94 The Commercial Products of the Sea. 



their greatest measurement, and lobsters to nine inches from 

 the end of the tail to what is usually called the tip of the 

 beak. 



Lobsters used to be taken in great numbers near the 

 village of Usan, near Montrose, and 60,000 or 70,000 were 

 sent annually to London, and sold at the rate of 2.\d. apiece, 

 provided they were five inches round the body ; if less, two 

 were allowed for one. The home supply of lobsters is not 

 now, however, so large as the foreign supply. 



The supply to London has fallen off very much these 

 last few years ; the price has risen considerably, as com- 

 pared to what it was formerly; the scarcity is beginning 

 to be felt. Lobsters arrive in London from Scotland, 

 Southampton (where they are kept alive), Norway, Sweden, 

 Ireland, and France. The Norway lobsters are considered 

 very good, and so are those from the Orkneys. 



The lobster is never so good as when in the condition 

 of a berried hen. Berried hens occur most frequently in 

 April, May, and June. They begin to lose their berries 

 or eggs about July, but still many berried hens occur in 

 July. The use of the berries is almost entirely devoted to 

 cooking ; they are used in many preparations by the West- 

 End cooks, especially for the colouring and enriching of 

 sauces. The " chefs " are also fond of coral out of the 

 body of the lobster. 



Occasionally, in the month of May, as much as six 

 ounces of berries will be taken from a lobster weighing 

 three to three pounds and a half. There are about 6720 

 eggs in an ounce of lobster spawn. 



The Norwegian lobsters are best in season in May 

 to August ; the Scotch lobsters begin to fall off in August. 

 The shell of the Scotch lobster is thick, and when boiled is 

 of a dark colour, and covered with white specks. The 



