HELICID^. SNAIL. 23 



Gwillim, in his f Heraldry/ informs us that the snail 

 is called Tardigrada domiporta, the " slow-going house- 

 bearer," and adds, " the bearing of the snail doth sig- 

 nify, that much deliberation must be used in matters of 

 great difficulty and importance ; for, although the snail 

 goeth most slowly, yet, in time she ascendeth to the top 

 of the highest tower, as Mr. Carew, of Antony, hath 

 wittily moralized in his poem, intituled ' The Herring's 

 Tail/" He gives snails as the armorial bearings of the 

 Shelleys, but he also mentions whelks, which shells are 

 now borne by this family. 



The crest of the Carpenters of Somersetshire is a snail 

 passant proper, shell argent; and that of the Galay 

 family, a snail, horns erect, proper. 



To Dress Snails. — Snails that feed on vines are con- 

 sidered the best. Put. some water into a saucepan, and 

 when it begins to boil, throw in the snails, and let them 

 boil a quarter of an hour ; then take them out of their 

 shells; wash them several times, taking great pains to 

 cleanse them thoroughly, place them in clean water, and 

 boil them again for a quarter of an hour; then take 

 them out, rinse them, dry them, and place them with a 

 little butter in a frying-pan, and fry them gently for a 

 few minutes, sufficient to brown them ; then serve with 

 some piquante sauce.* 



Snails cooked in the French way. — Crack the shells 

 and throw them into boiling water, with a little salt and 

 herbs, sufficient to make the whole savoury ; in a quar- 

 ter of an hour take them out, pick the snails from the 

 shells, and boil them again ; then put them into a sauce- 

 pan, with butter, parsley, a clove of garlic, pepper, 

 thyme, a bay- leaf, and a little flour; when sufficiently 



* An old French recipe. 



