STATISTICAL AND OTHER INFORMATION. 889 



Rocky Mountains ; whilst fresh oysters packed in ice have 

 been sent to great distances, (i") 



I am reminded here of a very noteworthy fact, warn- 

 ingly dwelt upon by Mobius (p. 55), relative to the use of 

 ice for oysters : " If ice is used to keep oysters fresh, care 

 must be exercised that the water from the melting ice does 

 not come in contact with the molluscs, or their flavour will 

 be injured. Care should also be taken, especially with 

 shelled oysters, that the ice used to cool them off does not 

 entirely cover them. (/) Preserved oysters, packed in 

 tin cans, are brought into the markets from North America. 

 In these the natural flavour, for which the oyster is so 

 highly prized, is as much destroyed as is that of the 

 tropical fruits which come to us cooked in sugar. If thev 

 were not preserved oysters they would hardly find pur- 

 chasers. They serve merely as suggestions of fresh oysters." 



Tempted by the truth and wisdom of Mobius's asser- 

 tion, I was about to give the following information in a 

 footnote, but partly on account of its length and partly that of 

 its instructive interest, I deem it of sufficient importance for 

 insertion in the text, believing that its analogical pertinence 

 to the subject will amply atone for the brief digression. 



Mr. J. K. Kilbourn, speaking on "Preservation by 

 Conditions of Temperature," () says : It is well known 

 (i) " The Harvest of the Sea," p. 263. 



( j ) The Romans were in the habit of cooling their oysters with 

 ice from the mountains : " Addiditque luxuria frigus (ostreis) obrutis 

 nive, summa montium et maris ima miscens." C. Plinii Sec., Naturalis 

 Historia, lib. xxxii., 6, 21. 



(k) " Fish Preservation and Refrigeration," by Mr. J. K. Kilbourn. 

 Papers of the Conferences held in connection with the great Inter- 

 national Fisheries Exhibition. (William Clowes & Sons, London, 

 1883.) 



