TIIK CKAYFISI1 FISIIKl;\. 795 



\\crc srnt from Montreal on trial. Crayfish arc scut alive, packed in boxes, containing about live. 

 hundred e;ieh. In these boxes they arc arranged in layers, alternating with moist \\ ater-plants. 



After eraylish begin to arrive I'roin Milwaukee, I he demand tor those from Washington ceases, 

 partly because the warm weather prevailing ill Washington after May renders their shipment 

 a'ive quite difficult, and also because the Milwaukee crayfish arc considered superior to the 

 others. The quantities received at New York from the three places above mentioned for the 

 past \ear (Issii) were about as follows: From Washington (the season lasting from the middle of 

 March to near Jane), about 50,000 by count; from Milwaukee (the season lasting about twenty-one 

 v.eeks from June 1 ), 84,000 by count, or at the rale of about 4,000 a week: from Montreal the 

 single shipment of 1SSO amounted to I', (100 by count, but this year (1SS1) the receipts will probably be 

 inucli greater. The shi|iments from Washington for the spring of 1881 were also larger than usual. 



The crayfish senl from Washington are larger than those from Milwaukee, and the latter in 

 turn are larger than those from Montreal. The Milwaukee crayfish are, however, preferred by 

 epicures to those from Washington, as they are considered to be less coarse in llcsh and flavor. 

 The Milwaukee and Montreal eraytish are also said to become a deeper red in boiling than the 

 Potomac, which is to their advantage when intended for garnishing. 



In previous years the Potomac eraytish have brought, in the Xew York market, as high prices 

 as * I to *i'i per hundred, but this year, ou account of the large number received, the price has 

 fallen, at times to 8- per hundred. The Milwaukee eraytish, coming in greater abundance later 

 in the season, have been sold at lower prices from $2 to $3 per hundred. Crayfish are used in 

 New York principally by hotels and restaurants for making soups and bisque of crayfish, and for 

 garnishing iish dishes and lobster salads. 



Mr. Black ford, of Fulton market, to whom we are indebted for the above information and 

 figures, often keeps large quantities of eraylish on hand for a considerable period during the 

 season. In order to do this, he has arranged a large and deep wooden tank in the front part of 

 his ice-house, in the bottom of which there is room for a great many crayfish to move about. 

 Over the bottom of the tank, a thin layer of water, not deep enough to entirely cover the animals, 

 is allowed to pass continuously. The air in the tank is also retained at a moderately low temper 

 attire. Although many die, yet the mortality is greatly lessened by this method of storing them. 



The sales of crayfish in the New York markets for the year 1880, according to the figures 

 given above, amounted to l.">ii,ooo by count, valued at $2,720 wholesale prices. 



WASHINGTON. Notwithstanding the great abundance of crayfish along the banks of the 

 Potomac River, in front of, and below, the city of Washington, very few are taken to supply 

 the retail markets of that city, as they find no ready sale there. The business is entirely in the 

 hands of a few parties who tish during a short period only in the spring, ai:d send nearly all their 

 catch directly to New York. 



N'r.W ORLEANS. Crayfish are probably more commonly eaten in New Orleans than in any 

 other American city, outside of Xew York, and yet they arc seldom seen in the markets there in 



large quantities. The supplies c ie mainly from the shores of the lakes and canal and from the 



levees of the Mississippi 1 liver, in allot which localities they are said to be very abundant and 

 easily procured. Some of the species live in the mud in which they excavate their holes, and 

 others build chimney-like mounds for their protection. The levees of the Lower Mississippi are 

 often much damaged by the numerous excavations of the burrowing species. The crayfish are 

 shipped in baskets for which the gatherers receive 40 cents each. The sales for 1880 amounted 

 to only about 2,000 baskets valued at *suo. 



SAN FRANCISCO. According to Mr. W. X. Locking-ton, crayfish are occasionally brought 



