published in the ,colony an interesting synopsis of the edible fishes at the ,cape of ,good ,hope1 in which he furnishes much new and interesting descriptive scientific detail4 ,,insects4 ,insects furnish more food delicacies than is generally supposed4 ,in the popular ,introduction to ,entomology1 by ,kirby and ,spence1 it is well remarked1 that1 #8,if we could lay aside our ,english prejudices1 there is no reason why some of the insects might not be eaten1 for those used by various nations as food1 generally speaking1 live on vegetable substances1 and are consequently much more select and cleanly in their diet than the pig or the duck1 which form a favourite part of our food4 ,they who would turn with disgust from a locust1 or the grub of a beetle1 feel no symptoms of nausea when a lobster1 crab1 or shrimp is set before them4 ,the fact is1 that habit has reconciled us to the eating of these last1 which1 viewed in themselves1 with their threatening claws1 and many feet1 are really more disgusting than the former4 ,had the habit been reversed1 we should have viewed the former with appetite1 and the latter with abhorrence--as do the ,arabs1 who are as much astounded at our eating crabs1 lobsters1 and oysters1 as we are at their eating locusts4' ,herrick1 an old author1 #bjj years ago1 in describing a feast given by ,oberon to the fairy elves1 alludes to the insects as amongst their choicest cates4 #8,gladding his palate with some store ,of emmet's eggs3 what would he more8 ,but beards of mice1 a newt's stewed thigh1 ,a bloated earwig1 and a fly4 ,with the red-capp'd worm that's shut ,within the concave of a nut1 ,brown as his tooth2--a little moth1 ,late fatten'd in a piece of cloth4' ,herrick's ,hesperides1 #afeh4 ,,coleoptera4 ,many larv of insects1 and especially of beetles1 are eaten in different parts of the world4 ,the grub of the palm weevil 7,cordylia palmarum71 which is the size of the thumb1 has long been in request in the ,east and ,west ,indies4 ,the natives of ,surinam roast and eat them as something exquisite4 ,in ,jamaica1 where it is known as the grou-grou worm1 ,i have seen it eaten commonly4 ,a grub named ,macauco is also there in request at the principal tables4 ,it is eaten both by whites and blacks1 who empty1 wash1 and roast them1 and find them delicious4 ,a similar insect is dressed at ,mauritius1 and eaten by all classes4 ,an old writer--,brookes1 ,on the ,properties and ,uses of ,insects1 #aggb1 says--#8,they are eaten by the ,french1 in the ,west ,indies1 after they have been roasted before the fire1 when a small wooden spit has been thrust through them4 ,when they begin to be hot1 they powder them with a crust of rasped bread1 mixed with salt1 and a little pepper and nutmeg4 ,this powder keeps in the fat1 or at least1 sucks it up2 and when they are done enough1 they are served up with orange juice4 ,they are highly esteemed by the ,french1 as excellent eating4' ,the larva1 or grub1 of one of the species of beetles which infest cocoa-nut trees1 is called ,tucuma1 or ,grugou1 in ,british ,guiana4 ,it is about two or three inches long1 and three-quarters of an inch in diameter1 and the head is black4 ,they are reckoned a great delicacy by wood-cutters and epicures of the country1 and they are generally dressed by frying them in a pan4 ,by some they are preferred in a raw state1 and after seizing them by the black head1 they are dipped in lime-juice1 and forthwith swallowed4 ,the late ,mr4 ,j4 ,c4 ,bidwell1 a botanist1 travelling in ,australia1 states--#8,i never before tasted one of the large grubs1 which are a favourite food of the blacks4 ,they are about four inches long1 and about as thick as a finger4 ,they inhabit the wood of the gum-trees4 ,i had often tried to taste one1 but could not manage it4 ,now1 however1 hunger overcame my nausea4 ,it was very good1 but not as ,i had expected to find it--rich2 it was only sweet and milky4' ,sir ,robert ,schomburgk writes3--#8,the decaying woods of the ,west ,india islands1 the ,central and some of the southern portions of ,america1 afford a delicacy to the ,indian1 which many colonists do not even refuse1 in the larv of a large beetle1 which is found in considerable numbers in the pith1 when the trunk is near its decay4 ,the larva1 or grub1 is frequently of the size of the little finger2 and1 after being boiled or roasted1 resembles in its taste beef marrow4 ,the ,indians of ,guiana frequently cut down the ,mauritia palm1 for the purpose of attracting the beetle to deposit its eggs in it1 and when they collect a large quantity1 they are roasted over a slow fire1 to extract the fat1 which is preserved in calabashes4 ,the ,roman epicures fattened some of these larv1 or grubs1 on flour4 ,some naturalists think that the grubs of most of the beetles might be safely eaten2 and that those of the cockchafer1 which feeds upon the roots of grass1 or the perfect insects themselves1 which1 if we may judge from the eagerness with which cats1 and turkeys and other birds devour them1 are no despicable morsel1 might be added to our food delicacies4 ,this would certainly be one means of keeping down the numbers of these occasionally destructive animals4 ,the ,goliath beetles are said to be roasted and eaten by the natives of ,south ,america and ,western ,africa1 and they often make a bonne bouche of splendid insects which would gratify many an entomologist4 ,although the large prices of #cj1 #dj1 or #ej1 which used to be asked for them1 are now very much reduced1 fine specimens of some of the species even now fetch five to six pounds for cabinet specimens4 ,the ,australian aborigines are gourmands in their way1 and able to appreciate the good things which surround them4 ,mr4 ,clement ,hodgkinson in a work on ,australia says3 #8,bellenger ,billy amused me very much by his curious method of diving to the bottom of the river in search of cobberra1 the large white worms resembling boiled maccaroni1 which abound in immersed wood4 ,he swam to the centre of the river with a tomahawk in his hand1 and then breathing hard that his lungs might be collapsed1 he rendered his body and tomahawk specifically heavier than water1 and sank feet foremost to the bottom4 ,after groping about there for some moments1 he emerged on the river's edge1 with several dead pieces of wood1 which he had detached from the mud4 ,although ,i had tasted from curiosity various kinds of snakes1 lizards1 guanas1 grubs1 and other animals which the blacks feed upon1 ,i never could muster resolution enough to try one of these cobberra2 although1 when ,i have been engaged in the survey of salt-water creeks1 and ,i felt hot and thirsty1 ,i have often envied the extreme relish with which some accompanying black could stop and gorge himself with this moist1 living marrow4' ,the women of ,turkey cook and eat a certain beetle 7,blaps sulcata7 in butter to fatten themselves4 ,,orthoptera4 ,in the next order of insects1 the locust tribe1 as they are the greatest destroyers of food1 so1 as some recompense1 they furnish a considerable supply of it to numerous nations4 ,they are recorded to have done this from the most remote antiquity1 some ,ethiopian tribes having been named from this circumstance locust-eaters4 ,the generic name of the locusts1 ,gryllus1 sounds like an invitation to cook them4 ,pliny relates that they were in high esteem as meat amongst the ,parthians4 ,when there is a scarcity of grain1 as a substitute for flour the ,arabs grind locusts in their hand-mills1 or pound them in stone mortars4 ,they mix this flour with water into a dough1 and make thin cakes of it1 which they bake like other bread4 ,they also eat them in another way2 they boil them first a good while in water1 and afterwards stew with oil or butter into a kind of fricasse of no bad flavour4 ,the large kinds of locust are made use of in several quarters as food1 and in the markets of the ,levant fresh and salted locusts are vended4 ,hasselquist tells us1 that when corn is scarce1 the ,arabians grind the locusts in hand-mills1 or pound them in stone mortars1 and bake them as bread2 and that even when there is no scarcity of corn1 the ,arabs stew them with butter and make them into a kind of a fricasse1 the flavour of which is by no means disagreeable4 ,why should land shrimp sauce not be equal to sea shrimp sauce8 ,locusts1 ,cumming tells us1 afford fattening and wholesome food to man1 birds1 and all sorts of beasts4 ,the hungry dogs and hogs feed greedily on them1--so that there are plenty of enemies to prey in time upon these wholesale depredators4 ,young turkeys live almost entirely on them in some parts of ,america1 and become very fat when they are plentiful4 ,hence1 if so many animals thrive upon them1 they must necessarily be dainty food4 ,it is not only by the inhabitants of the ,great ,desert that the locusts are hailed with joy4 ,the ,kafirs also give them a hearty welcome1 and make many a good meal upon them too1--not only eating them in large quantities1 but making a sort of coffee-colored soup of their eggs4 ,locusts are cooked in various ways--roasted1 boiled1 and fried4 ,they are also salted and smoked1 and packed away against a time of scarcity4 ,it is said1 they taste very much like fish1 and are particularly light1 delicate1 and wholesome food4 ,they are carried into many of the towns of ,africa by waggon-loads1 as we bring poultry to market4 ,the ,hottentots are highly rejoiced at the arrival of the locusts in their country1 although they destroy all its verdure1 eating them in such quantities as to get visibly fatter than before1 and making of their eggs a brown or coffee-coloured soup4 ,in the ,mahratta country in ,india1 the common people salt and eat them4 ,this was anciently the custom with many of the ,african nations1 some of whom also smoked them4 ,dishes of locusts are generally served up at the principal tables in ,barbary1 and esteemed a great delicacy4 ,they are preferred by the ,moors to pigeons2 and a person may eat a plateful of #bjj or #cjj without feeling any ill effects4 ,they usually boil them in water half-an-hour1 having thrown away the head1 wings1 and legs1 then sprinkle them with salt and pepper and fry them1 adding a little vinegar4 ,another traveller describes the way they are prepared for food in the desert of ,zahara4--#8,in and about this valley were great flights of locusts4 ,during the day1 they are flying around very thickly in the atmosphere2 but the copious dews and chilly air in the night render them unable to fly1 and they settle down on the bushes4 ,it was the constant employment of the natives in the night to gather these insects from the bushes1 which they did in great quantities4 ,my master's family1 each with a small bag1 went out the first night upon this employment1 carrying a very large bag to bring home the fruits of their labor4 ,my mistress1 ,fatima1 however1 and the two little children1 remained in the tent4 ,i declined this employment1 and retired to rest under the large tent4 ,the next day1 the family returned loaded with locusts1 and1 judging by the eye of the quantity produced1 there must have been about fifteen bushels4 ,this may appear to be a large quantity to be gathered in so short a time1 but it is scarcely worth mentioning when compared with the loads of them gathered1 sometimes1 in the more fertile part of the country over which they pass1 leaving a track of desolation behind them4 ,but as they were the first1 in any considerable quantity1 that ,i had seen1 and the first ,i had seen cooked and eaten1 ,i mention it in this place1 hoping hereafter to give my readers more particular information concerning these wonderful and destructive insects1 which1 from the days of ,moses to this time1 have been considered1 by ,jews and ,mahometans1 as the most severe judgment which ,heaven can inflict upon man4 ,but1 whatever the ,egyptians might have thought in ancient days1 or the ,moors and ,arabs in those of modern date1 the ,arabs who are compelled to inhabit the desert of ,zahara1 so far from considering a flight of locusts as a judgment upon them for their transgressions1 welcome their approach as the means1 sometimes1 of saving them from famishing with hunger4 ,the whole that were brought to the tent at this time were cooked while alive1 as indeed they always are1 for a dead locust is never cooked4 ,the manner of cooking is by digging a deep hole in the ground1 building a fire at the bottom1 as before described1 and filling it up with wood4 ,after it is heated as hot as is possible1 the coals and embers are taken out1 and they prepare to fill the cavity with the locusts1 confined in a large bag4 ,a sufficient number of the natives hold the bag perpendicularly over the hole1 the mouth of it being near the surface of the ground4 ,a number stand round the hole with sticks4 ,the mouth of the bag is then opened1 and it is shaken with great force1 the locusts falling into the hot pit1 and the surrounding natives throwing sand upon them to prevent them from flying off4 ,the mouth of the hole is then covered with sand1 and another fire built upon the top of it4 ,in this manner they cook all they have on hand1 and dig a number of holes sufficient to accomplish it1 each containing about five bushels4 ,they remain in the hole until they become sufficiently cooled to be taken out with the hand4 ,they are then picked out1 and thrown upon tent-cloths or blankets1 and remain in the sun to dry1 where they must be watched with the utmost care to prevent the live locusts from devouring them1 if a flight happens to be passing at the time4 ,when they are perfectly dried1 which is not done short of two or three days1 they are slightly pounded1 and pressed into bags or skins1 ready for transportation4 ,to prepare them to eat1 they are pulverized in mortars1 and mixed with water sufficient to make a kind of dry pudding4 ,they are1 however1 sometimes eaten singly1 without pulverizing1 by breaking off the head1 wings1 and legs1 and swallowing the remaining part4 ,in whatever manner they are eaten1 they are nourishing food4' ,captain ,stockenstrom1 in a paper in the ,south ,african ,journal on these insects1 observes1 #8,not only the locust-bird1 but every animal1 domestic and wild1 contributes to the destruction of the locust swarms2 fowls1 sheep1 horses1 dogs1 antelopes1 and almost every living thing1 may be seen devouring them with equal greediness2 whilst the half-starved ,bushmen1 and even some of the colonial ,hottentots1 consider them a great luxury1 consuming great quantities fresh1 and drying abundance for future emergencies4 ,great havoc is also committed among the locusts by their own kindred2 for as soon as any one of them gets hurt1 or meets with an accident which impedes his progress1 his fellow travellers nearest to him immediately turn upon him1 and devour him with great voracity4' ,mr4 ,moffat 7,missionary ,labours in ,south ,africa7 states--#8,the locusts for food are always caught at night1 when they are at rest1 and carried in sacks to the nearest encampment or village1 to be prepared for keeping4 ,a very small quantity of water is put into a pot1 and the locusts1 piled up to the very brim1 are covered very closely1 so that they are rather steamed than boiled4 ,they are next carefully separated and laid out to dry1 which the heat of an ,arabian or ,african sun does thoroughly and speedily2 after which they are winnowed to get rid of the wings and legs1 when they are laid up in heaps1 or packed in bags of skin for future use4 ,sometimes the dry locusts are beaten into a powder1 of which1 with water and a little salt1 a kind of pottage is made4' ,mr4 ,r4 ,gordon ,cumming1 in the course of his rambles in ,africa1 fell in with swarms of locusts1 and gives interesting accounts respecting them4 ,here are some extracts from his work3-- #8,the next day1 as we crossed a vast plain1 a flight of locusts passed over our heads during upwards of half-an-hour1 flying so thick as to darken the sun4 ,they reached in dark clouds as far as we could see1 and maintained an elevation of from #f to #cjj or #djj feet above the level of the plain4 ,woe to the vegetation of the country on which they alight6 99 99 #8,on the march we crossed a swarm of locusts1 resting for the night on the grass and bushes4 ,they lay so thick that the waggons could have been filled with them in a very short time1 covering the large bushes just as a swarm of young bees covers the branch on which it pitches4 ,locusts afford fattening and wholesome food to man1 birds1 and all sorts of beasts2 cows and horses1 lions1 jackals1 hynas1 antelopes1 elephants1 c41 devour them4 ,we met a party of ,batlapis carrying heavy burdens of them on their backs4 ,our hungry dogs made a fine feast on them4 ,the cold frosty night had rendered them unable to take wing until the sun should restore their powers4 ,as it was difficult to obtain sufficient food for my dogs1 ,i and ,isaac took a large blanket1 which we spread under a bush1 whose branches were bent to the ground with the mass of locusts which covered it1 and having shaken the branches1 in an instant ,i had more locusts than ,i could carry on my back4 ,these we roasted for ourselves and dogs4 ,soon after the sun was up1 on looking behind me1 ,i beheld the locusts stretching to the west in vast clouds1 