On the Economical Uses of some species of Testacea. 255 
one half the known world, thousands of birds were slaughtered to 
procure one dish of tongues, rivers turned from their course, and 
mountains cut through, to form oyster pits and lamprey stews, and 
patricians and senators thought it not beneath their dignity to super- 
intend the minutie of snail warrens. ‘This shell is indigenous to 
most parts of continental Europe, but it chiefly abounds in Italy and 
Spain. In the former it anciently was, and still is, much used for 
the table, and among the Roman epicures there was constant com- 
petition to prove who could produce the largest and the fattest. 
Pliny informs us that one Fulvius Harpinus was the first who in- 
vented a stew for snails about B.C. 80, in which they were fed and 
protected. Every care was taken of them, and the owners of these 
warrens boasted as much of their snails, as gentlemen, in the present 
day, do of their horses.. Several species, from various countries, 
were probably used, each of which were kept in separate depart- 
ments, and were regularly fed on wheat meal sodden with wine and 
mixed with a few laurel leaves. Thus preserved, they grew to a 
most surprising size, and if we can believe the authorities, it was not 
uncommon for the shell, (naturally about two inches in diameter,) to 
contain ten quarts of liquid! | 
The Cochlearia, or snail] stews, were generally made in open pla- 
ces surrounded by water, so that.the snails might not abandon them, 
and care was taken that the places were not too much exposed to 
the sun or the dews. The artificial stews were most frequently 
made under rocks whose bottoms were watered by lakes or rivers, 
and if there was not a natural dew, they produced one by means of 
4 pipe of water bored full of holes. They were also fed ona smaller 
scale, in large pots or pans, bored full of holes to let in the air, and 
lined with bran and wine lees or vegetables. In Italy they are still 
fed in similar places on vegetables, and during Lent are eaten in 
great quantities. They are regularly exposed in the markets, as 
well as in those of Switzerland, Spain, and France, and are exported 
in barrels to the Antilles. 'They were introduced into England about 
two centuries since, and distributed through the counties of Surrey 
and Sussex, but by whom is now uncertain. They soon spread 
themselves, however, through most parts of the south, and are found 
at present in the country round Dublin. In the north they have 
‘never prospered, and we are not aware of any place more northerly 
than Northamptonshire, where they are to be found. In Holstein 
they are indigenous as far as the shores of the Baltic, and are the 
