THE OTSTEE. 79 



lower shell. The upper shell is always concaye, by 

 which they are the more easily distinguished from the 

 Heligolanders, which have always a strong convex upper 

 shell. As to the little animal itself, it is very fat, white, 

 thick, and tender, and therefore very digestible. It has 

 only a small beard, by which it is distinguished from 

 the JS'orwegian and Scottish oyster, which, by the 

 appearance of the shell, might be mistaken for the 

 Holstein oyster by novices in gastronomy. These deli- 

 cate favourites are to be obtained from the lessees of 

 the Eoyal Oyster-banks on the western coast of Hol- 

 stein in Flensburg, in the kingdom of Denmark. 



4. The Schleswich Oyster of Susum and Silt is very 

 like the former — almost undistinguishable. It is very 

 excellent, but seldom exported, and consumed for the 

 most part in Kiel. The two last-named oysters are often 

 taken to St. Petersburg by sailors, when making the 

 passage to and fro. 



5. The Heligolanders are very large; have thick shells, 

 which renders the duty and carriage very high, but are 

 not at all hne, and generally sold in all the innocence of 

 ignorance by dealers as Holstein oysters. 



Have nothing to do with Norwegian oysters ; I only 

 mention them here as things to be shunned. Bremer 

 oysters, the NeiiwerTcers, and the Wangerogers, however, 

 deserve a better fate. 



6. The Oyster of the Bay of Biscay is of the same 

 size as that of Holstein, with a very large beard, like 

 those caught in the south of England. The beard, like 

 the oyster itself, is quite grass green — a quality which 

 is to be found generally only with oysters from Dieppe, 

 Cancale, and the Marennes. Its flavour is very fine and 



