io6 With Fish-Lines and Nets 



to think, after many experiments, that twenty 

 minutes is none too long, and that half an 

 hour's boiling does no harm. If the pail of 

 crabs is lifted to the edge of the pot of boiling 

 water, and slightly tilted, the crabs will walk 

 to their own death upon hearing the bubble of 

 the water. Thus it is pleasant to think that 

 the crab's last impressions may have been a 

 satisfaction to him ; the gurgle of water is in 

 his ears as he takes the plunge, and before he 

 discovers that he is not in the Great South Bay 

 all things are indifferent to him. The change 

 of color from dark-green and blue to cardinal- 

 red takes place the moment after the crab is in 

 boiling water, and is no indication that he is 

 cooked. Those persons who know the cooked 

 crab only have no conception of the superb 

 coloring in green, turquoise-blue, and ivory- 

 white which makes a live crab a thing of 

 beauty. Crabs in market are so often cooked 

 in order to keep them the better, that it is no 

 wonder some people imagine that the crab 

 goes through life in a scarlet coat. I saw last 

 winter a game picture which had, among other 

 things, a bright-red crab crawling off the dish. 