resembling smoke2 but the wind soon after veering round1 brought them back to us1 and they flew over our heads1 for some time actually darkening the sun4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 #8,the dullness of the scene1 however1 was enlivened by a wondrous flight of locusts1 the largest ,i had ever beheld4 ,the prospect was obscured by them as far as we could see1 resembling the smoke arising from a thousand giant bonfires2 while those above our heads darkened our path with a double flight1 the one next the ground flying north1 while the upper clouds of them held a southerly course4 ,the dogs1 as usual1 made a hearty meal of them4 99 99 99 99 #8,we crossed the ,limpopo1 and having followed it for five miles1 we at length got into a country so densely covered with locusts that the spore was no longer visible4 ,a large herd of elephants had1 during several previous nights1 however1 been there feasting upon these insects4' ,according to ,niebuhr1 the ,arabians distinguish several kinds of locusts1 to which they give separate names4 ,they refer only to the delicacy of its flesh1 and not to the nature of the insect4 ,the red locust is termed ,merrken1 as it is esteemed by the epicures much fatter and more succulent than the light locust1 which is called by them ,dubbe1 because it has a tendency to produce diarrha4 ,the inhabitants of ,arabia1 ,persia1 ,africa1 and ,syria1 are accustomed to eat them4 ,the ,turks have an aversion to this kind of food2 but if the ,europeans express the same1 the ,arabians remind them of their fondness for crabs1 c4 ,this kind of food1 however1 is supposed to thicken the blood1 and produce melancholy4 ,the custom of feeding upon locusts seems more generally diffused than is supposed1 and is not merely confined to ,africa and ,arabia4 ,they are eaten by the ,nanningetes in the ,malay ,peninsula4 ,dampier states that1 on islands near ,timor1 #8,they make also a dish of locusts1 which come at certain seasons to devour their potatoes4 ,they take them with nets1 and broil or bake them in an earthen pan4 ,this dish1' he adds1 #8eats well enough4' ,and the author of ,a ,mission to ,ava speaks of them as a ,burmese dainty4 #8,the most notable viand produced consisted of fried locusts4 ,these were brought in1 hot and hot1 in successive saucers1 and ,i was not sorry to have the opportunity of tasting a dish so famous4 ,they were by no means bad1 much like what we might suppose fried shrimps to be4 ,the inside is removed1 and the cavity stuffed with a little spiced meat4' ,the ,rev4 ,r4 ,sheppard caused some of our large ,english grasshoppers1 or field crickets1 to be cooked in the way here recommended1 only substituting butter for vinegar1 and found them to be excellent food4 ,from these statements it will be seen1 that the locusts which formed part of the sustenance of ,john the ,baptist1 and about which there has been much controversy among learned men1 could be nothing else but the animal locust1 so common a food in the ,east1 and even in ,africa1 to the present day4 ,they are eaten even by the ,north ,american ,indians4 #8,among the choice delicacies with which the ,california ,digger ,indians regale themselves during the summer season1' 7says the ,empire ,county ,argus17 #8is the grasshopper roast4 ,having been an eye witness to the preparation and discussion of one of their feasts of grasshoppers1 we can describe it truthfully4 ,there are districts in ,california1 as well as portions of the plains between ,sierra ,nevada and the ,rocky ,mountains1 that literally swarm with grasshoppers1 and in such astonishing numbers that a man cannot place his foot to the ground1 while walking there1 without crushing great numbers4 ,to the ,indian they are a delicacy1 and are caught and cooked in the following manner3--,a piece of ground is sought where they most abound1 in the centre of which an excavation is made1 large and deep enough to prevent the insect from hopping out when once in4 ,the entire party of diggers1 old and young1 male and female1 then surround as much of the adjoining grounds as they can1 and each with a green bough in hand1 whipping and thrashing on every side1 gradually approach the centre1 driving the insects before them in countless multitudes1 till at last all1 or nearly all1 are secured in the pit4 ,in the meantime1 smaller excavations are made1 answering the purpose of ovens1 in which fires are kindled and kept up till the surrounding earth1 for a short distance1 becomes sufficiently heated1 together with a flat stone1 large enough to cover the oven4 ,the grasshoppers are now taken in coarse bags1 and after being thoroughly soaked in salt water for a few moments1 are emptied into the oven and closed in4 ,ten or fifteen minutes suffice to roast them1 when they are taken out and eaten without further preparation1 and with much apparent relish1 or as is sometimes the case1 reduced to powder and made into soup4 ,and having from curiosity tasted1 not of the soup1 but of the roast1 really1 if one could but divest himself of the idea of eating an insect1 as we do an oyster or shrimp1 without other preparation than simple roasting1 they would not be considered very bad eating1 even by more refined epicures than the ,digger ,indians4' ,,neuroptera4 ,another order of insects contains the so-called white-ant tribe 7,termes71 which1 in return for the mischief it does at certain times1 affords an abundant supply of food to some of the ,african natives4 ,the natives of ,western ,australia pull out the young from the nests at one season of the year and eat them4 ,ducks and fowls also feed greedily on them4 ,in many countries1 the termites1 or white-ants1 serve for food4 ,in some parts of the ,east ,indies1 the natives catch the winged insects1 just before their period of emigration1 in the following manner3--,they make two holes1 the one to the windward1 the other to the leeward2 at the leeward opening1 they place the mouth of a pot1 the inside of which has been previously rubbed with an aromatic herb1 called bugera2 on the windward side1 they make a fire of stinking materials1 which not only drives these insects1 but frequently the hooded snakes also1 into the pots1 on which account they are obliged to be cautious in removing them4 ,by this method1 they catch great quantities1 of which they make1 with flour1 a variety of pastry1 which they can afford to sell very cheap to the poorer ranks of people4 ,when this sort of food is used too abundantly1 it produces1 however1 cholera1 which kills in two or three hours4 ,it also seems that1 in some form or other1 these insects are greedily eaten in other districts4 ,thus1 when after swarming shoals of them fall into the rivers1 the ,africans skim them off the surface with calabashes1 and1 bringing them to their habitations1 parch them in iron pots over a gentle fire1 stirring them about as is usually done in roasting coffee2 in that state1 without sauce or any other addition1 they consider them delicious food1 putting them by handfuls into their mouths1 as we do comfits4#cj #8,i have1' says ,smeathman1 #8eaten them dressed in this way several times1 and think them delicate1 nourishing1 and wholesome4 ,they are something sweeter1 though not so fat and clogging1 as the caterpillar or maggot of the palm-tree snout-beetle 7,curculio palmarum71 which is served up at all the luxurious tables of the ,west ,indian epicures1 particularly of the ,french1 as the greatest dainty of the western world4' ,ants are eaten in many countries4 ,in ,brazil1 the yellow ant1 called cupia1 and a larger species under the name of tama-joura1 are much esteemed1 being eaten by the aborigines mixed with resin for sauce4 ,in ,africa1 they are stewed with butter4 ,ants have really no unpleasant flavour1 but are very agreeably acid4 ,in some parts of ,sweden1 ants are distilled along with rye1 to give a flavour to the inferior kinds of brandy4 ,the large saubas 7red-ants7 and white-ants are an occasional luxury to the ,indians of the ,rio ,negro2 and when nothing else is to be had in the wet season1 they eat large earth-worms1 which1 when the lands in which they live are flooded1 ascend trees1 and take up their abode in the hollow leaves of a species of ,tillandsia1 where they are often found accumulated by thousands4 ,nor is it only hunger that makes them eat these worms1 for they sometimes boil them with their fish to give it an extra relish4#ca ,the cocoons of the wood ant 7popularly and erroneously called ants' eggs7 are collected on the ,continent as food for nightingales and larks4 ,a recent writer tells us1 that in most of the towns in ,germany one or more individuals make a living1 during summer1 by the business4 ,he describes a visit to an old woman at ,dottendorf1 near ,bonn1 who had collected for fourteen years4 ,she went to the woods in the morning1 and collected in a bag the surfaces of a number of ant hills where the cocoons were deposited1 taking ants and all home to her cottage1 near which she had a tiled shed1 covering a circular area1 hollowed out in the centre1 with a trench full of water around it4 ,after covering the hollow in the centre with leafy boughs of walnut or hazel1 she strewed the contents of her bag on the level part of the area within the trench1 when the nurse-ants immediately seized the cocoons and carried them into the hollow under the boughs4 ,the cocoons were thus brought into one place1 and after being from time to time removed1 and the black ones separated by a boy1 who spread them out on a table and swept off what were bad with a strong feather1 they were ready for market1 being sold for about #d;d4 or #f;d4 a quart4 ,considerable quantities of these cocoons are dried for winter food for birds1 and are sold in the shops4 ,humboldt mentions that he saw insects' eggs sold in the markets of ,mexico1 and which are collected on the surface of lakes4 ,under the name of axayacat1 these eggs1 or those of some other species of fly1 deposited on rush mats1 are sold as a caviare in ,mexico4 ,something similar1 found in the pools of the desert of ,fezzan1 serves the ,arabs for food1 having the taste of caviare4 ,in the ,bulletin de la ,socit ,impriale ,zoologique d',acclimation1 ,m4 ,guerin ,mneville has published a very interesting paper on a sort of bread which the ,mexicans make of the eggs of three species of hemipterous insects4 ,according to ,m4 ,craveri1 by whom some of the ,mexican bread1 and of the insects yielding it1 were brought to ,europe1 these insects and their eggs are very common in the fresh waters of the lagunes of ,mexico4 ,the natives cultivate1 in the lagune of ,chalco1 a sort of carex called tout1 on which the insects readily deposit their eggs4 ,numerous bundles of these plants are made1 which are taken to a lagune1 the ,texcuco1 where they float in great numbers in the water4 ,the insects soon come and deposit their eggs on the plants1 and in about a month the bundles are removed from the water1 dried1 and then beaten over a large cloth to separate the myriad of eggs with which the insects had covered them4 ,these eggs are then cleaned and sifted1 put into sacks like flour1 and sold to the people for making a sort of cake or biscuit called #8hautl1' which forms a tolerably good food1 but has a fishy taste1 and is slightly acid4 ,the bundles of carex are replaced in the lake1 and afford a fresh supply of eggs1 which process may be repeated for an indefinite number of times4 ,it appears that these insects have been used from an early period1 for ,thomas ,gage1 a religionist1 who sailed to ,mexico in #afbe1 says1 in speaking of articles sold in the markets1 that they had cakes made of a sort of scum collected from the lakes of ,mexico1 and that this was also sold in other towns4 ,brantz ,mayer1 in his work on ,mexico 7,mexico as it was and as it is1 #ahdd71 says1--#8,on the lake of ,texcuco ,i saw men occupied in collecting the eggs of flies from the surface of plants1 and cloths arranged in long rows as places of resort for the insects4 ,these eggs1 called agayacath' 7,qy4 axayacat71 #8formed a favourite food of the ,indians long before the conquest3 and when made into cakes1 resembles the roe of a fish1 having a similar taste and appearance4 ,after the use of frogs in ,france1 and birdsnests in ,china1 ,i think these eggs may be considered a delicacy1 and ,i found that they are not rejected from the tables of the fashionable inhabitants of the capital4' ,the more recent observations of ,messrs4 ,saussure1 ,sall1 ,virlet ,d',aoust1 c41 have confirmed the facts already stated1 at least1 in the most essential particulars4 #8,the insects which principally produce this animal farinha of ,mexico1 are two species of the genus ,corixa of ,geoffroy1 hemipterous insects of the family of water-bugs4 ,one of the species has been described by ,m4 ,guerin ,mneville as new1 and has been named by him ,corixa fermorata3 the other1 identified in #ahca by ,thomas ,say as one of those sold in the market at ,mexico1 bears the name of ,corixa mercenaria4 ,the eggs of these two species are attached in innumerable quantities to the triangular leaves of the carex forming the bundles which are deposited in the waters4 ,they are of an oval form with a protuberance at one end and a pedicle at the other extremity1 by means of which they are fixed to a small round disc1 which the mother cements to the leaf4 ,among these eggs1 which are grouped closely together1 and sometimes fixed one over another1 there are found others1 which are larger1 of a long and cylindrical form1 and which are fixed to the same leaves4 ,these belong to another larger insect1 a species of ,notonecta1 which ,m4 ,guerin ,mneville has named ,notonecta unifasciata4'#cb ,it appears from ,m4 ,virlet d',aoust1 that in ,october the lakes ,chalco and ,texcuco1 which border on the city of ,mexico1 are haunted by millions of small flies1 which1 after dancing in the air1 plunge down into the shallowest parts of the water1 to the depth of several feet1 and deposit their eggs at the bottom4 #8,the eggs of these insects are called hautle 7haoutle71 by the ,mexican ,indians1 who collect them in great numbers1 and with whom they appear to be a favourite article of food4 #8,they are prepared in various ways1 but usually made into cakes1 which are eaten with a sauce flavoured with chillies4 ,to collect the eggs the ,indians prepare bundles of rushes1 which they place vertically in the lake at some distance from the shore4 ,in about a fortnight1 every rush in these bundles is completely covered with eggs4 ,the bundles are then drawn out and dried in the sun upon a cloth for not more than an hour1 when the eggs are easily detached4 ,the bundles of rushes are then placed in the water again for another crop4'#cc ,mr4 ,ruschenberger1 the surgeon to the ,american expedition to ,siam1 in describing a state feast given to the officers1 states that the dinner was remarkable for the variety and exquisite flavour of the curries4 ,among them was one consisting of ants' eggs1 a costly and much esteemed luxury of ,siam4 ,they are not larger than grains of sand1 and to a palate unaccustomed to them1 are not particularly savory4 ,they are almost tasteless4 ,besides being curried1 they are brought to the table rolled in green leaves1 mingled with shreds or very fine slices of fat pork4 ,here was seen an ever-to-be-remembered luxury of the ,east4 ,,hymenoptera4 ,it would hardly be suspected that bees serve for food in ,ceylon and some other places1--an ungrateful return for their honey and wax4 ,the ,african ,bushmen eat the caterpillars of the butterflies4 ,the ,chinese1 who waste nothing1 after they have unwound the silk from the cocoons of the silk-worm1 send the chrysalis to table4 ,they also eat the larv of a hawk-moth1 some of which tribe1 ,dr4 ,darwin tells us1 are1 in his opinion1 very delicious4 ,the natives of ,new ,holland eat the caterpillars of a species of moth1 and also a kind of butterfly1 which they call bugong1 which congregate in certain districts1 at particular seasons1 in countless myriads4 ,on these occasions1 the native blacks assemble from far and near to collect them2 and after removing the wings and down1 by stirring them on the ground1 previously heated by a large fire1 winnowing them1 eat the bodies1 or store them up for use1 by pounding and smoking them4 ,the bodies of these butterflies abound in an oil1 with the taste of nuts2 when first eaten1 they produce violent vomitings and other debilitating effects2 but these go off after a few days1 and the natives then thrive and fatten exceedingly on this diet1 for which they have to contend with a black crow1 which is also attracted by the butterflies1 and which they dispatch with their clubs1 and use as food4 ,two insects1 a kind of butterfly1 and a thick1 white grub1 found chiefly in dead timber1 are much esteemed by the aborigines of ,australia as articles of food4 ,the former is eaten at certain seasons by whole tribes of natives in the northern districts4 ,their practice is to follow up the flight of the insects1 and to light fires at night-fall beneath the trees in which they have roosted4 ,the smoke brings the butterflies down1 and their bodies are pounded together into a sort of fleshy loaf4 ,upon this delicacy the natives not only feed1 but fatten4 ,the