Chap. 21 ] THE TAEIOUS KINDS OP OYSTEES. 27 



Lake Lucrinus.'^ Thus much with reference to the meat of 

 the oyster ; we will now turn to the various countries which 

 produce it, so that no coast may he deprived of the honours 

 which properly belong to it. But in giving this description 

 we will speak in the language of another, using the words of 

 a writer who has evinced more careful discernment in treating 

 of this subject than any of the other authors of our day. 

 These then are the words of Mucianus, in reference to the 

 oyster : — " The oysters of Cyzicus^ are larger than those of 

 Lake Lucrinus,^* fresher" than those of the British coasts,^^ 

 sweeter^^ than those of Medulse,'" 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."" For all this, however, it is a 

 fact well ascertained that there are no oysters fresher or more 

 delicate than those of Circeii, last mentioned. 



According to the historians of the expedition of Alexander, 

 there were oysters found in the Indian Sea a foot"^ in diameter : 

 among ourselves, too, the nomenclature of some spendtlirift 

 and gourmand has found for certain oysters the name of *' tri- 

 dacna,"" wishing it to be understood thereby, that they are so 

 large as to require three bites in eating them. We will 

 take the present opportunity of stating all the medicinal pro- 

 perties that are attributed to oysters. They are singularly 

 refreshing''^ to the stomach, and tend to restore the appetite. 

 Luxury, too, has imparted to them an additional coolness 

 by burying them in snow, thus making a medley of the 



66 See B. ix. c. 79. 65 gge B. v. c. 40. 



6S' See B. iii. c. 9. " '* Dulciora." 



68 Those of Rutupae, the present Richborough in Kent, were highly 

 esteemed by the Romans. See Juvenal, Sat. 4. 1. 141. 



6^ " Suaviora." 



'0 The district in the vicinity of Bordeaux, now called Medoc. The 

 oysters of Medultc are mentioned in terms of praise by Ausonius, Epist. 

 vii. and Epist. cxliii. 'i "Acriora." 



'2 See 1-;. iii. c. 4. " See B. v. c. 32. 



'1 See B. iii. c. 23. « See B. iii. c. 9. 



'6 They probably gave the name of "oyster" to some other shell-fish 

 of large size. In Cook's Voyages we read of cockles in the Pacific, which 

 two men were unable to carry. 



" From TptQ, "thrice," and ^ukvu), "to bite." 



'8 Ajasson remarks that many persons are unable to digest oysters, in 

 an uncooked state. 



