MACROURI. 217 



those under eight. The fishery is carried on by boats and nets at diffe- 

 rent stations. Six or seven dozen Lobsters may be captured during the 

 night, by a single boat, in favourable weather; and it is said that 60,000 

 have been taken in the course of a year, by the boats belonging to the 

 Islands of Lewis and Harris. 



Plate LVIII. 



Fig. 1 . Astacus marinus, the Common Lobster, back. 



2. Cluster of spawn. 



3. Portion of the same, enlarged. 



Plate LIX. 



Fig. ] . Astacus marinus, the Common Lobster, prolific female, under surface. 



§ 3. Crangon— The Shrimp.— Plates LX., LXI. 



Those learned authors professing themselves the most sedulous for 

 arranging the Systema NatureE, have associated very few animals with the 

 Lobster tribe, subdividing those of analogous form and nature into other 

 groups, whereof the Shrimp is comprehended as one. Nice distinctions 

 are not my special object so much as pointing out the kindred, uniting 

 numbers together in concentrated families, whereby I would chiefly 

 confine myself to the general configuration falling within the sphere of 

 observation. It is more convenient that naturaHsts should select such 

 subjects as they can command most readily, or such as they think they 

 can discuss most satisfactorily ; but it is mortifying that, of the present 

 animal, like the preceding, very familiar by name, the two authors in 

 highest repute for their writings on Carcinology, should not have thought 

 it worthy a syllable : whereas it is certainly as interesting as any other 

 parts of their history, and the more especially as their labours would 

 have been much more effectual than mine. 



The shrimp, in this country, is commonly of small size, and may be 

 compared in form and aspect to a diminutive lobster. 



The largest specimens extend four inches and a half from the tips 



2e 



