24 THE AMERICAN ARBACIA 



both raw and cooked. In the West Indies, the natives take the gonads 

 of several individuals of the large Tripneustes and bake them in the half 

 shell of one (H. L. Clark, 1933, p. 82). When fresh and properly cooked 

 they are said to be as good as any fish roe. In the Barbadoes, it has been 

 necessary to pass laws regulating the gathering and sale of Tripneustes, 

 for the persistent demand threatened their extinction. The eggs of this 

 form, called chardron blanc, are made into an omelet in Martinique 

 (Cotte, 1944, p. 238). They are eaten by the Portuguese in Bermuda. 

 The Malays near Singapore use Diadema saxatile {Centrechinus setosus) as 

 food (Bedford, 1900). 



In Japan at least six species are edible, in the north (Asamushi), 

 south (Kyushu), and at Misaki, and some have commercial value. They 

 are expensive, costing about fifty cents apiece (Motomura, personal 

 communication). The gonads are eaten raw, sometimes with a little 

 lemon, and also cooked. They are boiled and eaten with a little lemon, 

 or used as a soup. They are often placed on a shell and heated in a 

 fire, and this dish is said to be very good (Motomura). A customary 

 way of preparing the gonads is to mix them with about three times as 

 much salt and make a paste. This is then stored in very attractive 

 special jars and used, about a half teaspoonful at a time, as a relish. 

 It is said to taste like caviar (Inoue, personal communication). 



b. As Medicine 



As a medicine Pliny recommended sea urchins, both raw and cooked 

 for many ills, ulcers, tumors, kidney troubles, etc. (see under Historical). 

 Galen, Athenaeus, and other writers also speak of their value as a 

 medicine. In more modern times, it is said that in certain parts of the 

 Midi of France, one drinks the perivisceral fluid to help digestion ; the 

 dose is half a glass a day (Mourson and Schlagdenhauffen, 1882). The 

 use of "chalk eggs" and Jewstones has been mentioned under Fossils. 

 In Dalmatia also the shells are used as an astringent (Faber, 1883). 



For their use as food and medicine, see D'Arcy Thompson's Greek 

 Fishes and Tortonesi (1939). 



c. As Food for Other Animals 



Besides serving as food for man, sea urchins are eaten by many fish 

 (Bronn's Thier-Reich, p. 1302), and in Cape Cod waters Arbacia and 

 Strongylocentrotus are devoured by the cod and haddock (A. Agassiz, 

 1 872-1 874, p. 707). Arbacia are consumed by starfish, spider crabs 



