tisfaction, and gave him an
invitation to dinner, which was duly accepted. The guest arrived, and
his host kept company with him in swallowing the delicious bivalves up
to the tenth dozen, when, exhausted, he gave up, and let M. Laperte go
on alone. This gentleman managed to eat thirty-two dozen within an hour,
and would doubtless have got through more, but the person who opened
them is described as not being very skilful. In the interim Savarin was
idle, and at length, tired with his painful state of inaction, he said
to Laperte, whilst the latter was still in full career, "Mon cher, you
will not eat as many oysters to-day as you meant; let us dine." They
dined, and the insatiable oyster-eater acted at the repast as if he had
fasted for a week.

FISH CARVING.

GENERAL DIRECTIONS FOR CARVING FISH.

In carving fish, care should be taken to help it in perfect flakes, as,
if these are broken, the beauty of the fish is lost. The carver should
be acquainted, too, with the choicest parts and morsels; and to give
each guest an equal share of these _titbits_ should be his maxim. Steel
knives and forks should on no account be used in helping fish, as these
are liable to impart to it a very disagreeable flavour. Where silver
fish-carvers are considered too dear to be bought, good electro-plated
ones answer very well, and are inexpensive. The prices set down for them
by Messrs. Slack, of the Strand, are from a guinea upwards.

COD'S HEAD AND SHOULDERS.

(For recipe, see No. 232; and for mode of serving, Coloured Plate C.)

[Illustration]

First run the knife along the centre of the side of the fish, namely,
from _d_ to _b_, down to the bone; then carve it in unbroken slices
downwards from _d_ to _e_, or upwards from _d_ to _c_, as shown in the
engraving. The carver should ask the guests if they would like a portion
of the roe and liver.

_Note_.--Of this fish, the parts about the backbone and shoulders are
the firmest, and most esteemed by connoisseurs. The sound, which lines
the fish beneath the backbone, is considered a delicacy, as are also the
gelatinous parts about the head and neck.

SALMON.

(For recipe, see No. 301; and for mode of dressing, Coloured Plate B.)

[Illustration]

First run the knife quite down to the bone, along the side of the fish,
from _a_ to _b_, and also from _c_ to _d_. Then help the thick part
lengthwise, that is, in the direction of the lines from _a_ to _b_; and
the thin part