2/4 OYSTERS, AND ALL ABOUT THEM. 



5. The Heligolanders are very large ; have thick shells, 

 which renders the duty and carriage very high, but are not 

 at all fine, and generally sold in all the innocence of ignor- 

 ance by dealers as Holstein oysters. 



Have nothing to do with Norwegian oysters ; I only 

 mention them here as things to be shunned. Bremer 

 oysters, the Neuwerkers^ and the Wangerogers, however, 

 deserve a better fate. 



6. The Oyster of the Bay of Biscay is of the same size 

 as that of Holstein, with a very large beard, like some 

 caught in the south of England. The beard, like the 

 oyster itself, is quite grass green a quality which is to be 

 found generally only with oysters from Dieppe, Cancale, 

 and the Marennes. Its flavour is very fine and good, but 

 great care must be taken, in opening the shell and detach- 

 ing the oyster, not to break the double shell, which they 

 mostly possess, for this contains sulphuretted hydrogen, 

 which gives a bad smell and flavour to the oyster, and 

 poisons the stomach of the consumer. 



7. Dutch Oysters are both good and dear. The four 

 sorts I recommend are Seelanders, Vliessingers, Middle- 

 burgers, and Vieringers. The latter are almost the finest 

 and best, but uncommonly dear, and are mostly consumed 

 in Holland. 



8. French Oysters. --T\\e French oysters are chiefly 

 taken from beds in the Bays of Cancale and St. Brieux, 

 from Marennes, from Havre and Dieppe, from Dunkirk, 

 and from the Bay of Biscay. The three first are very fine, 

 but the distance to Paris is too great ; they are therefore 

 dear in that capital. Those from Dunkirk are similar to 

 those of Ostend, but not quite so fine ; and those from the 

 Bay of Biscay are quite green, and highly esteemed in the 

 south of France, especially at Bordeaux. 



