THE COMMON SHRIMP. 139 



This latter feature is made still more notable when 

 the animal happens to have the ova attached, as the 

 latter are opaque, and of a deep brown colour 

 approaching to black. By the prawn the act 

 of exuviation seems to be considered an event of 

 no slight importance, and, although occurring so 

 frequently, is fraught with danger. Specimens 

 often er die at the moulting time than at any other. 

 In fact, unless I am very much mistaken, they are 

 then subject to some peculiar disease, which is apt 

 to prove fatal. At all events, several of my little 

 captives, after having performed their gymnastic 

 movements (before alluded to) for several days, 

 turned sickly, and died. The commencement of 

 their illness was always denoted by a small, white, 

 opaque dot that mysteriously appeared in the centre 

 of the body. This object speedily increased in size, 

 until it eventually spread over the entire animal. 

 Then, no longer diaphanous, the flesh of the prawn 

 seemed composed of a solid substance not unlike 

 lime or pounded chalk. 



The Shrimp is so common, and so well known, that 

 a lengthened description of it is unnecessary. I shall, 

 therefore, merely record an ingenious plan by which 

 specimens of the Crangon vulgaris may be procured 

 by visitors at the sea-side, who do not care to wade 

 in the water with a large net. 



It is one generally pursued by Scotch boys as 

 a mere amusement, for neither shrimps nor prawns 



