ANCIENT HISTORY OF THE OYSTER. 51 



eyes of cats become fuller or smaller according to the 

 changes of the moon.' But that is still more surprising 

 which I have read in Plutarch, that the onion becomes 

 green and flourishing as the moon wastes away, and dries 

 up again as the moon increases ; and this is the cause, say 

 the Egyptian priests, why the Pelusians do not eat the 

 onion ; because it alone of all potherbs has its turns of 



diminishinsr and increasing contrary to those of the moon." 



o j 



It is curious to observe that this folly about the moon's 



j 



influence on oysters continued to form a part of the popular 

 creed even as late as 1666; for in the "Philosophical 

 Transactions ' : of that year travellers to India "are soli- 

 cited to inquire whether the shell-fishes that are in these 

 parts plump and in season at the full moon, and lean and 

 out of season at the new, are found to have contrary con- 

 stitutions in the East Indies ;" to which the answer was 

 returned, " I find it so here, by experience at Batavia in 

 oysters and crabs." 



Even at the present day the Tarentines declare that 

 oysters are fattest during the full moon, and they are also 

 fully persuaded that the moon-beams have a pernicious 

 effect upon sea-fish ; therefore they cover over fish taken 

 by moonlight, lest they should decompose, (v) 



The Romans, like ourselves, were in the habit of 

 sending presents of oysters to their friends, who, it is 

 probable, returned the compliment in the shape of a boar's 

 head, fat ducks, or some other welcome produce of the 

 farm. Ausonius wrote a very amusing letter to his friend 

 Theon, who had sent him only thirty oysters as a present : 



" Accepi, dilecte Theon, numerabile munus. 

 Verum quot fuerint, subjecta monosticha signant." 



(v) " The Fisheries of the Adriatic," by G. S. Faber. 



