OF CONCHOLOGY. 133 



ON GREEN OYSTERS. 



BY ARTHUR W. E. O'SHAUGHNESSY,^ OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 



From Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Yol. XVIII., No. 105. 

 London, Sept., 1866, page 221. 



Pliny tells us of red oysters being found in Spain, of others 

 of a tawny hue in Illyricum, and of black ones at Circeii, the 

 latter being, he says, black, both in meat and shell. Moreover, 

 these black oysters seem to have borne the palm of excellence 

 in ancient times, being mentioned by various writers, amongst 

 whom we may cite Horace ; and, in spite of Mucianus, Avho tries 

 hard to puflF the oysters of Cyzicus as " larger than those of 

 Lake Lucrinus, fresher than those of the British coasts, sweeter 

 than those of Medullse, more tasty than those of Ephesus, more 

 plump than those of Lucus, less slimy than those of Coryphas, 

 more delicate than those of Istria, and whiter than those of 

 Circeii," Pliny records it as an ascertained fact that there were 

 no oysters fresher or more delicate than those of Circeii. So 

 much for black oysters, which we have never seen, and do not 

 wish to deal with at present. Green oysters seem to be a more 

 modern invention, and, as far as we can learn, are, in many 

 cases, thoroughbred "young natives" — that is, Britishers, 

 which appear to have made a rather unfavorable impression on 

 the palates of our neighbors across the channel. 



Some time ago, a considerable excitement was created in 

 France by the story of certain luckless individuals, who, having 

 eaten of poisonous green oysters in the market at K-ochefort, 

 suffered accordingly. Upon inquiry, it was found that these 

 oysters came from Marennes, on the west coast of France. 

 Now, Marennes has long been famous for green oysters ; but, by 

 the united exertions of the Mayor of Marennes and his Secre- 

 tary, M. Bourricaud, the fact was elicited that poisonous green 

 oysters came from Falmouth, in Cornwall. In a letter to the 