white grub is swallowed whole in his living state1 and is much sought for by sable epicures4 ,in ,india1 and in ,south ,america1 these grubs are also eaten as a dainty4 ,the trunk of the grass-tree1 or black-boy 7,xanthorea arborea71 when beginning to decay1 furnishes large quantities of marrow-like grubs1 which are considered a delicacy by the aborigines in ,western ,australia4 ,they have a fragrant1 aromatic flavour1 and form a favourite food among the natives1 either raw or roasted4 ,they call them bardi--and they are also found in the wattle tree1 or mimosa4 ,the presence of these grubs in a xanthorea is thus ascertained3 if the top of one of these trees is observed to be dead1 and it contain any bardi1 a few sharp kicks given to it with the foot will cause it to crack and shake1 when it is pushed over and the grub extracted1 by breaking the tree to pieces with a hammer4 ,the bardi of the xanthorea are small1 and found together in great numbers2 those of the wattle are cream coloured1 as long and thick as a man's finger1 and are found singly4 ,the excrement of the latter oozes from under the bark1 of the appearance and consistence of clear gum4 ,the galls formed on several species of sage by gall flies1 in the ,levant1 are highly prized for their aromatic and acid flavour1 especially when prepared with sugar4 ,they constitute1 in fact1 a considerable article of commerce from ,scio to ,constantinople1 where they are regularly sold in the market4 ,they are known as sage apples1 and in ,greece are made into a kind of conserve1 which is highly esteemed4 ,,hemiptera4 ,coming to another order of insects1 the cicada1 or chirping flies1 we find that these were eaten by the polished ,greeks1 and accounted very delicious4 ,they were caught1 strung1 sold1 and greedily devoured2 and especially the females were relished on account of their white eggs4 ,one species1 a very long-lived one1 which1 if spared1 lives to the age of #ag years1 is still eaten by the ,indians of ,america1 who pluck off the wings and boil them4 ,the aborigines of ,australia eat them raw1 after stripping off the wings4 ,the #ag-year locusts1 while in an underground grub state1 are a favourite food of various species of animals4 ,immense numbers are destroyed by hogs before they emerge from the ground2 they are also1 when in their perfect state1 eagerly devoured by chickens1 squirrels1 and many of the larger birds4 ,the ,indians likewise consider them a delicate food when fried2 and in ,new ,jersey they have been turned to a profitable account in making soap4 ,no insects are more numerous with us than caterpillars1 and sad havoc they occasionally commit among our cabbages and cauliflowers4 ,now we generally make wry faces1 when a stray one is served up with our greens1 and the cook is severely taken to task2 but these are reckoned among the chief delicacies of an ,african ,bushman's meal4 ,the ,hottentots eat them boiled and raw1 and soon get into good condition on this food4 ,they bring large calabashes full of them to their habitations1 and parch them in iron pots over a gentle fire1 stirring them about as is done in roasting coffee4 ,in that state1 without sauce or other addition1 they serve them up as delicious food1 and eat them by handfuls1 as we do sugar-plums4 ,one traveller tells us he has eaten them dressed in this way several times1 and thought them delicate1 nourishing1 and wholesome1 being sweeter than the grub of the weevil of the palm1 and resembling in taste sugared cream or sweet almond paste4 ,,arachnida4 ,what will be said to spiders as food8 ,but these form an article in the list of the ,bushman's dainties in ,south ,africa1 according to ,sparrman2 and the inhabitants of ,new ,caledonia1 ,labillardiere tells us1 seek for1 and eat with avidity1 large quantities of a spider nearly an inch long1 which they roast over the fire4 ,even individuals amongst the more polished nations of ,europe are recorded as having a similar taste2 so that if you could rise above vulgar prejudices1 you would in all probability find them a most delicate morsel4 ,if you require precedents1 ,reaumur tells us of a young lady1 who1 when she walked in her grounds1 never saw a spider that she did not take and crunch upon the spot4 ,another female1 the celebrated ,anna ,maria ,schurman1 used to eat them like nuts1 which she affirmed they much resembled in taste1 excusing her propensity by saying that she was born under the sign ,scorpio4 ,if you wish for the authority of the learned3 ,lalande1 the celebrated ,french astronomer1 was equally fond of these delicacies1 according to ,latreille4 ,and if1 not content with eating spiders seriatim1 you should feel desirous of eating them by handfuls1 you may shelter yourself under the authority of the ,german immortalized by ,rosel1 who used to spread them upon bread like butter1 observing that he found them very useful4#cd ,these edible spiders1 and such like1 are all sufficiently disgusting1 but we feel our nausea quite turned into horror when we read in ,humboldt1 that he has seen the ,indian children drag out of the earth centipedes #ah inches long1 and more than half an inch broad1 and devour them4 ,,crustacea4 ,the flesh of all crustaceous animals1 although in great request1 is rather difficult of digestion2 and much of it cannot be eaten with impunity4 ,there are classes of persons who are as averse to use shell-fish for food1 as a ,mahommedan or ,mussulman are to partake of pork4 ,it is therefore curious to reflect how1 and where1 the thousands of tons of crustacea and shell-fish taken to ,billingsgate and ,hungerford markets are disposed of4 ,lobsters1 cray-fish1 prawns1 shrimps1 oysters1 mussels1 periwinkles1 and whelks1 are there every morning in great abundance1 and the high retail prices they fetch1 show that this description of food must be well relished by the ,londoners4 ,the land crabs of the ,west ,indies are an esteemed delicacy1 and the ravenous pigs feed on them with equal avidity to the great danger of their health4 ,i need not here advert to the migratory habits of the crabs1 to their uniting at certain periods in vast numbers1 and moving in the most direct course to the sea1 marching in squadrons and lines1 and halting twice a-day for feeding and repose4 ,these movements may often be seen in ,jamaica1 and other ,west ,indian islands1 where millions on millions string themselves along the coast on progresses from the hills to the sea1 and from the sea to the hills4 ,the reader of ,bishop ,heber's ,indian ,journal will remember his account of the land crabs at ,poonah4 #8,all the grass land generally through the ,deckan swarms with a small land crab1 which burrows in the ground1 and runs with considerable swiftness1 even when encumbered with a bundle of food almost as big as itself4 ,this food is grass or the green stalks of rice2 and it is amusing to see them sitting as it were upright1 to cut their hay with their sharp pincers1 then waddling off with the sheaf to their holes as quietly as their side-long pace will carry them4' ,this is not the same land crab of which we are speaking1 but it is a graphic picture of the ,gecarcina ruricola1 in its habit of feeding4 ,they cut up roots and leaves1 and feed on the fallen fruit of trees2 but we have little more than conjecture for the cause of their occasional deleterious qualities4 ,impressed with the notion that the crabs owe their hurtful qualities to the fruit of the manchineel tree1 ,sloane imagined that he had explained the fatal accidents which have occurred to some persons after eating them1 from neglect1 or inattentiveness to precaution in cleaning their interior and removing the half digested particles of the fruit4 ,it has been ascertained that they feed on such dangerous vegetables of the morass as the ,anona palustris1 a fruit exceedingly narcotic4 ,it is well enough known that the morass crab is always to be suspected4 ,the land crabs1 however1 collect leaves less for food than to envelop themselves in1 when they moult4 ,after concealment for a time within their burrows1 they come forth in those thin teguments forming a red tense pellicle1 similar to wet parchment1 and are more delicate in that condition1 and more prized for the table4 ,the white crabs are the most bulky of the tribe1 and are the least esteemed1 and the most mistrusted4 ,land-crabs1 says a ,jamaica paper1 of ,march last1 are to be seen on the highways between this1 ,montego ,bay1 and ,gum ,island1 just like bands of soldiers1 marching to a battle-point of concentration4 ,this bids fair to supply the epicure1 at an easy rate1 with this class of crustacea4 ,it is one of the most remarkable1 for it is composed of animals breathing by means of branchi or gills1 and yet essentially terrestrial2 so much so1 indeed1 that they would perish from asphyxia if submerged for any length of time4 ,i select ,browne's account of the habits of the black or mountain crab1 because he resided many years in ,jamaica1 and seems to have lost no opportunity of making personal observations2 and his remarks tally with my own experience1 from three years' residence in ,jamaica4 #8,these creatures are very numerous in some parts of ,jamaica1 as well as in the neighbouring islands1 and on the coast of the main continent2 they are generally of a dark purple colour1 but this often varies1 and you frequently find them spotted1 or entirely of another hue4 ,they live chiefly on dry land1 and at a considerable distance from the sea1 which1 however1 they visit once a year to wash off their spawn1 and afterwards return to the woods and higher lands1 where they continue for the remaining part of the season2 nor do the young ones ever fail to follow them1 as soon as they are able to crawl4 ,the old crabs generally regain their habitations in the mountains1 which are seldom within less than a mile1 and not often above three from the shore1 by the latter end of ,june1 and then provide themselves with convenient burrows1 in which they pass the greatest part of the day1 going out only at night to feed4 ,in ,december and ,january they begin to be in spawn1 and are then very fat and delicate1 but continue to grow richer until the month of ,may1 which is the season for them to wash off their eggs4 ,they begin to move down in ,february1 and are very much abroad in ,march and ,april1 which seems to be the time for the impregnation of their eggs1 being then frequently found fixed together2 but the males1 about this time1 begin to lose their flavour and richness of their juices4 ,the eggs are discharged from the body through two small round holes situated at the sides1 and about the middle of the under shell2 these are only large enough to admit one at a time1 and as they pass they are entangled in the branched capillaments1 with which the under side of the apron is copiously supplied1 to which they stick by the means of their proper gluten1 until the creatures reach the surf1 where they wash them all off1 and then they begin to return back again to the mountains4 ,it is remarkable that the bag or stomach of this creature changes its juices with the state of the body2 and while poor is full of a black1 bitter1 disagreeable fluid1 which diminishes as it fattens1 and at length acquires a delicate1 rich flavour4 ,about the month of ,july or ,august1 the crabs fatten again and prepare for moulting1 filling up their burrows with dry grass1 leaves1 and abundance of other materials3 when the proper period comes1 each retires to his hole1 shuts up the passage1 and remains quite inactive until he gets rid of his old shell1 and is fully provided with a new one4 ,how long they continue in this state is uncertain1 but the shell is observed to burst1 both at the back and sides1 to give a passage to the body1 and it extracts its limbs from all the other parts gradually afterwards4 ,at this time1 the fish is in the richest state1 and covered only with a tender membraneous skin1 variegated with a multitude of reddish veins2 but this hardens gradually after1 and becomes soon a perfect shell like the former2 it is1 however1 remarkable1 that during this change1 there are some stony concretions always formed in the bag1 which waste and dissolve gradually1 as the creature forms and perfects its new crust4 ,a wonderful mechanism6 ,this crab runs very fast1 and always endeavours to get into some hole or crevice on the approach of danger2 nor does it wholly depend on its art and swiftness1 for while it retreats it keeps both claws expanded1 ready to catch the offender if he should come within its reach2 and if it succeeds on these occasions1 it commonly throws off the claw1 which continues to squeeze with incredible force for near a minute after2 while he1 regardless of the loss1 endeavours to make his escape1 and to gain a more secure or a more lonely covert1 contented to renew his limb with his coat at the ensuing change2 nor would it grudge to lose many of the others to preserve the trunk entire1 though each comes off with more labour and reluctance1 as their numbers lessen4' ,there are several varieties of land crabs1 such as the large white1 the mulatto1 the black1 and the red4 ,the black and red crabs are most excellent eating3 when in season1 the females are full of a rich glutinous substance1 called the eggs1 which is perfectly delicious4 ,epicurean planters1 in some of the ,west ,indian ,islands1 have crab pens1 7after the manner of fowl coops17 for fattening these luxuries4 ,the best manner of dressing them is to pick out all the flesh from the shell1 making it into a stew1 with plenty of cayenne pepper1 dishing it up in the shell2 in this way they are little inferior to turtle4 ,they are usually simply boiled1 or roasted in the embers1 by which they are deprived of their luscious flavour1 and become not only insipid in taste but disgusting to look at4 ,in ,dominica1 they form an ingredient in the well-known #8pepper-pot4' ,the black crabs are also picked from their shell1 stewed with ,indian kale and pods of chilhies1 and eaten with a pudding made of maize flour or rice2 this dish is greatly esteemed by most of the inhabitants4 ,in the islands and cays of the ,bahamas group1 land crabs literally swarm1 and afford food for the inhabitants the greatest part of the year3 even the hogs are fed upon them4 ,it is the grey or white kind of crab1 common to ,cuba and the ,bahamas4 ,in the autumn they are very fat1 and equal in flavour to the black species of ,jamaica4 ,they are found in myriads in all parts1 and thought a great delicacy2 but a stranger tires of them in a few weeks4 ,the black crab is very fat and delicious2 but the white and the mulatto crabs are sometimes dangerous1 from feeding upon poisonous leaves and berries4 ,to prevent any evil consequences1 the flesh is washed with lime-juice and water4 ,land crabs were probably plentiful in ,italy1 in the time of ,virgil1 for in his ,fourth ,georgic he forbids the roasting of red crabs near an apiary1 the smell of them being disagreeable to the bees4 ,there is a species of fresh-water crab1 the mason 7,cancer cementarius71 met with in ,chile1 the flesh of which is very white1 and represented to be preferable to that of any other species of fluvial or marine crab4 ,it is about eight inches long1 of a brown colour1 striped with red4 ,they are found in abundance in almost all the rivers and brooks1 on whose shores they build themselves1 with clay1 a small cylindrical tenement which rises six inches above the surface of the ground1 but admits the water1 by means of a subterranean canal extending to the bed of the river4 ,they are easily caught1 by letting down into the water a basket1 or osier-pot1 with a piece of meat in it4 ,that well-known crustacean1 or #8shell-fish' as it is popularly termed1--the lobster 7,astacus gammarus71 although it is no fish at all1 is found in great plenty about most of the ,european and ,american shores1 and greatly esteemed as a very rich and nourishing aliment4 ,in this country lobsters are considered in season from ,november till the end of ,april4 ,they are not allowed to be caught on the coasts of ,scotland between the #ast of ,june and the #ast of ,september1 under a penalty of #e4 ,lobsters must not be offered for sale in this country under eight inches in length4 ,like the crab1 the lobster casts its shell annually4 ,it begins to breed in the spring1 and continues breeding during the greater part of the summer4 ,lobsters are occasionally caught on the shores and in the neighbourhood of rocks1 which they frequent1 by the hand2 but they are usually trapped in baskets1 or pots made of osier-twigs1 which are baited with garbage1 and thrown into the sea1 the situation being marked by a buoy of cork4 ,lobsters are very abundant about ,scilly and the ,land's ,end1 and near ,montrose in ,scotland4 ,in the ,orkney and ,shetland ,islands1 the value of the lobsters caught in #ahcc was #a1hjj1 which gave employment to #baf boats1 and about #ejj men4 ,they are sent principally to ,leith4 ,those caught near ,heligoland are esteemed the most delicate4 ,the largest fishery for these crustaceans is on the coasts of ,norway1 from whence we import more than a million a year4 ,upwards of half-a-million are caught on the shores of ,scotland and ,ireland4 ,lobsters are found almost everywhere on the ,north ,american coasts1 and in the ,bay of ,chaleur1 in such extraordinary numbers1 that they are used by thousands to manure the land4 ,mr4 ,perley1 in his ,report on the ,sea and ,river ,fisheries of ,new ,brunswick1 states1 #8,that at ,shippagan and ,caraquette1 carts are sometimes driven down to the beaches at low water1 and readily filled with lobsters left in the shallow pools by the recession of the tide4 ,every potato field near the places mentioned is strewn with lobster shells1 each potato hill being furnished with two or three lobsters4 #8,within a few years1' he adds1 #8one establishment has been set up on ,portage ,island1 at the mouth of the ,river ,miramachi1 and another at the mouth of the ,kouchibouguac ,river1 for putting up lobsters1 in tin cases1 hermetically sealed for exportation4 ,in #ahde1 no less than #ac1jjj cases of lobsters and salmon were thus put up at ,portage ,island4 ,in #ahdg1 nearly #aj1jjj cases of lobsters1 each case containing the choicest parts of two or three lobsters1 and one-and-a-half tons of fresh salmon in #b-lb4 and #d-lb4 cases1 were put up at ,kouchibouguac4 ,the preservation of lobsters in this manner need only be restricted by the demand1 for the supply is unlimited4 ,the price paid for lobsters1 at the establishment on ,portage ,island1 is #bs4 per #ajj4 ,they are all taken in small hoop nets1 chiefly by the ,acadian ,french of the ,neguac villages1 who1 at the price stated1 could with reasonable diligence1 make #a each in the #bd hours2 but as they are somewhat idle and easily contented1 they rarely exert themselves to earn more than #ajs4 per day1 which they can generally obtain by eight or ten hours' attention to their hoop nets4 #8,in #ahdh1 about #d1jjj lbs4 of lobsters were put up at ,portage ,island in #a-lb4 or #b-lb4 tin cases4 ,the quantity preserved was much less than usual1 owing to the prevalence of cholera in the ,united ,states1 and the consequent want of a market there4 ,one ,frenchman had1 unassisted1 caught #a1bjj lobsters in part of one day4 ,about #be men are employed at this preserving establishment during the season4 #8,mr4 ,woolner has a small but very complete establishment for preserving lobsters1 at ,petit ,rocher1 in the ,bay of ,chaleur4 ,in the season of #ahdi1 he only put up a small quantity1 #b1jjj lbs41 in tins4 ,he purchases from the settlers the white part of the lobsters1 boiled and free from shell1 at #b;d4 per lb41 which is salted in plain pickle1 and packed in barrels1 for sale at ,quebec4 ,he shipped last year #aa1jjj lbs4 of salted lobsters4' ,next to timber1 lobsters form one of the greatest articles of ,norwegian export4 ,on the rocky shores of ,christiansand1 they are found in greater numbers than in any other part of the world2 and from ,bergen1 which lies farther to the north1 as many as #bfj1jjj pairs have been exported in one year4 ,mr4 ,j4 ,e4 ,saunders1 of ,billingsgate1 into whose hands almost the entire trade of these crustaceans has fallen1 often sells #ae1jjj lobsters before breakfast of a morning2 and in the height of the season1 the sale not unfrequently amounts to #cj1jjj4 ,they are sent in great numbers from ,scotland to the markets of ,london1 ,liverpool1 and ,birmingham--#fj or #gj large boxes of them being transmitted at a time by train4 ,our fishermen1 it is true1 take them occasionally in pots round the coast1 but no systematic fishery is carried on for them4 ,a company was recently formed at ,berwick to import them alive1 in welled smacks1 from the coast of ,norway4 ,they are also brought into ,southampton from ,brittany and ,ireland in welled smacks1 which carry from #g1jjj to #h1jjj each4 #8,lobster-carrying is subject to the following contingencies3--,thunder kills them when in the well2 also proximity to the discharge of heavy ordnance4 ,mr4 ,scovell lost several thousand from the latter cause1 one of his smacks having anchored at night too near the saluting-battery at ,plymouth4 ,calms also destroy the lobsters in the well1 but onward or pitching motion in a seaway does not affect them4 ,they keep alive one month in the well without food4'#ce ,an artificial pond1 or saltern1 has been formed at ,hamble1 in the ,southampton water1 for keeping lobsters alive in4 ,it is about #ej yards square1 by #aj to #ab feet deep1 with shelving sides of brick or stone and cement1 and a concrete bottom1 having a lock or weir at the entrance1 for the admission and exit of salt water at the bottom 7the ,hamble being a fresh-water stream74 ,this pond cost about #ac1jjj4 ,the lobsters are fed on fish1 and fatten4 ,sometimes there are as many as #gj1jjj lobsters in this pond4 ,all weak lobsters are kept in baskets and sold first4 ,even here1 however1 their cannibal-like propensities are not extinguished2 for the powerful make war upon1 and incorporate into their own natures1 the weak4 ,there are feeders and keepers employed at the saltern1 who1 with long poles1 hooked at the end1 drag out the fish as they are wanted for the market from their marine menagerie4 ,the instant the pole touches a fish1 the latter grasps it savagely with its claws1 and does not loose its hold until it is on terra firma4 ,when large quantities are required1 the pond is drained4 ,these shell-fish are enormous creatures1 the body with the claws being as long as a man's arm4 ,as the lobsters and cray-fish climb nimbly up the sides of the watery caravan1 they look like a collection of purple-coloured monkeys or stunted baboons2 and there is something frightful in the appearance and noiselessness of these chatterless simi1 climbing about their liquid den1 and approaching the surface to look at the spectator4 ,they are sent to the metropolis in hampers1 packed in fern in winter and in ice in summer4 ,the ,americans in the large cities and inland towns seem to be as fond of lobster salads and curries as we ,britishers are2 and it is estimated1 that there are annually consumed in and about ,boston1 #gjj1jjj lobsters1 the prime cost of which is #af per #a1jjj4 ,this makes the snug little sum of #aa1bjj4 #ejj1jjj of the lobsters come from the ,state of ,maine1 and the remaining #bjj1jjj are taken from ,massachusetts ,bay4 ,about #gjj men are engaged in catching the lobsters1 and some #hjj tons of shipping in carrying them to ,boston1 exclusive of what are conveyed by steamboat and railroad4 ,here is a poetical narrative1 of ,american origin1 bearing upon this crustacean3-- ,,the ,,lobster4 ,whereby hangeth a tayle1 and eke a moral4 ,a ,doctor and a ,lawyer1 went together merrily1 ,adown the ,north-west ,arm to take a dip into the sea4 ,arrived1 the ,doctor coolly took a rather #8heavy wet1' ,a ,lobster just as coolly took the ,doctor by the feet4 ,he1 careful man1 his health and wind most prudently had heeded1 ,and little thought that either toe an amputation needed2 ,he felt the ,lobster on his skill most cuttingly reflected1 ,and to his surgical attempt decidedly objected4 ,with ready forceps1 tooth and nail1 the lobster set to work-- ,while all in vain the ,doctor tried to baulk him by a jerk4 #8,midst present pain his anxious thoughts began afar to roam1 ,on forceps1 scalpels1 lancets1 knives1 and stout probangs at home4 ,but1 lacking these1 the foe to face1 he felt somehow afraid1 ,and therefore lustily he called the ,lawyer to his aid4 ,he1 cunning man1 well versed in quirks and quibbles of the law1 ,sagaciously searched how to find in ,lobster's claim a flaw4 ,the claim of tenure to rebut1 at once1 he vainly sought2 ,possession was nine points1 he knew1 and so the ,lobster thought4 ,he saw the lobster quite secure within his own domain1 ,and to entice him thence began to work his ready brain4 ,one foot the ,doctor yet had free1 and this1 with shuffling gait1 ,he offered to the other claw--a very tempting bait4 ,but1 gently moving back1 he 'scaped the meditated nip1 ,and shoreward still1 with toe outstretched1 most cannily did skip4 ,at length from his domain withdrawn1 the ,lobster gasps for air1 ,and vainly strives to battle with this wise confederate pair4 ,the ,lawyer charged him with assault1 and quick a claim put in1 ,that for the same the damages be laid upon his skin4 ,attachment writ at once he took1 upon the offending claws2 ,and moved he should be boiled alive1 in vengeance for the laws4 ,the ,lobster in his mute amaze1 allowed that clause to pass2 ,nor had the foresight to exclaim #8,produce your capias6' ,so borne along all bodily1 and sore against his will1 ,the ,lobster proved the heavy weight1 of more than lobster's ill4 ,for they not only boiled but ate1 his body1 claws and all2 ,and most provokingly enjoyed the inglorious festival4 ,they cracked his shell1 and cracked their jokes--pulled off that leg and this-- ,forgetful all of #8,nil nisi bonum de mortuis4' ,now hence be warned1 ye bustling men1 and in your projects pause-- ,beware into your neighbour's pot1 how you thrust in your claws4 ,ye busy wights6 reflect ye how this luckless ,lobster got1 ,by injudicious meddling1 from cold water into hot4 ,to tread upon another's toes1 ,i pray be not too bold-- ,but when you're in cold water1 try to keep the water cold4 ,lord ,anson mentions having caught cray-fish at ,juan ,fernandez of eight and nine lbs4 weight1 that were of an excellent flavour4 ,lobsters are also found in such quantities on the same island1 that the fishermen have no other trouble to take them than to strew a little meat upon the shore1 and when they come to devour the bait1 as they do in immense numbers1 to turn them on their backs with a stick4 ,this is gravely asserted by the ,abb ,molina1 in his ,history of ,chile1 so ,i suppose it must be true4 ,turning a turtle is a common practice1 but ,i should think it somewhat difficult to get a lobster on its back4 ,by this simple method thousands of lobsters are taken annually2 and the tails1 which are in high estimation1 dried and sent to ,valparaiso4 ,a late traveller1 in his ,life in ,china1 describes a very peculiar dish3--#8,when our party of six had seated themselves at the centre table1 my attention1' he says1 #8was attracted by a covered dish1 something unusual at a ,chinese meal4 ,on a certain signal1 the cover was removed2 and presently the face of the table was covered with juvenile crabs1 which made their exodus from the dish with all possible rapidity4 ,the crablets had been thrown into a plate of vinegar just as the company sat down--such an immersion making them more brisk and lively than usual4 ,but the sprightly sport of the infant crabs was soon checked1 by each guest seizing which he could1 dashing it into his mouth1 crushing it between his teeth1 and swallowing the whole morsel without ceremony4 ,determined to do as the ,chinese did1 ,i tried this novelty also with one--with two4 ,i succeeded1 finding the shell soft and gelatinous1 for they were tiny creatures1 not more than a day or two old4 ,but ,i was compelled to give in to the third1 which had resolved to take vengeance1 and gave my lower lip a nip so sharp and severe1 as to make me relinquish my hold1 and likewise desist from any further experiments of this nature4' ,shrimps 7,crangon vulgaris7 and prawns 7,palmon serratus7 frequent shallow waters along the sandy coasts of the ,british ,islands1 of ,america1 ,europe1 and indeed most countries4 ,besides furnishing nutriment to great numbers of fish1 aquatic birds1 c41 they are in great request in ,england for the table--the consumption in ,london alone being enormous4 ,in #ahej1 #aib1bie gallons were received and sold at ,billingsgate ,market1 weighing #hge tons1 and valued at #f1jjj4 ,in the ,sandwich ,islands1 shrimps are eaten alive as a bonne bouche1 with salad and vinegar2 but we prefer them in this country boiled4 ,shrimping by the dredge net1 or sweep net1 affords abundant employment to numerous persons4 ,on the ,north ,american coasts shrimps are more plentiful than on the ,european shores4 ,at times1 the waters of the ,straits of ,northumberland appear as if thickened with masses of shrimps moving about1 their course being plainly indicated by the fish of all descriptions which follow in their wake1 and feed upon them greedily4 ,potted shrimps are considered a dainty1 and meet ready sale in the metropolis as a breakfast relish4 ,those bons vivants who are fond of these delicious small fry1 will no doubt eat them with an increased relish after reading the following paragraph3-- #8,the office of shrimps seems to be that analogous to some of the insects on land1 whose task is to clear away the remains of dead animal matter after the beasts and birds of prey have been satiated4 ,if a dead small bird or frog be placed where ants can have access to it1 those insects will speedily reduce the body to a closely cleared skeleton4 ,the shrimp family1 acting in hosts1 as speedily remove all traces of fish or flesh from the bones of any dead animal exposed to their ravages4 ,they are1 in short1 the principal scavengers of the ocean2 and1 notwithstanding their office1 they are highly prized as nutritious and delicious food4' #8,amongst the shell-fish tribe1' says a writer in the ,caledonian ,mercury1 #8the prawn is considered the most delicious1 and of course is the most costly4 ,prawn-fish1 which are about double or three times the size of a shrimp1 are in general sold at the rate of #as4 per dozen4 ,this high price may be owing to their scarcity1 in comparison with the quantity of shrimps sent to market1 with a view to give prawn-fishers encouragement to prosecute the trade4 ,the prawn-fish are not what many people suppose1 #8only shrimps of a larger size4' ,their heads and fore-claws are differently marked1 showing at once the distinction4 ,the habits of the two fish are also different4 ,the shrimp burrows in the sand1 causing fishermen to use trawl-nets for their capture4 ,they are caught in greatest numbers on sandbanks1 about the entrance of estuaries4 ,the prawn-fish chiefly locate amongst rocks1 and hard bottom1 where there is much tangle and sea-weed4 ,the fishermen at ,bognor1 in ,sussex1 and some place on the ,isle of ,wight1 catch prawns in wicker-worked baskets1 shaped exactly like those wire-worked rat-traps that have the entrance on the top1 so that #8when the rat gets in1 it can't get out again4' ,several hundreds of these baskets baited with any sort of garbage1 fish heads1 c41 are set amongst the rocks at low water1 where they remain until the tide has flown to its full1 and again ebbed4 ,the baskets are then overhauled1 to see what luck4 ,prawn-fishing1 like every other description of fishing1 is not always to be depended on4 ,some tides1 not one prawn may be found in hundreds of baskets2 at other times every trap may have secured its victims4 ,from five up to #fj1 and as high as #gj prawns have at times been taken in one trap4 ,the baskets with which the ,english fishermen catch lobsters are just of the same shape as the prawn-trap1 the only difference being that they are of larger dimensions4' ,immense prawns 7,camaroes7 are very plentiful at ,rio ,janeiro4 ,strangers are often told as a joke1 that these are kept in pits1 and fed with the dead bodies of slaves1 thrown to them from time to time1 and many people will in consequence not touch them4 ,the following instructions for cooking shrimps and prawns may be acceptable in out-of-the-way localities1 where they are bought alive from the fishermen3-- #8,to dress shrimps and prawns1 so that they might at once be tasty and look well to the eye1 is considered a very nice point for the cook to perform4 ,a pot1 containing a pickle that will nearly float an egg1 is put on the fire4 ,when the pickle begins to boil1 the prawns 7all alive7 are put into it1 which of course sends the pickle below the boiling point for a time4 ,a brisk fire must be kept up under the pot1 and when the pickle again boils up1 the prawns are cooked4 ,should they not be boiled sufficiently1 they are as soft as pulp1 and if boiled too much1 they are hard as horn4 ,the fish are removed from the pot and spread on a table1 sprinkling over them a little salt4 ,a cloth is then thrown over the whole1 which keeps in the steam4 ,by this operation1 the steam melts the salt1 and imparts to the prawn that beautiful red and glossy appearance seen on them whilst in the ,london fishmongers' shops4' ,it might probably be possible to save some of our refuse shrimps1 which get too stale to find customers here1 and dry them for export to the ,east1 where they are in great demand4 ,the trade in dried shrimps in ,siam amounts to #fj tons a year2 and they cannot get enough of them to pound up with their rice4 ,dried prawns form a considerable article of trade in the ,philippines4 ,the ,malays and the ,siamese1 who eat dried prawns and dried mussels1 must have very tough stomachs to digest them1 and it would take an ostrich's gizzard1 one would suppose1 to triturate other tough dried molluscs used1 in different localities1 such as the ,haliotis dried4 ,thus the #8pearl womb1' as the mantle or flesh of the pearl-oyster 7,meleagrina margaritifera7 is called1 is strung and dried1 and when cooked with cassia buds is eaten with rice4 ,numerous minute pearls are often found in this substance 7as is sometimes the case with the common oyster7 during mastication4 ,there is scope enough to be found for drying this mollusc1 