Huntsville gazette., 1884-03-08
Queer Appetites.

The old saying that what is one man 8
meat is another mans poison is real
lied in the op eosite tastes of people.
The Englishman will not eat s5uir-
rel, but will gloat over meal of barna-
cles and periwinkles, the latter species
of sea snail that adheres to the rocks
The Hollander relishes feast of de-
cayed shark, vet looks with horror on
bread and butter. The Japanese have
a ejudice against milk and beef, but
will enjoy stewed or roasted rat. The
Turks shudder at the thought of eating
oysters.
1he Digger Indians of the Pacific
slope re o ced III the great locust
swarms of 1875 as g acious dispenSa
ton Of the Great Spirit, and la d in a
store OF dried 10 ust pow der sufficient TO
la for years.
The Fren h will eat frogs, snails and
the diseased livers of geese, but draw
the line at alligators. Buckland de-
clares the taste of boa constructor good
and much like veal.
Sir Robert Schomberg found monkey
very ralatable. tho tgh he says before
carving it looked disagreeaby Ike roast
child.
Quass tie fermented cabbage water
of the Russians, is their popular tipple.
1t is described as resembling a mixture
Of stale fish and soap-suds in taste, yet.
next to b e., il has more votaries than
any other fermented beverage. A tai
low candle washed down with quass
forms meal that it would be hard TO
lie thankful for.
In Canton and other Chinese cities
rats are sold at the rate of two dollars q
dozen, and the hind iuarters of dogs
are hung up in the butcher shops along
side of mutton and lambs, but command
higher price he edible birds nests
of the Chinese are worth twice their
weight in S liver, the finest variety sell
ing for as high as thirty dollars a pound.
The negroes of the West Indies eat
baked snakes and palm-worms fried IN
their own fat. but they can not be in
duced to eat stewed ra obits. In Mexico
parrots are eaten, but are rather tough.
The Guachos 0 the Banda Oriental are
in the habit of hunting skunks for the
sake Of the flesh.
In Il kaskask a, town on the banks OF
the Mississippi, Musical Jack, or fried
rattle snakes, decapitai ed and skinned.
and showing meat as white and firm
as chicken, is a standard dish.
The octopus, or dev If sh, when
boiled first and then roasted is eaten in
Corsica and esteemed a great delicacy.
In the Pacific Islands and " est in
dies lizards eggs are eaten with great
gusto. The natives of the Antilles eat
alligator eggs, and the eggs Of the tur
tie are popular everywhere, though up
to the commencement of the last cen
tury turtle was only eaten by the poor
Of Jamaica. Ants are eaten by various
nations. in Brazil they are served with
resinous sauce, and in Africa they are
stewed with grease or butter. The East
Indians catch them in pits, carefully
wash them, and eat them in handfuls
Ike raisins. In Siam curry of ants
eggs is costly luxury. The Ceylonese
eat the bees after robbing them OF their
honey. Caterpillars and spiders are
dainties to the African bushman. After
they have wound the silk from the
cocoon the Chinese eat the chrysais of
the silk-worm. Spi!eis roasted are a
sort of dessert with the New Gale
don ans.
The Viennese are the greatest snail.
eaters in the world. The town of Ulm,
on the ] anube, is the principal place
where snails are fattened for he mar
ket. Those which are fattened on
strawberries command the highest
prices, while $4,000 pounds are annual
ly exported from the Isle of Crete. The
great African snail, that attans length
of eight inches. is converted into soup.
Cocks combs are considered delcacy
in the Paris restaurants. while the Eng
lishman swallows shrimps in their en-.
t.rety.-,St. Louis Ios!-Dispatch.