102 EDIBLE BRITISH MOLLUSKS. 



various parts of our coast, but T am told that tons of 

 scallops and periwinkles are sent yearly from Brading 

 harbour, in the Isle of Wight ; but the greatest supply is 

 from Holland. They are sold at 2s. per dozen, and are 

 chiefly sought after for the shell. There are large scallop 

 beds off the Isle of Man. At Vigo, Pecten maximus 

 is the constant food of all classes from Christmas to 

 Easter, after which it is only eaten by the very poor 

 people, and there it is known by the name of Beira. In 

 Andalusia it is called Rufina. 



The French call the scallops peignes, coquilles de St. 

 Jacques ; also, grosille, grand' -pelerine, gofiche, or pa- 

 lourde,* and the name for them in German is Jacobs- 

 muschel, Pilgrims-muschel, and Kamm-muschel. At 

 Tarento, the fishermen call this shell Concha di San 

 Dialogo, and in other places, Cappa di San Giacomo, 

 and consider it a great delicacy ; and formerly it grew 

 so large there, that Horace says : — " Pectinibus patulis 

 jactat se molle Tarentum."t According to Poll, the 

 Neapolitans call it Cozza di San Giacomo, and the Ve- 

 netians Cappa Santa. In Youghal these mollusks are 

 known by the name of kirkeens, or kirkeen thraws ; an- 

 other Irish name for them is Sligane-mury. In Scotland, 

 scallops are often called clams, and are used as bait for 

 the white-fish lines, but other shells are called clams ; 

 amongst them is Pholas dactylus, which is generally 

 used by us as bait, though eaten in France ;% and in the 

 Shetland Isles the large Cyprina Islandica is the clam. 

 A species of Mya, eaten by the natives of the Zaire or 

 Congo River, is stated by Mr. Fitzmaurice to resemble 

 what is usually called the clam in England ; and at 



* Jeffreys, 'British Conehology,' vol. ii. p. 74. 



+ Aufrfere's Travels. J "Book for the Seaside,' p. 84. 