when a government pearl fishery is on at ,ceylon1 for then millions of pearl-oysters are thrown on the shore1 after being opened1 and left there to rot4 ,under the name of ,balachong or gnapee1 there is a mess made in ,burmah1 ,sumatra1 c41 of prawns1 shrimps1 or any cheap fish1 pounded into a consistent mass1 and frequently allowed to become partially putrid4 ,it is largely used by the natives as a condiment to their rice1 as no vegetable food is deemed palatable without it2 and a considerable trade is carried on with it1 its use extending to every country from ,china to ,bengal4 ,in all populous cities there is great consumption of oysters1 both of the large common kinds termed #8scuttlemouths' by the venders1 and of the more expensive and small delicate fed #8native4' ,even the mangrove or tree oyster is esteemed in the tropics4 ,one hundred or two hundred of these parasitic oysters may often be found on a single bough1 pendent in the water1 in the rivers of ,africa1 or the ,west ,indies4 ,we can well conceive the astonishment of ,columbus and his mariners when1 in the ,gulf of ,paria1 they first found oysters clinging to the branches1 their mouths open as was supposed1 to receive the dew1 which was afterwards to be transformed into pearls4 ,the spawn of the fish is attached by a glutinous substance to any object with which it comes in contact1 and the adhesion continues until the oyster is forcibly removed4 ,on the southern coasts of the ,united ,states1 in ,florida and ,louisiana1 oysters may thus be seen growing as it were on trees1 or the limbs at least of those which have sunk into the water1 by the weight of the foliage1 or from any other cause4 ,the opossum and the racoon feed upon these oysters1 procuring them by lifting the boughs from the water1 and hence the ,american name racoon oysters1 a term they are universally known by4 ,they are of a long slender shape1 and growing very rapidly1 always have thin and delicate shells4 ,the value of the oysters sold in the city of ,new ,york now exceeds #a1bej1jjj sterling4 ,the money invested in the trade by #aej wholesale dealers is about #ajj1jjj1 and the number of persons employed in the business1 directly or indirectly1 including saloon keepers1 street venders1 c41 is #ej1jjj4 ,of the whole amount sold in the markets1 about two-thirds come from ,virginia1 which has a more extensive oyster trade than any other ,state in the ,union4 ,the residue is obtained1 according to the ,new ,york ,herald1 from the waters of their own ,state1 and those of ,new ,jersey--the ,east ,river furnishing the largest quantity4 ,a considerable supply is procured from ,shrewsbury and ,york ,bay2 but very few of the latter are consumed in the city1 as they are cultivated particularly for the western market4 ,one of the most interesting features in the business is the transplanting of oysters1 or their removal from the #8rock1' or natural bed1 to an artificial one4 ,this process is of peculiar importance1 and absolutely necessary to the successful prosecution of the trade4 ,it would1 in fact1 be next to impossible to supply the market during the whole year1 but for the general system of transplanting which is pursued by all the dealers4 ,more than a million dollars' worth are removed every year to artificial beds1 and by this means prevented from spawning1 which renders them unfit for use4 ,thus1 a large proportion of the ,east ,river oysters were originally obtained from the ,north ,river1 where the soil and water are not considered so favourable to their cultivation4 ,of the fifty thousand persons engaged in the business1 the majority1 of course1 are dependent upon their own labour for support2 but there are a considerable number of the dealers1 or1 as they might more properly be called1 oyster merchants1 who possess large fortunes1 amassed from the sale of oysters alone4 ,they are amongst the most worthy of her citizens1 and ,new ,york is not a little indebted to their enterprise for her extensive business in what has now become an indispensable article of food4 ,it is only within the last thirty years that the oyster trade was established in ,new ,york4 ,before that time1 it is true1 oysters were sold there2 but the business transacted was exceedingly limited1 and there was little or no inducement for persons to engage in it4 ,nearly all that were brought to market were procured from the natural beds1 for the benefits to be obtained from planting were but imperfectly understood by a few of the dealers1 or entirely unknown to them4 ,in the course of a few years1 however1 the business grew into importance1 and men of capital and enterprise engaged in it4 ,the planting of beds--a very essential part of the trade--was commenced2 the few oyster boats1 of diminutive size1 engaged in supplying ,new ,york1 became an immense fleet2 an extensive trade began with ,virginia2 the ,east ,river became a mine of wealth to those who worked its beds2 the coasts of the bays and the shores of the rivers were explored and given over to the tongs1 the scraper1 and the dredges of the oystermen4 ,it was found that by removing the oyster from its natural bed to an artificial one1 it could not only be increased in size1 but improved in quality1 and rendered fit for use at any period of the year4 ,this was a very important matter to understand1 for there are certain months when the oyster is unfit for use1 in consequence of its being full of spawn4 ,while they remained in the natural bed1 they were always subject to this objection2 but if not permitted to lie too long in the artificial one1 they could be preserved free from spawn4 ,although they increased in size1 they seldom or never became more numerous by transplanting4 ,hundreds of vessels are constantly employed1 during certain months1 in transplanting in the ,east ,river1 in ,prince's ,bay1 and other parts of the ,state4 ,the appended summary will give some further idea of the extent of the oyster trade in ,new ,york3-- ,number of boats of all sizes1 from fifty to two hundred and fifty tons1 employed in the trade in ,virginia oysters #a1jjj ,in the ,east and ,north ,river trade #bjj ,in the ,shrewsbury trade #bj ,in the ,blue ,point and ,sound trade #ajj ,in the ,york ,bay trade #bjj ----- ,whole number of boats #a1ebj ,the following table will show the annual amount of sales of all kinds of oysters by the wholesale dealers in ,new ,york3-- ,sales of ,virginia oysters1 including those dollars4 planted in ,prince's ,bay #c1jjj1jjj ,sales of ,east and ,north ,river oysters #a1ejj1jjj ,do4 of ,shrewsbury oysters #bjj1jjj ,do4 of ,blue ,point and ,sound oysters #bjj1jjj ,do4 of ,york ,bay oysters #cjj1jjj --------- ,sales #e1bjj1jjj ,baltimore is another great seat of the ,american oyster trade4 ,a single firm there has amassed1 during the last ten years1 a fortune of #ejj1jjj1 by simply transporting oysters to the ,western ,states1 all of which were obtained at the oyster banks of the eastern shore of ,virginia1 and sent over the ,baltimore and ,ohio railroad to ,cumberland1 and thence to the ,ohio river in stages4 ,the firm paid to this railway company1 in one year1 for transporting oysters alone1 above #g1jjj4 ,another large and enterprising firm in ,baltimore1 forwards daily to the ,west1 by way of the ,susquehanna railroad1 and the ,pennsylvania improvements1 eight tons of oysters1 in cans4 ,the operations of this one concern comprise the opening of #b1ejj bushels of oysters per day1 giving constant employment to #aej men and boys6 ,the shells are carried for manure to all parts of ,virginia and ,north ,carolina4 ,in the #8shocking' of oysters1 the shells will increase about one fourth in measurement bulk2 this would give a total of about #f1jjj1jjj bushels of shells1 which sell for one penny per bushel1 making a return of #be1jjj for the shells alone4 ,the whole shores of the ,chesapeake ,bay and its tributaries are adapted to the fattening of the oyster1 and as but one year is required for a full growth in the beds1 an immense profit accrues to those engaged in the business--a profit which is estimated at some #cjj to #fjj per cent4 ,there were1 a few years ago1 #bej vessels engaged in the business1 which averages about #ijj bushels to the cargo1 and requires nine to ten days for the trip4 ,these vessels making1 in the aggregate1 #f1jjj trips during the eight months in the year in which they are engaged1 gives a total of #d1hjj1jjj bushels per year sold in the ,baltimore market4 ,the oysters used to bring an average price of #as4 #h;d4 per bushel1 which makes a grand total of #afj1jjj per year paid wholesale for oysters by the dealers in ,baltimore4 ,with the spread of population1 and the progress of settlement in the interior ,states1 the price of this shell fish is advancing1 for a late number of the ,baltimore ,patriot states3-- #8,for some time past these delicious bivalves have been very scarce and in great demand1 advancing materially in price4 ,there are several causes for their upward tendency in value4 ,first1 in consequence of their scarceness1 and the difficulty of procuring them1 owing to cold1 unfavourable weather4 ,secondly1 an increased demand has sprung up from the west4 ,large numbers are being shipped in barrels1 in the shell and otherwise1 to ,chicago1 ,pittsburg1 ,cincinnati1 ,wheeling1 ,louisville1 and1 in fact1 to almost every town and city beyond the ,alleghenies4 ,a sojourner in ,ohio1 ,indiana1 ,michigan1 ,illinois1 ,tennessee1 ,kentucky1 ,missouri1 or even ,iowa and ,kansas1 may1 at this season of the year1 sit down to a dish of fresh oysters1 live and kicking1 enjoying luxurious refreshment in comparatively small towns nearly #b1jjj miles from ,chesapeake4 ,large shipments of oysters are also making to ,new ,york1 ,boston1 and various parts of the north1 whilst millions are being put up in cans1 hermetically sealed1 and sent to all parts of the world4 ,not long ago1 we saw a friendly letter from the mountains of ,switzerland1 boasting that the writer had just partaken of a dish of delicious ,baltimore oysters4 ,it would not surprise us to see the demand far out-reaching the supply1 and a gradual augmentation of price4 ,they are now bringing #a dollar #be cents to #a dollar #fb cents per bushel at our wharves1 and command #i dollars to #aj dollars per barrel in the shell at ,chicago4 ,equally high prices are given in all the western cities4' ,in one of his recent messages to the ,virginia legislature1 ,governor ,wise states1 that ,virginia possesses an area of #a1fhj1jjj acres of oyster beds1 containing about #ghd1jjj1jjj bushels of oysters4 ,it is estimated that the mother oyster spawns annually at least #h1jjj1jjj2 yet1 notwithstanding this enormous productive power1 and the vast extent of oyster beds1 there is danger of the oyster being exterminated1 unless measures are adopted to prevent fishermen from taking them at improper seasons of the year4 ,a bill was lately introduced in the ,virginia legislature1 the main features of which are to the following effect3-- #ast4 ,prohibits the taking of oysters by non-residents4 #bnd4 ,provides for the protection of oyster beds during the spawning season4 #crd4 ,taxes on licenses for taking and transporting oysters1 calculated to yield an average of three and a half cents of revenue per bushel4 #dth4 ,the appointment of inspectors1 c41 to superintend the renting of planting grounds4 #eth4 ,the purchase and equipment of four steamers for the enforcement of the law--said steamers to cost a total of #cj1jjj dollars1 and to be employed at a yearly expense of about #g1jjj dollars4 ,the oyster trade is extensively carried on at ,boston4 ,messrs4 ,atwood have nine vessels exclusively employed in the business1 five of which are clipper-built schooners1 freighting oysters from the south4 ,they have #ge acres of flats1 near what is called ,white ,island1 on the ,mystic river1 where the fresh oysters of the south are transplanted1 to grow and fatten in water much softer than their native element1 and where they keep a supply in the summer months1 and for the winter stock4 ,it is estimated that the quantity of oysters now planted in the waters of ,newhaven harbour1 ,united ,states1 is #ejj1jjj bushels4 ,estimating #bjj oysters to the bushel1 this would give one hundred millions of oysters4 ,these oysters are for the early fall trade1 and are apart from the enormous quantities imported and opened there during the winter months4 ,in the ,plaquemines region of ,louisiana1 upwards of #ejj men are engaged in the oyster trade1 #aej of which number dredge the oysters from the bays1 the rest are employed in conveying them to ,new ,orleans4 ,for this purpose1 #agj small luggers1 sloops1 and schooners1 of from five to fifteen tons burthen1 are in use for five months in the year4 ,during the summer months1 they find employment in carrying shells from the islands to the forts and to the city4 ,these made into concrete by a mortar of lime1 sand1 and hydraulic cement1 form the most substantial and imperishable wall known4 ,for public works in process of erection1 the city streets1 and ornamental walks at private residences1 the collection of oyster shells affords good summer employment to this class of persons4 ,from the best information to be had on the subject1 the parish of ,plaquemines sends a weekly supply to the city of ,new ,orleans of at least #d1jjj barrels of oysters1 amounting in value during the season to about #be1jjj4 ,a ,south ,african paper1 of a late date1 observes3-- #8,the natives of this vicinity have recently begun to offer for sale bottles filled with oysters--not #8natives'--separated from the shell1 and floating in their own liquor4 ,the unlimited supply of this delicious food1 obtainable on the coast1 now that the natives have acquired a notion of the trade1 will enable many1 to whom oysters had become things of memory1 to renew again #8the days of auld lang syne4' ,the shells are so firmly attached to the rocks1 that we do not think it would pay white men to follow this pursuit2 at all events1 they could not afford to sell the oysters cheap enough for extensive use4 ,but the somewhat rough process adopted by #8our coloured brethren' 7or rather #8sisters1' we believe71 though it destroys the beauty of the fish1 does not injure its flavour1 which we can pronounce to be equal to that of the #8real native' of the ,british seas4' ,mussels are chiefly eaten by the lower classes1 but they are also largely employed for bait1 which all marine animals will take2 some millions of them are used for this purpose at the fishing stations4 ,in one district alone1 their value for this object is #ac1jjj4 ,a choice kind of large mussel1 known under the name of ,hambleton hookers1 is taken out of the sea1 and fattened in the ,wyre1 ,lancashire1 within reach of the tide4 ,some of the mussels found along parts of the ,south ,american coasts1 especially the ,magellanic1 and the ,falkland ,islands1 are very large1 about six inches long1 by three broad4 ,dr4 ,pernety1 in his ,journal of the ,voyage to the ,malouine islands1 says1 #8,we more than once attempted to eat some of these1 but found them so full of pearls that it was impossible to chew them2 the pearls being very hard1 endangered the breaking of our teeth1 and when they were broken in pieces1 they left a kind of sand in the mouth1 which was very disagreeable4' ,several species of gapers are used as food1 both in ,britain and on the ,continent1 as the ,mya arenaria1 known to the fishermen about ,southampton by the whimsical name of old maids--in some parts of ,england and ,ireland they are much used2 and the ,mya truncata1 which is very plentiful in the northern islands1 where it is called ,smurslin1 when boiled forms a supper dish4 ,though not so delicate as some of the other shell fish eaten1 it is by no means unpalatable4 ,the scallop was held in high estimation by the ancients1 and is still sought for in ,catholic countries4 ,the ,pecten maximus is frequently used in ,england4 ,when pickled and barrelled for sale1 it is esteemed a great delicacy4 ,another species1 the ,pecten opercularis1 is employed for culinary purposes in ,cornwall1 where it is known by the name of frills1 or queens4 ,to our list of bivalves may be added the ,mactra solida1 which is used as food by the common people about ,dartmouth1 and the ,venus pullastra1 called by the inhabitants of ,devonshire1 pullet1 and eaten by them4 ,large clams and mussels are eaten in the ,united ,states1 but in the ,lower ,british ,american ,provinces they are principally used as bait for fish4 ,the scallops are also of very large size1 and are more commonly eaten than they are with us4 ,scalloped oysters1 although very dainty eating1 are most indigestible4 ,the business of digging clams is engaged in by a large number of persons on the ,north ,american coasts4 ,there are two varieties1 distinguished as the hard shell and the soft shell4 ,they are eaten largely in spring1 when they are in the best condition4 ,clams are much prized by persons residing at a distance from the sea coast1 and they are frequently sent into the interior1 where they meet a ready sale1 as they can be sold at a very low price4 ,they are salted and preserved in barrels1 and used by fishermen as bait for cod-fish4 ,for many years past the digging