Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-06-19
QUEER APPETITEs.


but will gloat over meal of barnacles and
periwinkles, the latter species of sea snail
that adheres to the rocks.
The Hollander relishes feast of decayed
shark, yet looks with horror on bread and
hutter.
The Japanese have prejudice against
milk and beef, but will enjoy stewed or
roasted rat.
The Turks shudder at the thought of eat.
ing oysters.
The Digger Indians of the Pacific Slope
rejoiced in the great locust swarms of 1875
as gracious dispensation of the Great
Spirit, and laid in store of dried locust
powder sufficient to last them for several
years.
The French will eat frogs, snails and the
diseased livers of geese, but draw the line at
alligators.
Buckland declares the taste of boa con.
strictor good, and much like veal.
Sir Robert Schomberg found monkey very
palatable, though he says that before being
carved it looked disagreeably like a roast
child.
Ouass, the fermented cabbage water of
the Russians, is their popular tipple. 1t is
described as resembling the mixture of stale
fish and soap suds in taste, yet, next to beer,
it has more votares than any other ferment-
ed beverage. A tallow candle washed down
with ouass forms meal that it would be
hard to be thankful for.
In Canton aud other Chinese cities rats
are sold at the rate of two dollars dozen,
and the hind quarters of dog are hung up in
the butcher shops along side of mutton and
lamb, but command higher price. The
edible birds nests Of the Chineseeare worth
twice their weight in silver, the finest vari-
ety selling for as much as thirty dollars a
pound
The negroes of the West Indies cat baked
snakes and palm worms fried in their own
fat, but they cannot be induced to eat stew
ed rabbit.
In Mexico parrots are eaten, but they are
rather tough.
The Guachos of Badda Oriental are in the
habit of hunting skunks for the sake OF their
flesh.
In Kaskaska, town on the banks of the
Mississippi, Musical jack" or fried rattle.
snakes decapitated and skinned, and show.
ing meat as white and firm as chicken,
is standard dish.
The octopus, or devil FISH, when boilSd
and then roasted. is eaten in Corsica and
esteemed great delicacy.
In the Pacific Islands and West Indies
lizards eggs are eaten with great gusto. The
natives of the Antilles eat alligator eggs,
and the eggs of the turtle are popular every
where, though up to the commencement of
the last century turtle was only eaten by the
poor of Jamaica.
Ants are eaten by various nations. In
Brazil they are eaten with resinous sauce,
and in Africa they are slowed with grease
or butter. The East Indians catch them in
pits, and carefully wash them in handfuls
like raisins. In Siam curry of ants eggs
Is q costly luxury.
The Ceylonese eat the bees after robbiug
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 chrysalis of the
silk worm.
Spiders roasted are sort of dessert with
the New ealedonians.
The Viennese are the great snail eaters of
the world The town of Ulm, on the Dan
ube, is the principal place where snails are
fattened for the market. Those which are
fattened on strawberries command the high
est price, while $4,000 are annually exported
from the isles of Crete. The great African
snail, that attains length of eight inches,
is converted into soup.
Cocks combs are considered q delicacy in
the Paris restaurants, while the Briton
swallows shrimps in their entirety.