14 EDIBLE BRITISH MOLLUSKS. 



sotious plants, such as the deadly nightshade, poppj) 

 datura, black nightshade {Solanum nigrum), etc., cases 

 of poisoning by snails having occurred where they had 

 been gathered near, or had fed upon these noxious plants. 



It is a mistake to suppose that the only snails used as 

 food are the Helix pomatia and Hdix aspersa* These 

 are naturally preferred on account of their larger size, 

 which makes them less troublesome to eat; but a variety 

 of small kinds of snails, fifteen species in all, including 

 those above mentioned, are also employed in cookery on 

 the Continent, and there is no reason why they should 

 not be as good as the others, nor is there any reason why 

 we should not use snails, and many other molluscous 

 animals, which we now throw aside, but which are 

 doubtless quite as palatable and as wholesome as other 

 kinds which our prejudices permit us to indulge in. 



M. le Docteur Ebrard, in his ' Des Escargots, au 

 point de vue de 1' Alimentation, de la Viticulture et de 

 I'Horticulture,' gives an interesting account of the 

 use of snails both for food and medicine, and he tells us 

 that during a sojourn of some weeks at Hyeres, in the 

 month of April, he was struck by seeing suspended at 

 the side of the door of each cottage, a rush basket of a 

 peculiar form. He was curious to find out the contents, 

 and on looking into one he found it full of snails. 



At the sight of these creatures he made a slight move- 

 ment of disdain, which was perceived by the master of 

 the house, who said, " These snails disgust you, but we 



* Helix aspersa has >■ Tariety of names in France, and in the north 

 it is called coIimat;oii, janUnidre, and aspergiUe ; at Montpellier, cara- 

 guolo; in Bordelais, cagoidlle, limaov, and limat ; in PrOTence, escar- 

 got and escourgol ; at Avignon, caragoou and contar; hanarut at Aries ; 

 and hajaina at Grasse. — Dr. Ebrard. 



