158 Objects for the Microscope. 



CHAPTER VII. 



PALATES. 



PALATE OF HELIX POMATIA. 



Helix pomatia is that very large snail found in woods 

 and hedges on chalky soil and oolite formations in the 

 Southern and Midland Counties of England. The shell is 

 often two inches high, of pale tawny colour. These snails 

 were highly esteemed in the olden time by the imperial 

 gourmands of Rome, who preferred them fried in oil of 

 almonds, and then delicately grilled on a silver gridiron. 

 When previously fattened upon bran and-wine, they grew to 

 an enormous size ; three snails, two eggs, and a lettuce, being 

 a favourite supper of Pliny the younger. At one period in 

 England we feasted upon them ourselves, boiled in spring- 

 water, and seasoned with oil, salt, and pepper ; and highly 

 relished them as a foreign luxury, introduced for that pur- 

 pose about the middle of the sixteenth century, and first 

 cultivated in Surrey, afterwards in Buckinghamshire and 

 Northamptonshire. Of later years they have been used 

 medicinally in cases of consumption, as also the common 

 garden snail, Helix aspersa, which is exported from England 

 yearly for this very purpose, and sent to America packed 

 in old casks. The glassmen at Newcastle have still a snail- 

 feast yearly, and generally collect the snails themselves on 

 the Sunday previous to the feast. 



We may also care to know that this edible snail, which 

 abounds in the neighbourhood of Mount Sinai, has been 

 thought to have supplied the Israelites with food in that 

 part of their journey towards the land of Canaan ; for the 

 whole sides of that valley between Mount Deouchi and 



