AND THE FISH THEREOF. 93 



young fry of fish destined for the fishing-ponds. The annual consumption at 

 Trieste is 3,000 kilos @ 20-50 soldi per kilo. The fisheries yield on an 

 average 400 thousand a year, valued at £2,200. 



Maja verrucosa (Pea) is smaller and less frequent than the foregoing 

 species ; it is found near the shore. 



Eripliia spinifrons (Granziporo, male, Poressa, female) is found near the 

 shore, chiefly on the west coast of I stria, on rocky beds, where crevices and 

 fissures abound, often on breakwaters : it is in season from February till 

 April, and is caught by the Togna, Nassa, Ganzetto, and Prongs. The 

 annual consumption at Trieste is 500 @ 3-5 soldi a piece. 



The common shore or harry Crab, Carcinus mamas {Granzo, Gambero, 

 Spiantano (male), Masanetta (female), in egg, and Molecca, pi. Molecche, with 

 the soft shell). The Molecche form an important article of commerce, this 

 being the term applied to the crab after the shedding of the skin, or cuticular 

 layer, a process of moulting technically termed ecdysis, or exuviation. They 

 are found in warm weather in shallow, brackish waters, on muddy beds, 

 in creeks and lagoons, and often, at ebb-tide, on the damp shore ; in winter 

 they seek greater depths. They are most abundant near Grado and Venice ; 

 they are rare on the rocky shores of I stria, and still more so in the Quarnero 

 and in Dalmatia. They are in season from April to September, i.e., during 

 the sardine fisheries. They are caught by means of a small bag and also by 

 the hand ; and in winter by the Italian trawls (Cocchia). Sprinkled with flour 

 and fried in oil, the Molecche are considered a savoury dish ; 1 50,000 to 

 200,000 sacks, each averaging 40 kilos at 80 soldi a sack, are sent from 

 Venice to I stria for bait ; further, 40,000 sacks of Masanette, i.e., females 

 whilst in egg, at 70 soldi a sack; whilst 80,000 to 100,000 sacks of Molecche 

 are consumed inland. This is one of the most important fisheries of the 

 lagoons, and those of Grado alone net 100,000 florins per annum. 



The following kinds of crabs are rare and not eaten : — Scyllarus lalus, 

 S. arctos, both of which species appear only in Dalmatia ; Galathea strigosa, 

 Numida mgosa ; species of Pagurus (Hermit Crabs) in the shells of Murex 

 (Bulli col granzo); Pagurus striaius, in the shells of Dolium galea, and 

 Cassidaria tyrrhena ; Pagurus varians, in the shells of Trochus Biasoletti ; 



