Cn. III.] MOLLUSCAN DIETAET AT MAXtJNG. 49 



fully mangy and wretched-looking, much more fit to be shot 

 than to be wandering about the streets. 



Provisions were exceedingly cheap at Makung. When 

 Her Majesty's ship " Swallow" visited the harbour recently, 

 eggs were purchased at the rate of 300 for the dollar, and 

 a calf cost but one dollar. When a foraging party from our 

 ship went ashore, they purchased a calf for two dollars, and 

 eggs at one dollar the 150, and other things in proportion. 

 A large basket of the ground-nuts (Arachis hypogsea), a very 

 favourite article of food in China, all ready husked, cost 

 only 60 cents, and four dollars the picul (133 pbs.) were asked 

 for the very best rice. 



Beyond the town, the harbour terminates in a broad, 

 extensive, shallow bay, which at low water affords employ- 

 ment to a large number of people, who wade over it in 

 search of shell-fish and other articles, which they consume 

 largely in their diet. Women are principally employed in 

 this business, both here and elsewhere, and they carry with 

 them a basket, and a little iron hammer and pick, with 

 which they pull out the animal from the narrowest crevices 

 of the rocks. In some parts of the town, large heaps of 

 shells belonging to the subgenus Modulus were to be seen, 

 forming incipient kitchen-middens, and illustrating at once 

 the chief molluscs of the bay, and an article of consider- 

 able consumption by the people. Haliotides (sea-ears) are 

 also sold in the market place, as well as cuttle-fish, both 

 fresh and dried, all of which enter into their dietary. We 

 obtained one of these large cuttles, or more properly cala- 

 maries (Loligo), with the intention of trying its esculent 

 qualities; but whether the fault of the cooking or otherwise, 

 even though curried, we did not care to repeat the trial. 

 When quite fresh, the large maculae, and fine spots on the 



