HELICIDJE. SNAIL. 209 



tbem out of their shells, and fry them a good brown, 

 and then add them to the soup, and let the whole boil 

 a few minutes, then serve.* 



Another way of making Whellc Soup. — Wash the 

 whelks well, boil them and pick them out of the shells. 

 Put an ounce of butter or dripping', with some finely 

 chopped parsley, an onion, a little pepper and salt, into 

 a saucepan, and fry it until it becomes brown, adding a 

 little flour. Then to this add a pint of water or a pint 

 and a half of milk, and when it boils, place in the whelks 

 and a teaspoonful of anchovy. Let it boil again for 

 half an hour, then serve. 



To dress Whelks. — Boil them till quite tender, then 

 eat them with vinegar and pepper. 



At Marseilles I have seen the large Triton nodiferus 

 sold in the streets ready boiled for eating ; but it did 

 not look a tempting dish, and appears to be appre- 

 ciated only by the lower classes. 



Fam. HELICID^E. 

 HELIX— SNAIL. 



Helix pomatia, Linnaeus. Vine Snail. — Shell glo- 

 bular, strong, large, covered with coarse longitudinal 

 striae, five volutions, convex ; spire short, and the apex 

 blunt; pale cream- colour, with rufous bands; the 

 columella arched; and of a pale purplish-pink; the 

 outer lip dark reddish-brown; mouth almost round. 



Helix aspersa, Linnaeus. Garden Snail — Shell 



opaque, nearly globular, four to four and a half volutions, 



the last much larger, occupying nearly two-thirds of 



the shell; mouth nearly ovate; spire short, with a 



* 'Old Cookery Book.' 



P 



