Fwd: Pope announces priests to become taxonomists

[Curtis Clark]

At 05:31 2003-04-03, Thomas Lammers wrote:
>At 08:52 PM 4/2/03 -0800, Curtis Clark wrote:
>>I have been told by Venezuelans that capybaras are regarded as suitable
>>for Lent. I don't know whether they have a dispensation.
>
>I was told the same story in Brazil.  I got the impression we're talking
>several hundred years ago, and that maybe the pope wasn't given all the
>facts, in an effort to stack the deck in favor of a yes vote ("it's in the
>water, Excellency -- you know, like fish!")

My understanding is that capybaras (_chiguires_ locally, iirc) are still
considered a delicacy and are farm-raised for food.


--
Curtis Clark                  http://www.csupomona.edu/~jcclark/
Biological Sciences Department            Voice: +1 909 869 4062
California State Polytechnic University     FAX: +1 909 869 4078
Pomona CA 91768-4032  USA                  jcclark at csupomona.edu