MYTILIDjE. — MUSSEL. 63 



and XJnio litoralis, which are found near Granada, in 

 the river Jenil, are often brought to the market ; but 

 when the fish are taken out of their shells and cooked, 

 they are described as very tough food. Anodontce and 

 UnionidcB [Anodontes et Mulettes) are employed by the 

 fishermen in the neighbourhood of Nantes for bait ;* and 

 I have occasionally used Dreissena polymorpha for the 

 same purpose, which seemfed to be greatly appreciated 

 by the fish in the pond where I was fishing, as they 

 greedily sucked off the bait as fast as it was put on the 

 hook. The Dreissena were brought from the canal at 

 Sawley, Leicestershire, and turned into the ponds, where 

 they have thriven wonderfully, and are the favourite food 

 of water rats, if one may judge from the number of 

 empty shells deposited on the banks amongst the rushes, 

 in small heaps sometimes two or three inches deep. In 

 some countries the shells of the large Anodontte are used 

 for skimming milk. 



In the north-western part of Australia, a freshwater 

 mussel forms a staple article of food, while in the south- 

 western part of the continent the natives will not touch 

 them, but regard them with a superstitious dread and 

 abhorrence. In Grey's ' Australia,' he gives an account 

 of a native, Kaiber by name, whom he ordered to ga- 

 ther some of these shellfish for food, as they were nearly 

 dying from hunger, but the man steadfastly refused, as 

 he affirmed that by touching them, the native sorcerer, 

 or Boyl-yas, would acquire a mysterious influence over 

 him, which would end in his death. At last, however, 

 he was ordered to bring some instantly, as Mr. Grey 

 intended eating them. After thinking for a moment or 

 so, Kaiber walked away for this purpose, but bitterly 



* ' Catalogue des Eadiaires,' etc., par Frederic Cailliaud de Nantes. 



