VAEIOUS INSECTS EATEN AS FOOD. 363 



Lest it be presumed that these opinions result from an 

 unnatural palate, or from mere individual taste, let me 

 add that I took pains to get the opinions of many other 

 persons. Indeed, I shall not soon forget the experience 

 of my first culinary effort in this line — so fraught with 

 fear,, and so forcibly illustrating the power of example in 

 overcoming prejudice. This attempt was made at an 

 hotel. At first it was impossible to get any assistance 

 from the followers of the ars coquinaria. They could not 

 more flatly have refused to touch, taste, or handle, had 

 it been a question of cooking vipers. Nor love nor money 

 could induce them to do either, and in this respect the 

 folks of the kitchen were all alike, without distinction 

 of colour. There was no other resource than to turn cook 

 myself, and operations once commenced, the interest and 

 aid of a brother naturalist and two intelligent ladies 

 were soon enlisted. It was most amusing to note how, 

 as the rather savoury and pleasant odour went up from 

 the cooking dishes, the expression of horror and disgust 

 gradually vanished from the faces of the curious lookers- 

 on, and how at last the head cook — a stout and jolly 

 negress — took part in the operations; how, when the 

 different dishes were neatly served upon the table and 

 were freely partaken of with evident relish and many 

 expressions of surprise and satisfaction by the ladies and 

 gentlemen interested, this same cook was actually induced 

 to try them, and soon grew eloquent in their favour ; 

 how, fitnally, a prominent banker, as also one of the editor's 

 of the town joined in the meal. The soup soon vanished, 

 and banished silly prejudice; the cakes, with batter 

 enough to hold the locusts together, disappeared, and 

 were pronounced good ; then baked locusts without con- 

 diments ; and when the meal was completed with dessert 

 of baked locusts and honey d la John the Baptist, the 

 opinion was unanimous that that distinguished prophet 

 no longer deserved our sympathy, and that he had not 

 fared badly on his diet in the wilderness. 



" Professor H. H. Straight, of the Warrensburg (Mo.) 

 Normal School, who made some experiments for me in 



