ZOOLOGY IN TIME OF SHAKESPEARE 257 



referring, without knowing it, to the rose chafer's 

 larva, " Why should the worm intrude the maiden 

 bud ? " (" Rape of Lucrece," 848). 



His knowledge of molluscs was, though more 

 accurate, in no sense wider. He knew the " cockle 

 (Pecten) hat " of the pilgrim (" Ham./' IV. v. 25), 

 but thought the animal " sails seas " (" Per.," IV. 

 iv. 2) ; he mentions as articles of food " the fresh- 

 brook muscles " (" Temp.," I. ii. 463) ; he knew, 

 as all the world since classical times had known, 

 " this treasure of an oyster " (" Ant. and Cl.," I. 

 v. 44). Its tardiness ("As You Like It," IV. i. 52) 

 and its tenderness (" Ven. and Ad.," 1033) alike 

 impressed him. The " saucy cuttle " of Doll 

 Tearsheet (2 " Hen. IV." ; II. iv. 118) does not 

 argue an acquaintance with the Cephalopods, 

 but may have been a term of endearment 

 or more probably a slang term for " cut- 

 purse." 



The Crustacea are but sparingly referred to. 

 Shrimp (" Love's Labour's Lost," V. ii. 594) is 

 used as a paraphrase for babe. The crab, it is said, 

 " could go backward " (" Ham.," II. ii. 206). As a 

 matter of fact it moves sideways, though some- 

 times with an oblique backward bias. Caliban 

 makes the only reference to the large subdivision 



