Mr. A. W. E. O'Shaughnessy on Green Oysters. 231 



This, therefore, is a character of the Gynmospermata which 

 must be withdrawn by those who wish to retain Gnetum, 

 Ephedra, or Welwitschia in the same group as the Conifers and 

 Cycads. I do not ; but to give my reasons for that would be to 

 open another phase of the subject, which it is not my intention 

 to enter upon here. 



XXXI. — OnGreen Oysters. By Arthur W.E. O'Shaughnessy, 

 of the British Museum. 



Pliny tells us of red oysters being found in Spain, of others 

 of a tawny hue in Illyricum, and of black ones at Circeii, the 

 latter being, he says, black both in meat and shell. More- 

 over these black oysters seem to have borne the palm of excel- 

 lence in ancient times, being mentioned by various writers, 

 amongst whom we may cite Horace ; and, in spite of Mucianus, 

 who tries hard to puff the oysters of Cyzicus as " larger than 

 those of Lake Lucrinus, fresher than those of the British coasts, 

 sweeter than those of Medullse, more tasty than those of Ephesus, 

 more plump than those of Lucus, less slimy than those of Cory- 

 phas, more delicate than those of Istria, and whiter than those 

 of Circeii," Pliny records it as an ascertained fact that there 

 were no oysters fresher or more delicate than those of Circeii. 

 So much for black oysters, which we have never seen, and do 

 not wish to deal with at present. Green oysters seem to be a 

 more modern invention, and, as far as we can learn, are in many 

 eases thoroughbred "young natives" — that is, Britishers, which 

 appear to have made a rather unfavourable impression on the 

 palates of our neighbours across the channel. 



Some time ago a considerable excitement was created in 

 France by the story of certain luckless individuals, who, having 

 eaten of poisonous green oysters in the market at Rochefort, 

 suffered accordingly. Upon inquiry, it was found that these 

 oysters came from Marennes, on the west coast of France. 

 Now Marennes has long been famous for green oysters ; but, 

 by the united exertions of the mayor of Marennes and his se- 

 cretary, M. Bourricaud, the fact was elicited that poisonous green 

 oysters came from Falmouth, in Cornwall. In a letter to the 

 * Moniteur,' on this subject, M. Bourricaud showed how " the 

 enormously increased demand foi^the green oysters of Marennes, 

 so justly renowned for their delicacy, had rendered the oyster- 

 banks of that coast insufficient to supply the beds" — how, under 

 these circumstances, it had become necessary to have recourse 

 to Spain, Brittany, England, and Ireland — and how the young 

 natives from Falmouth were not deemed presentable until they 



