208 EDIBLE BRITISH MOLLUSCA. 



forming part of the second course, we read of Sturgeon 

 in foyle with welkes. 



In heraldry we find whelks used, and the arms of Sir 

 John Shelley, of Maresfield, in Sussex, are sable, afess 

 engrailed between three whelk-shells or. The Shelleys 

 of Lincolnshire bear, argent a chevron gules, between 

 three whelks sable ;* and the crest of the Yenables, of 

 Cheshire, is a wy vern gules, issuing from a whelk-shell 

 argent ; and many other examples might be given. f 



A buccinum, or whelk, with a figure rising out of it, 

 or rather looking out of it, is sculptured on the font in 

 St. Clement's Church, Sandwich. 



It is said that the eider-duck when it has not more 

 than one or two eggs in its nest, places a shell, Bucci- 

 num glaciale, beside them. The usual number of eggs 

 is from five to six. Western Norway Island, off the 

 coast of Western Spitzbergen, is a well-known place 

 where the eider-duck breeds in great numbers. J 



Dublin Method of Cooking Whelks. Cleanse them 

 well, boil them till they can easily be taken from the 

 shell, and then fry them with plenty of fat or butter, 

 till they are brown. 



Whelk Soup. Take two onions and cut them into 

 small dice, fry them in a stew-pan with some butter ; 

 shake the pan well for a few minutes, add five heads 

 of celery, two handfuls of spinach, two cabbage-lettuces 

 cut small, and some parsley. Shake the pan again, 

 put in two quarts of water, some crusts of bread, a 

 teaspoonful of pepper, and a blade or two of mace. Let 

 this boil gently for an hour. Boil the whelks, take 



* Burke' s * General Armorie.' 



f Fairbairn's * Crests of Great Britain.* 



J Nordenskj old's * Arctic Voyages in 1878-9.* 



