NOTES ON THE MOLLUSKA USED AS FOOD IN 
TRINIDAD. • 
By R. J. Lechmeke Guppy. 
I have thought that a short paper on the Mollusks used as 
food in Trinidad might not be altogether devoid of interest for 
the members of this Institute. I have therefore put together 
roughly these few imperfect notes on the subject and they may 
be considered a sort of supplement to the papers I have written 
on. the Molluska of Trinidad. 
The use of Molluska as an article of food no doubt extends 
to the highest antiquity. Of the Molluska generally it may be 
said that they are all eatable but their degrees of palatability are 
very varied. One species of periwinkle cannot be eaten because 
it is viviparous and the young have a hard shell before birth. 
The Roman snail {Helix pomatia ) was formerly considered a 
delicacy ; in Europe it is indeed still eaten in large numbers. 
Whelks, periwinkles and mussels are sold in immense quantites 
in London and other large towns and they form a wholesome and 
cheap food. So also the cockle and the ormer ( lialiotis ) are 
largely consumed. The scallop is more of a luxury not being 
quite so abundant. I have not mentioned the oyster yet, it is 
always placed first in the list in point of gastronomical interest. 
But so it is in price and hence in Europe, it is the rich man’s and 
not the poor man’s Mollusk— England cannot, supply her own 
market in this article and the shores of foreign countries includ- 
ing those of Portugal and North America have to be laid under 
contribution to supply her wants. 
Land shells are not I believe consumed in England. They 
S L11 find favor on the continent of Europe, though the} aie 
as fashionable as they once were. The favorite snail of 
