We shall now briefly notice the ancient opinions on their dietetical qualities. From Athenæus, we can only find room for the following extract: “Regarding the testacea (ὀστρακόδερμα) the Siphnian Diphilus writes thus: ‘Of the testacea, the squilla, astacus, locusta aquatica, cancer, and leo marinus, are of the same genus, but differ from one another: the leo is larger than the astacus; the locusta is more fleshy than the cancer; and the cancer, or crab, is heavy and indigestible.’ Mnesitheus, the Athenian, in his work on ‘Dietetics,’ says, that the locusta, cancer, squilla, and the like, are all of difficult digestion, and yet they are much easier digested than other fishes.” Galen’s account of them is interesting, and our author’s is abridged from it. In general, he remarks, those which have hard flesh are most nutritious, but indigestible. They all contain saltish juices which are of a laxative nature. He says of the crustacea that they have all firm flesh, and are, therefore, difficult to digest, but nutritious. Aëtius and Oribasius copy from him without the slightest alteration of any consequence. Frequent mention of the squilla occurs in the works of Horace, Juvenal, and Martial, as a favorite article of food. A poet in Athenæus says it should be prepared with fig leaves. According to Dioscorides and Alexander, the echinus is stomachic and diuretic. Ælian, in like manner, calls it a restorative to a weak stomach. (N. A. xiii.) Actuarius says that the crustacea hold an intermediate place between the fishes and mollusca; that they are, therefore, not so digestible as the mollusca, and form purer and thinner blood; that the testacea, as they get no exercise, are less proper; and that all form a thin and watery blood. We need scarcely remark, that the Romans esteemed the cochlea, i. e. limaçon, or white snail, as an exquisite delicacy. Simeon Seth’s account is entirely borrowed from Galen. The receipts of Apicius for dressing the locusta and carabus contain pepper, cumin, rue, mint, vinegar, wine, and oil. It appears from the following lines of Juvenal that British oysters were greatly esteemed by the Roman gourmands: “Circæis nata forent, an Lucrinum ad saxum, Rutupinove edita fundo Ostrea callebat primo deprendere morsu.” (Sat. iv.) Rochester is supposed to be the ancient Rutupinum. Seneca represents them as whetters and not food. “Ostrea non cibi, sed oblectamenta sunt, ad edendum saturos cogentia.” The poet Matron, as quoted by Athenæus, calls them “the truffles of the sea.” Athenæus says that oysters caught in the sea adjacent to a lake or river are the best. Xenocrates remarks that sea oysters are small and saltish.