MODERN HISTORY OF THE OYSTER. 55 



more than a century later they were not long in finding 

 out how much Kentish and Essex oysters were preferable 

 to those of France. Since then the oyster has held its 

 own against all comers, as one of the most welcome 

 accessories to the table of rich and poor, and has been 

 protected in its rights and immunities by various Acts of 

 Parliament. 



Among the authors who have written upon the natural 

 history of the oyster since printing was invented, I believe 

 Gesner is the first. The title-page of his work, liber iv. 

 " Qui est de Piscium et Aquatilium Animantium Natura," 

 bears the following letters as a date CO O CHIL, an d 

 was printed at Frankfort; the other volume, "De Avibus," 

 is dated 1535. Rondeletius and Belon, both of whom are 

 quoted, bear dates, the former 1558, and the latter 1555, 

 supposing my copies to be the first editions. (</) 



Gesner in his History of the Oyster, " De (Ostreis, 

 sive) Bivalviis testa duriore contectis, Belonius," gives the 

 following as the mode in which oysters were treated by 

 the Romans : " Nam quae a Brundusio in Lucrinum 

 lacum transferebantur (qiwm Romana res magnitudinis 

 atque luxuriae fastigium teneret) ut veluti dulcium aquarum 

 gaudentes adventu pinguescerent, integrae cum testis 

 divendebantur." 



This practice of the Romans is precisely what is 

 done on the best managed beds at the present day. 

 Gesner also states, quoting from Galenus, that they 

 generate healthy humours, and gives an account of those 

 which were supposed to be species in that day. 



(c) See Chapter 31, and Appendix G. 

 (d) " History of the Oyster/' by T. C. Eyton. 



