MARINE BIOLOGICAL STATION AT POET ERIN. 163 



sisting of the herrings which they caught. As stated by 

 Waldron (Manx Society, XL, 49), "the first course of a 

 Manks feast is always broth, which is served up, not in 

 a soup dish, but in wooden pig-gins, every man his mess. 

 This they do not eat with spoons, but with shells, which 

 they call sligs, very like our mussel shells, but much 

 larger." The " piggins " are locally known as " noggins " 

 — tumbler-shaped wooden cans, about four inches high, 

 with one stave left projecting for a handle — in fact, the 

 Scottish " luggie." Horn spoons, about nine and five inches 

 long, were made locally, but are now rarely to be seen. 

 Spoons of lead and pewter were in use until about forty 

 years ago, and several of the moulds are still preserved. 

 They were made by old women, who used to go round the 

 parish carrying their own moulds and crucibles or 

 " cressets." The spoons were about seven inches long, 

 and were made, or " run," at a charge of a halfpenny each. 

 The inside of the mould was smoked in the wick of a 

 tallow candle ; this prevented the lead sticking, one 

 smoking being sufficient for six spoons. 



It is difficult now to get a pair of " carranes," the 

 shoes worn till about 50 years ago. l^key were made of 

 tanned, and sometimes of undressed, hide, that of a heifer 

 making about four pairs. The smooth side Avas worn next 

 the foot. They were turned uo all round, and laced at 

 the back of the heel with a thong of hide 



Settles of oak or deal were formerly to be seen in 

 every chimney nook. There was but little carving, some- 

 times the back was open work, but generally plain. A 

 few oak chests and some old armchairs of the sixteenth to 

 the eighteenth century, are in the hands of private owners, 

 and it would be interesting lo have them all figured and 

 described. Miss Christian, Baldromma, whose will 

 was proved within the last few months, has set a 



