12 ANIMAL FOOD EESOUECES OF DIFFERENT NATIONS. 



In Java the dried inner skin o£ the buffalo, as well as 

 that of the gourami (Osphromenus olfaoc) and other fish, 

 are parboiled, and fried or made into a stew. 



In Chili the universal dish is the " casuelo," which con- 

 sists of boiled chicken, potatoes, onions, carrots, tomatoes, 

 and eggs, the whole being well seasoned with grease, aji 

 (a species of capsicum), and a little garlic. The grease 

 and aji are " browned " in an " olla " and poured over the 

 dish just at the moment it is served up. In spite of its 

 incongruous materials, to a hungry stomach this mixture 

 is far from being despicable. 



Horace Greeley, in his " Letters from the American 

 Plains," thus relates the general opinion as to the wild 

 animals used for food : — " Buffalo meat I found to be a 

 general favourite, though my own experience of it makes 

 it a tough, dry, wooden fibre, only to be eaten under 

 great provocation. I infer that it is poorer in spring than 

 at other seasons, and that I have not been fortunate in 

 cooks. Bear, I was surprised to learn, is not generally 

 liked by the mountaineers — my companions had eaten 

 ■every species, and were not pleased with any. The 

 black-tailed deer of the mountains is a general favourite ; 

 so is the mountain-hen, or grouse : so is the antelope, of 

 course; the elk and mountain-sheep less decidedly so. 

 None of our party liked horse, or knew any way of 

 cooking it that would make it really palatable, though, 

 of course, it has to be eaten occasionally, for necessity 

 hath no law— or rather, is its own law. Our conductor 

 had eaten broiled wolf, under compulsion, but could not 

 recommend it ; but he certified that a slice of cold boiled 

 dog — well boiled, so as to free it from rankness, and then 

 suffered to cool thoroughly —is tender, sweet, and delicate 

 as lamb. I ought to have ascertained the species and age 

 of the dog in whose behalf this testimony was borne — 

 for a young Newfoundland or King Charles might 

 justify praise, while it would be utterly unwarranted in 

 the case of an old cur or mastiff — but the opportunitv 

 was lost, and I can only give the testimony as I re- 

 ceived it." 



