I Take It For Granted, However, That The Inclosing
Cement Is Porous, And Admits The Finer Parts Of The Surrounding
Fluid.
In order to reach the muscles, this cement must be broke
with large hammers; and it may be truly said, the kernal is not
worth the trouble of cracking the shell.
[These are found
in great plenty at Ancona and other parts of the Adriatic, where
they go by the name of Bollani, as we are informed by Keysler.]
Among the fish of this country, there is a very ugly animal of
the eel species, which might pass for a serpent: it is of a
dusky, black colour, marked with spots of yellow, about eighteen
inches, or two feet long. The Italians call it murena; but
whether it is the fish which had the same name among the antient
Romans, I cannot pretend to determine. The antient murena was
counted a great delicacy, and was kept in ponds for extraordinary
occasions. Julius Caesar borrowed six thousand for one
entertainment: but I imagined this was the river lamprey. The
murena of this country is in no esteem, and only eaten by the
poor people.
Craw-fish and trout are rarely found in the rivers among the
mountains. The sword-fish is much esteemed in Nice, and called
l'empereur, about six or seven feet long: but I have never seen
it. [Since I wrote the above letter, I have eaten several times
of this fish, which is as white as the finest veal, and extremely
delicate.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 281 of 535
Words from 75473 to 75727
of 143308