and salting of clams for the ,boston market has been an important business4 ,these shell-fish abound in the extensive flats at the mouths of some of the rivers4 ,the flats are daily covered by the tide1 and afford the feeding ground which the clams require4 ,clams multiply with astonishing rapidity3 they are dug in the winter and spring4 ,the business furnishes employment for men and boys1 that in former years were occupied in winter fishing4 ,the work is done1 of course1 at low water4 ,when the tide is out1 on pleasant winter days1 one will often see gangs of #aj1 #bj1 or #ej men and boys busily employed in turning up the mud on the flats1 picking up the clams1 and putting them into buckets4 ,the implement which they use is a stout fork with three flat prongs1 each about an inch wide1 and #aj or #ab inches long4 ,the men go out on the flats in wherries1 when the tide is retiring1 and push an oar into the mud1 and make fast the boat to it1 and as soon as the water has left the boat1 commence operations4 ,when a bucket is filled1 it is emptied into the boat4 ,they continue their work until the tide comes in again sufficiently to float the boat1 when they pull to the wharf4 ,on many places on the shores of these flats there are groups of small huts1 #aj or #ab feet square1 with stone chimnies running up on the outside1 furnished within with a small stove and two or three stools for seats4 ,the clams are deposited in these huts1 and in those parts of the day when the tide is in1 so that the men cannot work out on the flats1 and in stormy weather1 they are employed in #8shocking' them1 as it is called1 that is1 in opening the shell and taking out the clam1 which is done with a small stout knife4 ,as the clams are taken from the shell1 they are dropped into a bucket2 when the bucket is filled1 they are emptied into a barrel4 ,around these huts1 it is not uncommon to see heaps of clam shells larger than the huts themselves1 the accumulation of the winter's labour4 ,the clam diggers sell the produce of their labour to traders1 who send their teams round to the huts weekly or daily1 according to the weather1 carry them to their store-houses1 and repack and salt them1 and head them up in barrels1 when they are ready for the market4 ,a species of ,murex 7,m4 loco7 is highly esteemed in ,chile4 ,it is very white and of a delicious taste1 but rather tough2 and in order to render it tender1 it is generally beaten with a small stick before it is cooked4 ,the periwinkle 7,turbo littoreus7 is more extensively used as food than any of the other testaceous univalves4 ,it would hardly be supposed that so trifling an article of consumption as periwinkles could form a matter of extensive traffic2 but the quantity consumed annually in ,london has been estimated at #gf1jjj baskets1 weighing #a1ijj tons1 and valued at #ae1jjj4 ,this well-known mollusc is found on all the rocks and shores of our own islands which are left uncovered by the tide1 and also in ,america and other countries4 ,the cockneys and their visitors are deeply indebted to the industrious inhabitants of ,kerara1 near ,oban1 for a plenteous treat of this rather vulgar luxury2 and the ,kerarans are no less obliged to the ,londoners for a never-failing market1 for what now appears to be their general staple article4 ,they are gathered by the poor people1 who get #f;d4 a bushel for collecting them4 ,from ,oban they are forwarded to ,glasgow1 and thence to ,liverpool1 en route to ,london4 ,very few are retained in transit1 better profits being obtained in ,london1 even after paying so much sea and land carriage4 ,every week there are probably #cj tons or more of this insignificant edible sent up to ,london1 from ,glasgow1 all of which are collected near ,oban1 and must be a means of affording considerable employment1 and diffusing a considerable amount weekly in wages1 amongst the numerous persons employed4 ,the periwinkles are packed in bags1 containing from two to three cwt4 each1 and keep quite fresh until they arrive at their ultimate destination4 ,in ,london they sell at #c;d4 a pint4 ,whelks 7the ,buccinum undatum7 are another shell-fish which1 though despised on the sea coasts1 are a favourite dish1 boiled or pickled1 among the poorer classes in the metropolis1 as the gusto manifested at the street-stalls in ,london evidences4 ,boys and children of a larger growth frequently indulge in a #8hapenny' or penny saucer of these dainties4 ,large quantities of whelks are transmitted from ,mull to ,london2 some steamers from the north bring six or seven tons at a time4 ,several species of snails 7,helix7 are employed for culinary purposes4 ,the largest of these1 the ,helix pomatia1 was a favourite dish among the ,romans1 who fattened them with bran sodden with wine4 ,they are still used largely in many parts of ,europe1 during ,lent1 after having been fed with different kinds of herbs4 ,the ,africans and ,brazilians eat snails4 ,the ,helix hortensis has also been employed as food1 and they are prescribed medicinally1 being administered like slugs in consumptive cases4 ,many are familiar with the passage in ,pliny 7,hist4 lib4 ix41 c4 #ef71 who1 on the authority of ,varro1 relates the incredible size to which the art of fattening had brought the snails4 ,even assuming the snails were ,african ,achatina or ,bulimi1 there must1 one should think1 be some mistake in the text1 which says1 #8,cujus artis gloria in eam magnitudinem perducta sit1 ut octoginta quadrantes caperent singularum calices4' ,pennant1 referring to this and to ,varro 7,de ,re ,rustica7 says1 #8,if we should credit ,varro1 they grew so large that the shells of some would hold ten quarts6' ,people need not admire the temperance of the supper of the younger ,pliny 7,epist4 lib4 i42 ,epist4 xv471 which consisted of only a lettuce a-piece1 three snails1 two eggs1 a barley cake1 sweet wine and snow1 in case his snails bore any proportion to those of ,hirpinus4 ,among the pictures in the dressing-rooms at ,chiswick ,house1 the seat of the ,duke of ,devonshire1 there is one1 by ,murillo1 of a beggar boy eating a snail pie4 ,the snail is now a very fashionable article of diet in ,paris2 and has also spread to ,america4 ,snails are eaten in ,tuscany and ,austria4 ,they were highly esteemed by the ,romans1 our masters in gastronomy4 ,in the provinces of ,france1 where the vine is cultivated1 snails of large size abound4 ,they are gathered by the peasants1 put in small pans for a few days1 salt water thrown on them1 to cause them to discharge whatever their stomachs may contain2 then boiled1 taken out of the shell1 and eaten with a sauce1 and considered a luxury by the vine dressers4 ,there are now #ej restaurants1 and more than #a1bjj private tables in ,paris1 where snails are accepted as a delicacy by from #h1jjj to #aj1jjj consumers4 ,the monthly consumption of this mollusc is estimated at half a million4 ,the market price of the great vineyard snail is from #bs4 to #cs4 per #ajj2 while those of the hedges1 woods1 and forests1 bring only #as4 #f;d4 to #bs4 ,the proprietor of one snailery1 in the vicinity of ,dijon1 is said to clear nearly #cjj a year by his snails4 ,in ,switzerland1 where there are gardens in which they are fed in many thousands together1 a considerable trade is carried on in them about the season of ,lent2 and at ,vienna1 a few years ago1 seven of them were charged at an inn the same as a plate of veal or beef4 ,the usual modes of preparing them for the table are either boiling1 frying them in butter1 or sometimes stuffing them with force-meat2 but in whatever manner soever they are dressed1 it is said their sliminess always in a great measure remains4 ,an anecdote is told of ,drs4 ,black and ,hutton1 which shows how difficult it is for philosophy to wage a war with prejudice4 ,it chanced that the two doctors had held some discourse together upon the folly of abstaining from feeding on the testaceous creatures of the land1 while those of the sea were considered as delicacies4 ,wherefore not eat snails8--they are well known to be nutritious and wholesome--even sanative in some cases4 ,the epicures of olden times enumerated among the richest and raciest delicacies the snails which were fed in the marble quarries of ,lucca4 ,the ,italians still hold them in esteem4 ,in short1 it was determined that a gastronomic experiment should be made at the expense of the snails4 ,the snails were procured1 dieted for a time1 then stewed for the benefit of the two philosophers3 who had either invited no guest to their banquet1 or found none who relished in prospect the pice de resistance4 ,a huge dish of snails was placed before them2 but philosophers are but men after all2 and the stomachs of both doctors began to revolt against the proposed experiment4 ,nevertheless1 if they looked with disgust on the snails1 they retained their awe for each other2 and each conceiving the symptoms of internal revolt peculiar to himself1 began with infinity of exertion to swallow1 in very small quantities1 the mess which he internally loathed4 ,dr4 ,black1 at length1 #8showed the white feather1' but in a very delicate manner1 as if to sound the opinion of his messmate3--#8,doctor1' he said1 in his precise and quiet manner1 #8,doctor--do you not think that they taste a little--a very little1 green8' #8,green6 green1 indeed--take them awa'1 take them awa'1' vociferated ,dr4 ,hutton1 starting up from table1 and giving full vent to his feelings of abhorrence4 ,and so ended all hopes of introducing snails into their cuisine4 ,at the town of ,ulm1 in ,wurtemburg1 on the left bank of the ,danube1 snails are fed in great quantities for various markets in ,germany and ,austria1 but especially for that of ,vienna1 where they are esteemed a great delicacy1 after having been fed upon strawberries4 ,about #bj1jjj okes 7each nearly #c lbs47 of snails are annually exported from ,crete1 valued at #ae1jjj ,turkish piastres4 ,the breed of large white snails in ,england is to be found all along the escarpment of the chalk range1 and is not confined to ,surrey4 ,it is said to have been introduced into ,england by ,sir ,kenelm ,digby1 and was considered very nutritious and wholesome for consumptive patients4 ,indeed1 to this day1 considerable quantities are sold in ,covent ,garden market for this purpose4 ,they are sometimes made into a mucilaginous broth1 and at others swallowed in a raw state4 ,in the ,island of ,bourbon1 the ,french use them to make a soup for the sick4 ,at ,cape ,coast ,castle the luxuries of the natives are fish soup1 made of dried unsalted fish1 and snail soup with land crabs in it2 and beyond ,ashantee the food consists of plantains and large snails1 #cjj or #djj of which dried on a string sell for a dollar4 ,these snails are the great ,african ,achatina1 which are the largest of all land-snails1 attaining a length of eight inches4 ,a species of barnacle1 called the parrot bill 7,balanus psittacus71 is much esteemed by the inhabitants of ,chile4 ,from #aj to #bj of these animals inhabit as many small separate cells1 formed in a pyramid of a cretaceous substance4 ,these pyramids are usually attached to the steepest parts of rocks at the water's edge1 and the animal derives its subsistence from the sea1 by means of a little hole at the top of each cell4 ,the shell consists of six valves1 two large and four small2 the large ones project externally in the form of a parrot's bill1 whence the animal has received its specific name4 ,when detached from the rocks1 they are kept alive in their cells for four or five days1 during which time they occasionally protrude their bills as if to breathe4 ,they are of different sizes1 though the largest do not exceed an inch in length1 and are very white1 tender1 and excellent eating4#cf ,capt4 ,p4 ,p4 ,king1 ,r4,n41 confirms this1 and says they form a common and highly esteemed food of the natives1 the flesh equalling in richness and delicacy that of the crab4 ,,annelida4 ,palolo is the native name of a species of sea-worm 7,palolo viridis71 which is found in some parts of ,samoa1 the ,navigator's ,islands1 in the ,south ,pacific ,ocean--and of which the following singular account is given by the ,rev4 ,j4 ,b4 ,stair1 of the ,south ,sea ,missions4 ,they come regularly in the months of ,october and ,november1 during portions of two days in each month1 viz3 the day before and the day on which the moon is in her last quarter4 ,they appear in much greater numbers on the second than on the first day of their rising1 and are only observed for two or three hours in the early part of each morning of their appearance4 ,at the first dawn of day1 they may be felt by the hand swimming on the surface of the water2 and as the day advances their numbers increase1 so that by the time the sun has risen1 thousands may be observed in a very small space1 sporting merrily during their short visit to the surface of the ocean4 ,on the second day they appear at the same time1 and in a similar manner1 but in such countless myriads1 that the surface of the ocean is covered with them for a considerable extent4 ,on each day1 after sporting for an hour or two1 they disappear until the next season1 and not one is ever observed during the intervening time4 ,in size they may be compared to a very fine straw1 and are of various colours and lengths1 green1 brown1 white1 and speckled1 and in appearance and mode of swimming1 resemble very small snakes4 ,they are exceedingly brittle1 and if broken into many pieces1 each piece swims off as though it were an entire worm4 ,the natives are exceedingly fond of them1 and calculate with great exactness the time of their appearance1 which is looked forward to with great interest4 ,the worms are caught in small baskets1 beautifully made1 and when taken on shore are tied up in leaves in small bundles1 and baked4 ,great quantities are eaten undressed2 but either dressed or undressed1 are esteemed a great delicacy4 ,such is the desire to eat ,palolo by all classes1 that immediately the fishing parties reach the shore1 messengers are dispatched in all directions with quantities to parts of the island on which none appear4' ,at a recent exhibition of paintings1 a lady and her son were regarding with much interest a picture which the catalogue designated as ,luther at the ,diet of ,worms4 ,having descanted at some length upon its merits1 the boy remarked1 #8,mother1 ,i see ,luther and the table1 but where are the worms8' ,,cephalopoda4 ,in recent times1 and in some parts of the ,levant even now1 as we learn from ,forbes and ,spratt's ,lycia1 the cuttle-fish of different species were used as articles of food2 and we know from the works of travellers1 that in other parts of the world1 when cooked1 they are esteemed as luxuries4 ,besides the common cuttle-fish 7,sepia octopodia71 two or three other singular species are found on the ,chilian coasts of the ,pacific4 ,the first1 the ungulated cuttle-fish 7,sepia unguiculata71 is of a great size1 and instead of suckers1 has paws armed with a double row of pointed nails1 like those of a cat1 which it can1 at its pleasure1 draw into a kind of sheath4 ,this fish is of a delicate taste1 but is not very common4 ,the second is named 7,sepia tunicata71 from its body being covered with a second skin1 in the form of a tunic2 this is transparent1 and terminates in two little semicircular appendages like wings1 which project from either side of the tail4 ,many wonderful and incredible stories are told by sailors of the bulk and strength of this fish2 it is however certain that it is frequently caught of #aej lbs4 weight1 on the coast of ,chile1 and the flesh is esteemed a great delicacy4 ,the sea around ,barbados is frequented by a species of the order ,cephalopoda1 which is used as an article of food by the lower classes of the inhabitants1 namely the bastard cuttle-fish1 or calmar1 7,loligo sagitatta1 ,lam474 ,the flesh of the large cephalopodous animals1 7,loligo of ,lamark2 les ,calmars of ,cuvier17 was esteemed as a delicacy by the ancients4 ,most of the eastern natives1 and those of the ,polynesian ,islands1 partake of it1 and esteem it as food2 they may be seen exposed for sale in the bazaars or markets throughout ,india4 ,the natives of most of the islands in the ,china ,seas dry the ,sepi and ,octopi1 as well as the soft parts of the ,haliotis1 ,turbo1 ,hippopus1 ,tridacna1 c41 and make use of them as articles of food4 ,but from my little experience of this kind of diet1 notwithstanding the assertion of the learned ,bacon1 in his ,experiment ,solitary touching ,cuttle-ink1 that the cuttle is accounted a delicate meat1 and is much in request1 ,i should say that it is as indigestible and unnutritious as it is certainly tough and uninviting4 ,cephalopods1 however1 are eaten at the present day on some parts of the ,mediterranean coasts2 and in ,hampshire ,i have seen the poor people collect assiduously the ,sepi and employ them as food4 ,the common snail of the ,meiacoshimahs is eaten by the natives1 as the ,helix aspersa and ,h4 pomatia are occasionally in ,europe4 ,the ,malays are fond of the ,cerithium telescopium and palustre found in the ,mangrove swamps4 ,they throw them on their wood fires1 and when sufficiently cooked1 break off the sharp end of the spine1 and suck the tail of the