14 
EDIBLE BRITISH MOLLUSKS. 
sonous plants^ such as the deadly nightshade, poppy, 
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 Helioc pomatia and Helix 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 TAlimentation, de la Viticulture et de 
r 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 lias a variety of names in France, and in the north 
it is called colimaqon, jardiniere, and aspergille ; at Montpellier, cara- 
guolo', in Bordelais, cagouille, limaou, and limat ; in Provence, escar- 
got and escourgol ; at Avignon, caragoou and eontar ; hanarut at Arles ; 
and hajaina at Grasse. — Dr. Ebrard. 
