COMPOUND ALIMENTARY SUBSTANCES. 85 



are large enough to be cooked in a variety of ways, and their 

 flavor when developed by cooking is superior to that of any 

 in the world. They are frequently taken raw, when the 

 small, firm, and salt oysters are most esteemed. Taken this 

 way they compare favorably with the best European oysters ; 

 but have, perhaps, hardly the delicacy of flavor of the cele- 

 brated Ostend oysters. 1 Aside from peculiarities in different 

 individuals with regard to the digestibility of particular ar- 

 ticles, the oyster must be considered as highly nutritious and 

 easily digested. It is acted upon by the digestive fluids more 

 easily in the raw state than when cooked, even in the sim- 

 plest manner. Proximate analyses of the oyster show a 

 considerable quantity of organic nitrogenized matter, fat, 

 and the inorganic salts. The proportion of solid matter is 

 about five per cent. 2 



The liquor contained in the oyster-shell is also used, es- 

 pecially in cooking. It is impregnated with the flavor of the 

 oyster, and contains a small quantity of nitrogenized and 

 non-nitrogenized matter. 



Many varieties of the Crustacea are used as food ; but they 

 are important simply as articles of luxury, and as contrib- 

 uting to the necessary variety in the diet. These are gener- 

 ally spoken of as shell-fish, a name which is sometimes un- 

 derstood to include the mollusks. The most important arti- 

 cles of this class are lobsters, crabs, and shrimps. As a gen- 

 eral rule, the flesh of the Crustacea, though reputed to be 

 quite nutritive, is difficult of digestion. In this country the 

 ordinary lobster, and the crab just after it has shed its shell 

 (the soft-shelled crab), are most highly esteemed. 



1 In Europe, several dozens of oysters are frequently eaten as a preparation 

 to the more solid portions of a dinner ; and when taken at other times, they are 

 eaten by fifties and hundreds. In this country the oysters are so large that a 

 dozen is considered a very fair allowance at any time. 



2 Payen (op. cit., p. 221) gives the proximate composition of the French oys- 

 ter, which probably does not differ much from other varieties except in size 

 and flavor. The proportion of nitrogenized matter is about 14 parts per 100. 