animal through the opening4 #8,the poor people of the ,philippines relish the ,arca inequivalvis1 boiling them as we do cockles or mussels2 the flesh1 however1 is red and very bad-flavoured4 ,some ,monodonta which ,i have eaten among the ,korean ,islands are quite peppery1 and bite the tongue1 producing the same unpleasant effects upon that organ as the root of the ,arum maculatum1 or leaves of the ,taro1 but in much less intense degree2 and a species of ,mytilus1 found in the same locality1 has very similar unpalatable qualities4'#cg ,of the several species of urchins or sea-eggs1 one1 the ,echinus albus1 is eaten by the ,chilians and others4 ,the white urchin is of a globular form1 and about three inches in diameter2 the shell and spines are white1 but the interior substance is yellowish and of an excellent taste4 ,there is a marine delicacy of the ,chinese which must not be passed unnoticed2 it is a kind of sea-slug1 varieties of ,holothuria1 fished for on the coral reefs of the ,eastern seas1 and known under the names of ,bche-de-mer and ,tripang4 ,when dried it is an ugly looking dirty-brown colored substance1 very hard and rigid until softened by water1 and a very lengthened process of cooking1 after which it becomes soft and mucilaginous4 ,it is rendered down into a sort of thick soup1 after partaking of which a ,chinaman sleeps in the seventh heaven of ,chinese bliss4 ,it looks like a dried sausage or blood-pudding1 and some resemble a prickly cucumber4 ,there are at least #cc different varieties enumerated by the ,chinese traders and others skilled in its classification1 for fashion and custom have caused each variety to have a different market4 ,while the gourmand of the ,south smacks his lips on the juicy white and black1 the less cultivated taste of those at the ,north is satisfied with the red and more inferior varieties4 ,one of the inferior kinds is slender1 and of a dark brown colour1 soft to the touch1 and leaves a red stain on the hands2 another is of a grey colour and speckled2 a third is large and a dark yellow1 with a rough skin and tubercles on its side4 ,the second kind is often eaten raw by the natives1 as ,i have seen a red herring eaten raw4 ,the price varies from #g to #ad the picul1 of #acc lbs41 and as there are about #a1jjj of the slugs in a picul1 they are worth from #b;d4 to #d;d4 each1 according to quality1 wholesale4 ,the process of curing and preparation for market is very simple4 ,the slug1 on being taken from the boat1 is simmered over a fire in an iron caldron for about half-an-hour1 after which it is thrown out upon the ground1 and the operation of opening commences1 this being effected by a longitudinal cut along the back with a sharp knife4 ,it is then again placed in the caldron and boiled in salt water1 with which a quantity of the bark of the mangrove has been mixed1 for about three hours1 when the outer skin will begin to peel off4 ,it is now sufficiently boiled1 and after the water has been drained off1 the slugs are arranged in the drying-houses 7small huts covered with mats7 upon frames of split bamboo spread out immediately under the roof4 ,each slug is carefully placed with the part that has been cut open facing downwards1 and a fire is made underneath1 the smoke of which soon dries the tripang sufficiently to permit its being packed in bags or baskets for exportation4 ,mr4 ,wingrove ,cooke1 in his cleverly described account of a ,chinese banquet1 thus narrates his impression of the dish prepared from them3 #8,the next course was expected with a very nervous excitement4 ,it was a stew of sea-slugs4 ,as ,i have seen them at ,macao they are white1 but as served at ,ningpo they are green4 ,i credit the ,imperial academician's as the orthodox dish4 ,they are slippery1 and very difficult to be handled by inexperienced chopsticks2 but they are most succulent and pleasant food1 not at all unlike in flavour to the green fat of a turtle4 ,if a man cannot eat anything of a kind whereof he has not seen his father and grandfather eat before1 we must leave him to his oysters1 and his periwinkles1 and his cray-fish1 and not expect him to swallow the much more comely sea-slug4 ,but surely a ,briton1 who has eaten himself into a poisonous plethora upon mussels1 has no right to hold up his hands and eyes at a ,chinaman enjoying his honest well-cooked stew of bche-de-mer4' ,the peculiarities of this animal have been thus graphically described3 #8,it can stand erect and graze on the sea grasses1 or crawl on its belly1 and digest the contents of sea-shells sufficient to fill a cabinet2 harder and bigger than a brick1 it can yet go through a lady's ring3 its natural shape is that of a cucumber1 yet it will take the mould of any vessel in which it is placed3 apparently without sight1 night is the time it collects its food3 furnished with teeth1 they are only used to hold on by1 while at the opposite end the fish gapes to receive its tiny prey1 which it draws in by feelers thrust forward for the purpose4 ,opened by the conchologist1 he will be rewarded with a store of minute shells most perfectly cleaned3 boiled and dried it reduces to one-twelfth its weight and one-fifth its size3 resoaked1 it expands to nearly its former dimensions2 but damped1 it becomes glue1 nasty and disagreeable3 sliced up and boiled it becomes isinglass1 of use to none but the ,chinese gourmand4 ,the reefs of the ,archipelago have been ransacked for it1 and many a risk has been run in procuring it from the ,cannibal ,isles of the ,pacific4 ,the main supplies for the ,china market1 are furnished by the ,celebes proas4 ,the industrious merchants of this island bring it in their fleets from ,torres ,straits1 and the far-off reefs of ,new ,guinea1 and collect it from every islet and village in the ,archipelago4 ,other supplies with this find their way to the ,dutch and ,spanish trading ports on the larger islands1 and are from them shipped to ,batavia1 ,singapore1 and ,manila4 ,from this last port a few ,spanish vessels have procured it in the ,sooloo ,sea2 but this fishery1 as well as all the others well known1 has yielded its best supplies1 and the enhanced price in ,china adds inducement to seek out reefs less frequented for more abundant yield4 ,at the above-named ports it commands1 for mixed cargoes1 a higher price than in ,china itself4 ,american vessels are constantly engaged in this trade in the ,south ,pacific1 and ,i noticed recently that two vessels from ,san ,francisco had procured cargoes from the ,southern ,isles1 and were on their way to ,manila or ,china4 ,it is a business in which1 to be successful1 no little tact is required to deal with the treacherous natives1 as well as a knowledge of curing and preparing for the market2 but it is one that will long give a great return for small investments to the daring and successful adventurers4' ,when ,m4 ,de ,blainville states he has never heard that any of the ,holothuri were of much utility to mankind1 but that ,m4 ,delle ,chiaje does indeed inform us that the poor inhabitants of the ,neapolitan coasts eat them1 he appears to have forgotten the great oriental traffic carried on with some of the species1 as an article of food4 ,some years ago1 in my ,colonial ,magazine1 ,i called attention to the fact1 that the fishing for1 and shipment of1 this sea-slug to ,china might prove a very profitable trade1 but it seems to be an employment for which ,european seamen are by no means well adapted4 ,it can be fished for in the ,indian ,ocean1 from the ,mauritius and ,ceylon to ,new ,guinea1 in the ,pacific2 and is to be procured from any of the ,south ,sea ,islands4 ,it abounds in the seas along the shores of the ,bermuda ,islands1 and some is said to be shipped from ,boston and other ports of the ,united ,states to ,canton4 ,the late ,sir ,w4 ,reid1 when ,governor of the ,bermudas1 endeavoured to direct the attention of the inhabitants to the collection of it round their shores1 where it is common1 with a view to curing it for the purpose of exportation4 ,he even went so far as to make soup from it1 and ,i understand1 partook of it at his own table4 ,his advice1 however1 does not seem to have been followed1 as up to the present time none has been collected4 ,it could be made a profitable article of export1 if the ,bermudians chose to try the experiment1 as the curing process is very simple4 ,a company for carrying out this fishery was projected at ,perth1 in ,western ,australia1 in #ahcf1 but it was never prosecuted with any spirit1 and soon dropped4 ,tripang is now carried into ,china from almost every island of the ,eastern ,archipelago1 and also from ,northern ,australia4 ,the quantity sent from ,macassar alone is about #i1jjj cwt41 and half as much from ,java4 ,probably between #d1jjj and #e1jjj tons go annually to ,china1 where the demand is perfectly unlimited4 ,the best and most detailed account ,i have met with respecting the taking and preparing of this eastern luxury1 is in the ,narrative of the ,united ,states ,exploring ,expedition in the ,feejee ,islands1 by ,commander ,charles ,wilkes1 of the ,american ,navy3 #8,of the bche-de-mer1' he says1 #8there are several kinds1 some of which are much superior in quality to the others2 they are distinguishable both by shape and colour1 but more particularly by the latter4 ,one of the inferior kinds is slender1 and of a dark brown colour1 soft to the touch1 and leaves a red stain on the hands2 another is of grey colour and speckled2 a third is large1 and dark yellow1 with a rough skin1 and tubercles on its sides4 ,the second kind is often eaten raw by the natives4 #8,the valuable sorts are six in number3 one of a dark red colour2 a second is black1 from two inches to nine inches in length1 and its surface1 when cured1 resembles crape2 a third kind is large1 and of a dark grey colour1 which1 when cured1 becomes a dirty white2 the fourth resembles the third1 except in colour1 which is a dark brown2 the fifth variety is of a dirty white colour1 with tubercles on its sides1 and retains its colour when cured2 the sixth is red1 prickly1 and of a different shape and larger size than the others2 when cured1 it becomes dark4 #8,the most esteemed kinds are found on the reefs1 in water from one to two fathoms in depth1 where they are caught by diving4 ,the inferior sorts are found on reefs which are dry1 or nearly so1 at low water1 where they are picked up by the natives4 ,the natives also fish the bche-de-mer on rocky coral bottoms1 by the light of the moon or of torches1 for the animals keep themselves drawn up in holes in the sand or rocks by day1 and come forth by night to feed1 when they may be taken in great quantities4 ,the motions of the animal resemble those of a caterpillar2 and it feeds by suction1 drawing in with its food much fine coral and some small shells4 #8,captain ,eagleston stated that the bche-de-mer is found in greatest abundance on reefs composed of a mixture of sand and coral4 ,the animal is rare on the southern side of any of the islands1 and the most lucrative fisheries are on the northern side1 particularly on that of ,vanua levu1 between ,anganga and ,druan4 ,in this place1 the most frequent kind is that which resembles crape4 ,in some places the animal multiplies very fast2 but there are others where1 although ten years have elapsed since they were last fished1 none are yet to be found4 #8,the bche-de-mer requires a large building to dry it in4 ,that erected by ,captain ,eagleston on the ,island of ,tavan1 is #he feet long1 about #ae or #bj feet wide1 and nearly as much in height4 ,the roof has a double pitch1 falling on each side of the ridge to eaves1 which are about five feet from the ground4 ,the roof is well thatched1 and ought to be perfectly water-tight4 ,there are usually three doors1 one at each end1 and one in the middle of one of the sides4 ,throughout the whole length of the building is a row of double staging1 called batters1 on which reeds are laid4 #8,on the construction of this staging much of the success of the business depends4 ,it ought to be supported on firm posts1 to which the string-pieces should be well secured by lashing4 ,the lower batter is about four feet from the ground1 and the upper from two to three feet above it4 ,their breadth is from twelve to fourteen feet4 ,upon the large reeds with which the batters are covered is laid the #8fish fence1' which is made by weaving or tying small cords together4 ,this is composed of many pieces1 the height of each of which is equal to the breadth of the batter4 #8,a trench is dug under the whole length of the batters1 in which a slow fire is kept up by the natives under the direction of one of the mates of the vessel4 ,the earth from the trench is thrown against the sides of the house1 which are at least two or three feet from the nearest batter1 in order to prevent accident from fire4 ,this is liable to occur1 not only from carelessness1 but from design on the part of the natives4 ,as a further precaution1 barrels filled with water are placed1 about eight feet apart1 along both sides of the batters4 #8,after the house has been in use for about a week1 it becomes very liable to take fire1 in consequence of the drying and breaking of the material used in the lashings4 ,in this case it is hardly possible to save any part of the building or its contents4 ,to prevent the falling of the stages by the breaking of the lashings1 fresh pieces of cordage are always kept at hand to replace those which are charred and show signs of becoming weak4 ,a constant watch must be kept up night and day1 and it requires about #ae hands to do the ordinary work of a house4 #8,the fires are usually extinguished once in twenty-four hours1 and the time chosen for this purpose is at daylight4 ,the fish are now removed from the lower to the upper batter1 and a fresh supply introduced in their place4 ,this operation1 in consequence of the heat of the batter1 is hard and laborious1 and #ej or #fj natives are usually employed in it4 #8,fire-wood is of course an important article in this process1 each picul of bche-de-mer requiring about half a cord to cure it4 ,this fuel is purchased from the chiefs1 who agree to furnish a certain quantity for a stipulated compensation4 ,as much as #bj cords are sometimes bought for a single musket4 ,in carrying on the drying1 it is important that the doors be kept shut while the fires are burning4 ,much also depends upon the location of the house1 whose length should be at right angles to the course of the prevailing winds4 ,the batters also should be nearest to the lee side of the house4 #8,before beginning the fishery1 the services of some chief are secured1 who undertakes to cause the house to be built1 and sets his dependents at work to fish the bche-de-mer4 ,the price is usually a whale's tooth for a hogshead of the animals1 just as they are taken on the reef4 ,it is also bought with muskets1 powder1 balls1 vermilion1 paint1 axes1 hatchets1 beads1 knives1 scissors1 chisels1 plane-irons1 gouges1 fish-hooks1 small glasses1 flints1 cotton cloths1 chests1 trunks1 c4 ,of beads1 in assorted colours1 the blue are preferred1 and cotton cloth of the same colour is most in demand4 ,for one musket1 a cask containing from #acj to #afj gallons has been filled ten times4 ,when the animals are brought on shore1 they are measured into bins1 where they remain until the next day4 #8,these bins are formed by digging a trench in the ground1 about two feet in depth1 and working up the sides with cocoa-nut logs1 until they are large enough to contain forty or fifty hogsheads4 ,if the fishery is successful1 two of these may be needed4 #8,near the bins are placed the trade-house and trade-stand4 ,in the first1 the articles with which the fish is purchased are kept2 and1 in the second1 the officer in charge of them sits1 attended by a trusty and watchful seaman4 ,the stand is elevated1 so that the persons in it may have an opportunity of seeing all that is taking place around them4 ,all the fish are thrown into the bin before they are paid for4 #8,in these bins the fish undergo the operation of draining and purging1 or ejecting their entrails4 ,these1 in some of the species1 resemble pills1 in others look like worms1 and are as long as the animals themselves4 #8,the larger kinds are then cut along the belly for a length of three or four inches1 which makes them cure more rapidly2 but care must be taken to avoid cutting too deep1 as this would cause the fish to spread open1 and diminish its value in the market4 #8,when taken out of the bins and cut1 the fish are thrown into the boilers1 which are large pots1 of which each establishment has five or six4 ,these pots have the form of sugar-boilers1 with broad rims1 and contain from one hundred to one hundred and fifty gallons4 #8,they are built in a row1 in rude walls of stone and mud1 about two feet apart1 and have sufficient space beneath them for a large fire4 ,the workmen stand on the walls to fill and empty the pots1 and have within reach a platform1 on which the fish is put after it has been boiled4 #8,it requires two men to attend each pot1 who relieve each other1 so that the work may go on night and day4 ,they are provided with skimmers and ladles1 as well as fire-hooks1 hoes1 and shovels4 #8,no water is put into the