408 ANIMAL FOOD RESOURCES OF DIFFERENT NATIONS. 



the name of Yet in WesteTn Africa. The high winds 

 sometimes drive shoals of them on shore. 



Several other univalves will be subsequently noticed 

 incidentally. 



HalioUds. — The moUusks of the very beautiful group 

 of sea ear-shells or ormers {Haliotida) are often cooked. 

 The shells; which present a very brilliant nacre, golden, 

 green, orange, pink, etc., according to the species, form 

 a regular article of trade for ornaments, when polished, 

 and for inlaid work. In Jersey, the common British 

 species is sold at 6d. per dozen. It has been praised by 

 old authors as a most delicate morsel. One writer speaks 

 of the ormer as a lump of white pulp, very sweet and 

 luscious. In that island they are boiled slowly for two 

 or three hours, when they may be scalloped as 

 an oyster, or browned in a pan with butter. If 

 they are to be fried, they require to be well beaten 

 first to make them tender. They are also pickled in 

 vinegar. 



The Indians of California, the Chinese, and others are 

 very fond of M. gigantea. 



As an article of food the Haliotids are by no means 

 to be despised. We have eaten H. tuberculata, Lin., and 

 when served by a good cook it is tender and sapid. The 

 large fleshy foot, if not properly managed, is apt to be 

 tough. 



The mutton fish as it is termed (SaUotis iris), is prized 

 by the inhabitants of New Zealand, although tough 

 eating. The Chinese, settled in Victoria and Tasmania, 

 capture them largely. 



The habitat of these fish is on stones below the 

 surface of the water, to which they adhere, with a 

 tenacity truly wonderful, by what is called the foot. 

 Armed with a long, iron-pointed spear, the fisher thrusts 

 it through the shell, whereupon the moUusk relaxes its 

 hold, and is brought to the surface. The mode of pre- 

 paring these fish for exportation is to parboil them, 

 when the moUusk comes away freely from the shell. 

 They are then dried, and in that state have the g,ppearr 



