ON CRUSTACEA. 303 



The fishing for the river astaci is carried on in various ways. 

 The most common consists in merely taking them by day 

 with the hand, in the holes, and under the stones, where they 

 conceal themselves ; or during the night with flambeaux,' 

 when they are seeking their food. The most agreeable 

 method, and that by which the finest are procured, is the one 

 in which baits are employed. For this purpose a net is at- 

 tached to an iron circle, or any other heavy matter, and in the 

 middle of this net a piece of meat is fixed ; the circle is 

 attached to a long stick by means of three pack-threads ; it is 

 put into the water at dusk, the time in which the astaci quit 

 their holes ; it is not long before they are seen running at the 

 odour, or the sight of the meat, on which they fling themselves 

 with the greatest avidity. Then the stick is raised, the net 

 withdrawn, and the largest are selected. This fishing often 

 produces very abundant results. Sometimes this plan is 

 modified by placing the meat at the centre of a faggot of 

 thorns ; the astaci, desirous of attacking it, get entangled in 

 the branches, and when the faggot is raised, there are some- 

 times several dozens inside. It is principally in summer that 

 this manner of fishing is advantageous. 



The astaci may be preserved many days, when the 

 weather is not too hot, in baskets, in which fresh plants are 

 placed, or in a bucket, or trough, in which there is water to 

 some depth ; if only sufficient should be left to cover them, they 

 would perish in a few moments, because the great consump- 

 tion of air which tliey make, would not permit them to live 

 in water which was not in considerable mass, or continually 

 removed. 



The sea astaci are seldom eaten, but when boiled in sea 

 water, and then seasoned with oil, vinegar, and pepper. But 

 those of the fresh water are transformed, on the tables of the 

 rich, into a great number of viands. 



In cooking them, we are told, they are obliged to be put 



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