ANNELIDA.
Palolo is the native name of a species of sea-worm (Palolo viridis), which is found in some parts of Samoa, the Navigator’s Islands, in the South Pacific Ocean—and of which the following singular account is given by the Rev. J. B. Stair, of the South Sea Missions. They come regularly in the months of October and November, during portions of two days in each month, viz: the day before and the day on which the moon is in her last quarter. They appear in much greater numbers on the second than on the first day of their rising, and are only observed for two or three hours in the early part of each morning of their appearance. At the first dawn of day, they may be felt by the hand swimming on the surface of the water; and as the day advances their numbers increase, so that by the time the sun has risen, thousands may be observed in a very small space, sporting merrily during their short visit to the surface of the ocean. On the second day they appear at the same time, and in a similar manner, but in such countless myriads, that the surface of the ocean is covered with them for a considerable extent. On each day, after sporting for an hour or two, they disappear until the next season, and not one is ever observed during the intervening time. In size they may be compared to a very fine straw, and are of various colours and lengths, green, brown, white, and speckled, and in appearance and mode of swimming, resemble very small snakes. They are exceedingly brittle, and if broken into many pieces, each piece swims off as though it were an entire worm. The natives are exceedingly fond of them, and calculate with great exactness the time of their appearance, which is looked forward to with great interest. The worms are caught in small baskets, beautifully made, and when taken on shore are tied up in leaves in small bundles, and baked. Great quantities are eaten undressed; but either dressed or undressed, are esteemed a great delicacy. Such is the desire to eat Palolo by all classes, that immediately the fishing parties reach the shore, messengers are dispatched in all directions with quantities to parts of the island on which none appear.’
At a recent exhibition of paintings, a lady and her son were regarding with much interest a picture which the catalogue designated as Luther at the Diet of Worms. Having descanted at some length upon its merits, the boy remarked, ‘Mother, I see Luther and the table, but where are the worms?’
CEPHALOPODA.
In recent times, and in some parts of the Levant even now, as we learn from Forbes and Spratt’s Lycia, the cuttle-fish of different species were used as articles of food; and we know from the works of travellers, that in other parts of the world, when cooked, they are esteemed as luxuries.
Besides the common cuttle-fish (Sepia octopodia), two or three other singular species are found on the Chilian coasts of the Pacific. The first, the ungulated cuttle-fish (Sepia unguiculata), is of a great size, and instead of suckers, has paws armed with a double row of pointed nails, like those of a cat, which it can, at its pleasure, draw into a kind of sheath. This fish is of a delicate taste, but is not very common. The second is named (Sepia tunicata), from its body being covered with a second skin, in the form of a tunic; this is transparent, and terminates in two little semicircular appendages like wings, which project from either side of the tail. Many wonderful and incredible stories are told by sailors of the bulk and strength of this fish; it is however certain that it is frequently caught of 150 lbs. weight, on the coast of Chile, and the flesh is esteemed a great delicacy. The sea around Barbados is frequented by a species of the order Cephalopoda, which is used as an article of food by the lower classes of the inhabitants, namely the bastard cuttle-fish, or calmar, (Loligo sagitatta, Lam.).
The flesh of the large cephalopodous animals, (Loligo of Lamark; les Calmars of Cuvier,) was esteemed as a delicacy by the ancients. Most of the eastern natives, and those of the Polynesian Islands, partake of it, and esteem it as food; they may be seen exposed for sale in the bazaars or markets throughout India.
The natives of most of the islands in the China Seas dry the Sepiæ and Octopi, as well as the soft parts of the Haliotis, Turbo, Hippopus, Tridacna, &c., and make use of them as articles of food. But from my little experience of this kind of diet, notwithstanding the assertion of the learned Bacon, in his Experiment Solitary touching Cuttle-ink, that the cuttle is accounted a delicate meat, and is much in request, I should say that it is as indigestible and unnutritious as it is certainly tough and uninviting. Cephalopods, however, are eaten at the present day on some parts of the Mediterranean coasts; and in Hampshire I have seen the poor people collect assiduously the Sepiæ and employ them as food.
The common snail of the Meiacoshimahs is eaten by the natives, as the Helix aspersa and H. pomatia are occasionally in Europe.