CHAPTER VII 



SHELLFISH 



SHELLFISH are divided into two classes : Crustacea, 

 including the lobster, crab, shrimp, prawn, and mollusca, 

 including the oyster, mussel, cockle and periwinkle. 

 Shellfish generally abound in comparatively shallow 

 water near the shore. 



Perhaps the most important members of the Crustacea 

 are the various minute, pelagic ropepoda, of which 

 incalculable myriads form an important constituent 

 of the plankton in all seas. These copepoda live upon 

 the diatoms and other microscopic, marine vegetable 

 life floating at the surface of the sea. The most impor- 

 tant edible members of the Crustacea are the lobster and 

 the shrimp. 



The lobster is found along the coasts of the North 

 Atlantic and Mediterranean, particularly along the 

 European coasts from Norway to the Mediterranean, 

 and off North America from Labrador to Cape Hatteras. 

 The lobster lives in shallow water at about 12 fathoms 

 depth, and frequents a rocky bottom. The lobstei's 

 eggs remain attached to the female until the larvae hatch 

 out. From 10,000 to 12,000 eggs are carried in this way 

 by a female lobster. She protects them from the ravages 

 of fish that will otherwise consume them as food, and by 

 keeping them constantly irrigated with fresh sea-water 

 she promotes their healthy life and development. The 

 eggs may take as long as twelve months to hatch, and 

 although " berried " lobsters are seen in greatest numbers 

 in the spring they are also captured at all seasons of 

 the year. 



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