pots1 for the fish yield moisture enough to prevent burning4 #8,the boiling occupies from #be to #ej minutes1 and the fish remains about an hour on the platform to drain1 after which it is taken to the house1 and laid to a depth of four inches upon the lower batter4 ,thence at the end of twenty-four hours it is removed1 as has been stated1 to the upper batter1 where it is thoroughly dried in the course of three or four days4 ,before it is taken on board ship1 it is carefully picked1 when the damp pieces are separated1 to be returned to the batter4 ,it is stowed in bulk1 and when fit for that purpose should be as hard and dry as chips4 ,great care must be taken to preserve it from moisture4 #8,in the process of drying1 it loses two-thirds both of its weight and bulk1 and when cured1 resembles smoked sausage4 ,in this state it is sold by the picul1 which brings from #ae to #be dollars4 #8,captain ,eagleston had collected in the course of seven months1 and at a trifling expense1 a cargo of #a1bjj piculs1 worth about #be1jjj dollars4 #8,the outfit for such a voyage is small1 but the risk to be incurred is of some moment1 as no insurance can be effected on vessels bound to the ,feejee ,group1 and it requires no small activity and enterprise to conduct this trade4 ,a thorough knowledge of the native character is essential to success2 and it requires all possible vigilance on the part of the captain of the vessel to prevent surprise1 and the greatest caution to avoid difficulties4 ,even with the exercise of these qualities1 he may often find himself and his crew in perilous positions4 #8,in order to lessen the dangers as much as possible1 no large canoes are ever allowed to remain alongside the vessel1 and a chief of high rank is generally kept on board as a hostage4 ,when those precautions have not been taken1 accidents have frequently happened4 #8,the bche-de-mer is sometimes carried to ,canton1 but more usually to ,manila1 whence it is shipped to ,china4 #8,in order to show the profits which arise from the trade in bche-de-mer1 ,i give the cost and returns of five cargoes1 obtained by ,captain ,eagleston in the ,feejee ,group4 ,these he obligingly favoured me with4 ,piculs4 ,cost of outfit4 ,sales4 ,dolls4 ,dolls4 #ast voyage #fag #a1aja #h1jba #bnd 0 #gjj #a1bjj #ag1ejj #crd 0 #a1jhj #c1cif #ae1abj #dth 0 #hdj #a1bjj #ab1fjj #eth 0 #a1bjj #c1ejj #bg1jjj #8,a further profit also arises from the investment of the proceeds in ,canton4 ,capt4 ,eagleston also obtained #d1dhh pounds of tortoise shell1 at a cost of #e1gjj dollars1 which sold in the ,united ,states for #bi1jej dollars net4 ,in ,mr4 ,crawfurd's ,indian ,archipelago1 vol4 iii41 there are also the following details3-- #8,the tripang is an unseemly-looking substance1 of a dirty brown colour1 hard1 rigid1 scarcely possessing any power of locomotion1 nor appearance of animation4 ,some of the fish are occasionally as much as two feet in length1 and from seven to eight inches in circumference3 the length of a span1 and the girth of from two to three inches1 however1 is the ordinary size4 ,the quality or value of the fish1 however1 does by no means depend upon its size1 but upon properties in them neither obvious to1 nor discernible by1 those who have not had a long and intimate experience of the trade4 ,the ,chinese merchants are almost the only persons who possess this skill1 even the native fishermen themselves being often ignorant on the subject1 and always leaving the cargo to be assorted by the ,chinese on their return to port4 ,the commercial classification made by the ,chinese is curious and particular4 ,in the market of ,macassar1 the greatest staple of this fishery1 not less than thirty varieties are distinguished1 varying in price from five ,spanish dollars per picul to fourteen times that price1 each being particularized by well-known names4 ,to satisfy curiosity1 ,i shall give a few of them1 with their ordinary price3-- ,tacheritaug 7grey sort7 #fh ,spanish dollars4 ,batu-basar 7great stone7 #ed 0 ,batu-taugah 7middling stone7 #bb 0 ,batu-kachil 7small stone7 #ad ,spanish dollars4 ,itaur-basar 7great black7 #cj 0 ,itaur-taugah 7middling black7 #ae 0 ,itaur-kachil 7small black7 #h 0 ,tundaug #bd 0 ,kunyit #i 0 ,douga #g 0 ,japou #ab 0 ,mosi #i 0 ,kauasa #e 0 ,pachaug-goreug #e 0 ,gama #ab 0 ,taikougkoug #ac 0 ,mareje 7,new ,holland7 #ai 0 ,kayu-jawa #bf 0 ,baukuli #bj 0 #8,it is evident from this account that the tripang trade is one in which no stranger can embark with any safety1 and it is consequently almost entirely in the hands of the ,chinese4 ,the actual fishery is managed1 however1 exclusively by the natives4 ,the fish are caught by them on ledges of coral rock1 usually at the depth of from three to five fathoms4 ,the larger kinds1 when in shallow water1 are occasionally speared2 but the most common mode of taking them is by diving for them in the manner practised for pearl oysters1 and taking them up with the hands4' 99 99 99 99 99 ,i have now gone through the list of ordinary and extraordinary foreign delicacies1 and no doubt many of these have been read with surprise4 ,but there are many unexplained things in the food we ,englishmen consume even at the present time2 for instance1 although in the knackers' yards we can account for every other portion of the carcase of the dead horse1 no one knows what becomes of the heart and the tongue4 ,dr4 ,playfair1 when lecturing at the ,south ,kensington ,museum recently1 #8on the application of ,waste ,substances1' was staggered on this point1 and therefore he had to inscribe it on his board #8a mystery4' ,it is questionable to my mind whether many of the smoked ostensible ox-tongues1 imported from ,russia1 are not veritable horse-tongues4 ,the numerous herds of wild horses in ,russia would easily furnish the #ejj cwt4 of tongues we import4 ,i am afraid that many little know too what they eat in the sausage-meat1 the alamode beef1 the polonies1 and the mutton and veal pies of the pie-shops and street venders4 ,whether the man who is said to have gone into the pie-shop1 and throwing down a skinned cat on the counter in the presence of numerous customers exclaiming #8that makes a dozen1' did it out of malice or in the way of business1 it would be difficult to determine4 ,but it is always pleasant to see the vender partaking of his own pork or eel pies2 it inspires confidence1 as the witness proved to the ,judge in ,court4 #8,you say you have confidence in the plaintiff1 ,mr4 ,smith4' #8,yes1 sir4' #8,state to the ,court1 if you please1 what causes this feeling of confidence4' #8,why1 you see1 sir1 there's allers reports 'bout eatin'-house-men1 and ,i used to kinder think--' #8,never mind what you thought--tell us what you know4' #8,well1 sir1 one day ,i goes down to ,cooken's shop1 an' sez to the waiter1 #8,waiter1' sez ,i1 #8gives's a weal pie4' #8,well sir1 proceed4' #8,well1 just then ,mr4 ,cooken comes up1 and sez he1 how du ,smith1 what be going to hav8 #8,weal pie1 sez ,i4' #8,good1' sez he1 #8,i'll take one tu2' so he sets down and eats one of his own weal pies right afore me4' #8,did that cause your confidence in him8' #8,yes1 it did1 sir2 when an eatin'-house-keeper sets down afore his customers an' deliberately eats one of his own weal pies1 no man can refuse to feel confidence--it shows him to be an honest man4' ,on the jamb of the door of an eating-house on the ,north ,wall1 ,dublin1 the curious might recently read the following announcement printed1 conveying alarming intelligence to the gallant tars who frequent that port--#8,sailors' vitals cooked here4' ,probably none of the foreign epicures1 whose numerous dainties ,i have been placing before you1 would eat hare and currant jelly1 goose and apple-sauce1 fish pies or parsley pasty like the ,cornishman1 or the squab pie of the ,devonshire fisherman4 ,now1 while we are prone to ridicule others for their choice of food delicacies1 we should look at home4 ,our epicures are extremely fond of woodcocks cooked un-gutted1 and the standard dishes of ,scotland1 the haggis1 sheep's-head1 tripe1 and black puddings1 are not palatable to every one4 ,we have seen1 however1 from our deliberate survey that whatever enriches the earth and proclaims the bounty of the ,creator1 illustrates ,his indulgent regard for ,man as chief of the ,animal orders4 ,rich provision has been made for his wants and for his tastes1 making glad the fields1 the meadows1 the vineyards1 the orchards1 the waters1 and the air1 peopled as they are with things made to be quartered1 and cooked1 and eaten4 ,every creature of ,god is good1 and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving--#8,let no man judge you in meat or in drink4' ,the ,creator granted to the use of ,man animal food as well as every green herb4 ,whatsoever is sold in the shambles and is set before you eat1 therefore1 asking no questions for conscience sake4 ,in the course of our investigation1 we have seen how difficult it is to determine what is food and what really are food delicacies2 for thereupon the proverb rises before us--#8,what's one man's meat1 is another man's poison4' ,some people eat arsenic in considerable quantities1 and if not exactly food1 they find it conducive to an enjoying state of existence4 ,certain tribes of ,africans and ,south ,american ,indians eat an unctuous kind of earth1 which1 if introduced into our workhouses as food1 would raise an outcry far and wide4 ,in some countries sea-weed is food1 in others it is manure for land4 ,while we ruthlessly destroy snails and frogs1 our continental brethren fatten and feed upon them4 ,thus do the food delicacies differ in different parts of the globe1 the nature of the alimentary substances varying exceedingly1 and the #8daily bread' assuming most diversified forms4 ,i have confined myself here to the ,animal ,food1 because to have gone into the ,vegetable ,substances would have carried me too much into detail4 ,as it is1 ,i have only been able to skim over the surface1 to make a brief enumeration of some of the more prominent delicacies4 ,a talented friend has well remarked--#8,it is a probable thing1 that many new varieties of food will ultimately be produced artificially1 but it would be difficult to persuade people to eat them knowingly4 ,handy ,andy1 in ,lover's tale1 thought stewed leather breeches very fine tripe till he lighted on a button1 which suddenly convinced him it was unwholesome food2 and ,sir ,joseph ,banks--so says ,peter ,pindar--did not think fleas equal to lobsters1 though of the same genus4 #8,the ,berlin philosophers have been for many years trying to persuade the community that horse-flesh is good beef1 unsatisfactorily2 and1 amongst civilized communities1 it appears to be chiefly in ,france that people voluntarily eat cats1 both as a relish and a vengeance1 if we may trust the reports of the ,tribunal of ,correctional ,police1 though scandal has long accused inn-keepers1 both in ,france and ,spain1 of thus feeding their guests1 as a substitute for rabbits4 #8,the ,french are chemists as well as cooks1 and if fetid potato oil can be converted into a delicious scent akin to attar of roses1 we may very well imagine that the partridge or venison bouquet may be obtained from other kinds of flesh4 #8,glue and scraps of gloves1 boiled with garlic1 are eaten in ,spain1 and there is1 as ,i have already stated1 an hiatus in the parchment specifications at the ,patent ,office1 caused by an unlucky boy1 who changed them away for tarts1 in order that they might be stewed down1 and converted into calves'-foot jelly4 ,the mechanical problems written and graven on them were doubtless not precipitated on the delicate palates of the ladies or gentlemen consuming them at ,almack's1 or elsewhere4 ,it was but carbon gathered by the sheep in the shape of grass from the earth's surface--kid gloves in another form4 ,possibly ,chemistry will ultimately enable us to make kid gloves and parchment without troubling goats or sheep for them1 and artificial gelatine will become a substitute for calves'-feet4 ,it is probable1 that even now we occasionally eat old wool and hair in our gravy soups1 as well as make it into what is facetiously called #8felt cloth'--the fibres being glued instead of felted together2 and in process of time we may prepare gelatinous tubes1 analogous to wool and hair1 from carbon1 converted into gelatine4 ,it certainly seems odd that a man's coat should be convertible into his dinner2 but #8,imperial ,csar1' according to ,hamlet1 underwent as strange changes4#ch' ,during the time of the ,great ,exhibition1 in #ahea1 buffalo hides1 and sheep and calf skins1 advanced cent4 per cent4 in price4 ,this was caused by the great demand for jellies in the refreshment rooms4 ,visitors then consumed jellies who never tasted jellies before2 and as the usual material was not available1 buffalo hides were purchased in tons in ,liverpool1 for the purpose of making these delicacies4 ,size and glue were used at first1 but the hides were found to be cheapest4 ,no one knows now what he eats in ,english confectionery4 ,the natives of ,java use the fresh hides of cattle as food1--nay even esteem them a dainty beyond any other part of the animal4 ,the first pair of buckskin breeches seen in the ,south ,sea ,islands were so little understood1 that the natives stuffed them with sea-weed1 and had them boiled for dinner4 ,after the enumeration ,i have given you of ,food ,delicacies1 who shall venture to determine what is good eating8 ,some ,europeans chew tobacco1 the ,hindoo takes to betel-nut and lime1 while the ,patagonian finds contentment in a bit of guano1 and the ,styrians grow fat and ruddy on arsenic4 ,english children delight in sweetmeats and sugar-candy1 while those of ,africa prefer rock salt4 ,a ,frenchman likes frogs and snails1 and we eat eels1 oysters1 and whelks4 ,to the ,esquimaux1 train oil is your only delicacy4 ,the ,russian luxuriates upon his hide or tallow2 the ,chinese upon rats1 puppy dogs1 and sharks' fins2 the ,kafir upon elephant's foot and trunk1 or lion steaks2 while the ,pacific ,islander places cold missionary above every other edible4 ,why then should we be surprised at men's feeding upon rattle-snakes and monkeys1 and pronouncing them capital eating8 ,i do not know if any of the delicacies ,i have described may occasion what ,charles ,lamb calls #8premonitory moistening of the nether lip1' but ,i trust ,i may not have spoiled the reader's appetite for dinner or supper4 ,there is a saying of great truth1 #8that one half the world does not know how the other half lives4' ,these pages will1 ,i think1 serve to verify the adage4 ,,the ,,end4 ,,london3 ,,printed ,,by ,g4 ,,phipps1 ,,ranelagh ,,street1 ,,eaton ,,square4 ,,footnotes3 ,footnote #a3 ,stevenson's ,twenty ,years' ,residence in ,south ,america4 ,footnote #b3 ,hooper's ,medical ,dictionary4 ,footnote #c3 ,kohl's ,russia1 and ,mc,gregor's ,continental ,tariffs4 ,footnote #d3 ,johnston's ,travels in ,southern ,abyssinia1 vol4 #b1 p4 #bbf4 ,footnote #e3 ,mc,micking's ,manila and the ,philippines4 ,footnote #f3 ,ruschenberger's ,voyage ,round the ,world1 vol4 #b4 p4 #ccg4 ,footnote #g3 ,a ,paper on ,swine1 read before the ,worcester 7,massachusetts7 ,agricultural ,society4 ,footnote #h3 ,putnam's ,monthly ,magazine4 ,footnote #i3 ,lettres sur les ,substances ,alimentaires1 et particulirement sur la ,viande de ,cheval4 ,par ,m4 ,isidore ,geoffroy ,st4 ,hilaire4 ,paris1 #ahef4 ,footnote #aj3 ,germantown ,emporium4 ,footnote #aa3 ,journal of the ,society of ,arts1 vol4 #b41 p4 #aje4 ,footnote #ab3 ,berncastle's ,voyage to ,china4 ,footnote #ac3 ,bonnycastle's ,south ,america4 ,footnote #ad3 ,strong vinegar1 veignia1 or possibly catsup4 ,footnote #ae3 ,query4--,the dusky petrel4 ,footnote #af3 ,nautical ,magazine1 vol4 #ae1 p4 #e4 ,footnote #ag3 ,part ,,ii4 ,buff4 ,hist4 ch4 #a4 sec4 #e4 ,footnote #ah3 ,dr4 ,truman ,on ,food and its ,influence1 c4 ,footnote #ai3 ,mac,micking's ,manila1 c4 ,footnote #bj3 ,history of the ,fishmongers' ,company4 ,footnote #ba3 ,dr4 ,truman ,on ,food and its ,influence4 ,footnote #bb3 ,symonds's ,observations on the ,fisheries of the ,west ,coast of ,ireland4 ,footnote #bc3 ,the ,fish ,fancier's ,own ,book4 ,footnote #bd3 ,mc,culloch's ,statistics of the ,british ,empire4 ,footnote #be3 ,kane1 in ,canadian ,journal1 ,march #adth1 #aheh4 ,footnote #bf3 ,natural ,history of ,fishes1 by ,dr4 ,bushnan4 ,footnote #bg3 ,schomburgk's ,history of ,barbados4 ,footnote #bh3 ,miss ,bunbury's ,summer in ,northern ,europe4 ,footnote #bi3 ,wallace's ,travels on the ,amazon4 ,footnote #cj3 ,natural ,history of ,insects4 ,footnote #ca3 ,wallace's ,travels on the ,rio ,negro4 ,footnote #cb3 ,journal de ,pharmacie4 ,footnote #cc3 ,annals of ,natural ,history4 ,footnote #cd3 ,kirby and ,spence4 ,footnote #ce3 ,symond's ,observations on the ,fisheries of the ,west ,coast of ,ireland4 ,footnote #cf3 ,molina's ,natural ,history of ,chile4 ,footnote #cg3 ,adam's ,natural ,history4 ,footnote #ch3 ,w4 ,b4 ,adams1 in ,society of ,arts' ,journal4 ,transcriber's ,notes3 ,italics are shown thus3 sloping4 ,variations in spelling and hyphenation are retained4 ,perceived typographical errors have been changed4 ,in the contents1 ,live ,crablets eaten by the ,chinese1 corrected from #abi to #cbi4