320 RAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. 



precision with which he performed this difficult task, 

 for it required an immense amount of dexterity to 

 avoid upsetting the fragile bark. We had soon ex- 

 amined the greater number of the fishes which fre- 

 quent the bouchots. They are generally small species, 

 whose size does not exceed that of the Sardine. 

 There are no doubt amongst them some young indi- 

 viduals of larger species, but the number of these is 

 so inconsiderable that these bouchots cannot seriously 

 interfere with the multiplication of the fish , and it 

 seems to us that it would be an act of useless severity 

 to interdict the boucholeurs from employing their 

 net. 



This kind of net and others of similar construction 

 are the only means employed for catching the com- 

 mon shrimp, which is known to naturalists under the 

 name of Crangon vulgaris, and which at Saintonge 

 bears the name of Bouc. This Crustacean, although 

 smaller than our common prawn, Palcemon serratus, 

 the kind which is to be met with at all fishmongers, 

 is scarcely inferior to it in flavour, while its abun- 

 dance in the bay of Aiguillon brings it within the 

 reach of the poorest inhabitants. The immense 

 numbers which we saw taken reminded M. Valen- 

 ciennes and myself of the miraculous draughts of 

 fishes recorded in the various legends of the saints. 

 A little after the tide had gone half way down, the 

 boatman plunged his net into the water, and drew it 

 back completely filled. If he left it there for three or 

 four minutes the haul became so heavy that the pole 

 supporting the net threatened to break. In less than 

 half an hour he had collected more than 200 Ibs., the 





