HUMAN FOODS 1 7 



called rabbits. Of birds we use chickens, ducks and geese, 

 with sometimes a few others, like turkeys, guinea-fowl and 

 pigeons, as special delicacies. Of our very numerous sorts of 

 fishes only about half a dozen are widely used, with many 

 others eaten locally; but in any one town one rarely sees more 

 than a half a dozen kinds in the fish markets. Lobsters and 

 the larger crabs, shrimps, oysters, clams and scallops round 

 out our bill of fare so far as it concerns the animals. But let 

 us see what other people eat. 



While man regards without prejudice so to speak, almost 

 all sea creatures and is perfectly willing to eat any of them if 

 only they are not offensive to his palate, it is quite different 

 with regard to animal life on land. For instance sentiment 

 against snakes is so widespread that they are not usually used 

 as food if this can be avoided, though they are eaten in some 

 places, even in this country, and they are good to eat as I can 

 testify. Monkeys also are not generally eaten except in parts 

 of South America; but besides the protecting sentiment against 

 their use as food their flesh is tough and strong, and there is 

 little temptation to eat monkey twice. 



Nearly all the larger mammals are eaten in their native 

 countries, the exceptions being those that are so very tough, 

 hke many cats, or so very strong, as old he-goats, as to make 

 this impracticable. Hoofed animals always are preferred to 

 others. They usually are large and hence provide a large 

 amount of meat which rarely has a disagreeable flavor. They 

 live in open country or in open woods, never climb the trees, 

 seldom burrow, and are usually more or less sociable in habit. 

 They can therefore be secured in adequate quantities with a 

 minimum of difficulty and of danger, and besides many of them 

 are easily domesticated. 



Burrowing animals when large enough are always popular 

 as food, since they can be trapped or dug from their burrows 

 with httle expenditure of labor. But all the larger burrowing 

 animals are rather scarce and solitary. 



In the South American forests where hoofed animals are 



