CHAPTER XXVI. 



PKEPARATION OP POOD. 



AMONG the many epithets that have been bestowed on man 

 to distinguish him from all other animals, he has been 

 described as pre-eminently a cooking animal the only 

 animal who cooks or prepares his food prior to using it. 

 The futility or fallacy of such a distinction, however, is 

 proved by the fact that, on the one hand, there are whole 

 races of man that, ignorant of the production of fire, have 

 and take no means of preparing their food ; while, on the 

 other, there are certain animals, equally unable themselves 

 to produce fire, that yet use various means of preparing 

 food, or have the sense to adopt the results of man's cookery. 



In the first place, then, there are many savage races of 

 man who use flesh and fruits in their raw state, sometimes 

 even in a condition of disgusting putridity. Not only so, 

 but they devour living animals, or flesh cut from living 

 animals. Moreover, they tear flesh food with their teeth, 

 after the manner of the Carnivora. 



The animal food on which such savages subsist includes 



1. Wild animals, both of the larger and smaller sort, 

 including serpents and lizards, mice and other ' vermin.' 



2. Fish. 



3. Molluscs, such as snails, and various marine shell- 

 fish, such as cockles, oysters, and mussels. 



4. Various worms and insects or their grubs, including 

 ants and lice. 



5. Various animal products such as wild honey, milk, 

 marrow, fat, or oil. 



The vegetable food which affords a means of subsistence, 



