476 



NATURAL HISTORY. 



Sub-order III. DECAPODA-MACROURA. (Gr. Ma/cpof, large ; ovpu, a tail.) 

 Family V. . . AstacuUc. (Gr. 'Aora/aV, a Lobster.) 



POTAMORIUS. (Gr. ITora//of, a river; /9/oej, to live.) 



Astaeus, tlic Cray fish. 



The long-tailed crustaceans include the Lobster, Shrimp, &c. 



The RIVER CRAY-FISH is common in most of our rivers and 

 brooks. It resides in holes in the bank, sometimes excavated 

 by itself, but more often the deserted habitations of water-rats. 

 In rocky situations it lives under and among the stones. The 

 excellence and delicacy of its flesh causes it to be much sought 

 after. The usual method of catching these animals is by low- 

 ering a net to the bottom of the water, baited with a piece of 

 meat. The cray-fish soon discover this and come in numbers 

 to the bait, when the net is suddenly hauled up, and most of 

 the cray-fish secured. Some, however, escape by darting off 

 backwards, a movement produced by the violent bending of 

 their tails. It is a favourite amusment with boys to search 

 for them in their holes, and drag them from their conceal- 

 ment. 



