51 



troubling for them. It is a great deal of trouble for the fishermen to pick oil*-. CRABS, 

 the crabs which have been entangled in the nets. It has sometimes taken him 

 the whole day to pick out the small crabs from his nets. 



Mrs. Annie Flucker. Has been a dealer in crabs for many years. When 

 she was a girl recollects that 17 dozen crabs were caught in the nets and re- 

 mained in the water two days ; this was in the month of April. Crabs begin in 

 April and go on to August. After August they become white and are no good &oft. 

 till April again. Last year she got crabs 8 inches across. The smallest crabs 

 are o inches, they are of no use, the men put them back into the water in order 

 that they should grow to maturity. A 4^-inch crab is a good crab. The fish- 

 mongers require two crabs for one, according to the claws. If a crab wants a claw 

 the fisherman has to give an extra crab to make up for it. About Anstruther 

 the small crabs are called poults. If any lobsters are caught at all they are 

 large. Crabs have become much dearer. When she was a girl she paid 10c/. Price of 

 a dozen, now she pays 3s. 6d. a dozen. More crabs are caught in Dunbar than 

 here. Three years ago saw 17 dozen of small crabs sent to market in a herring 

 barrel. She crabs have small claws and large shells. He crabs have very large 

 claws and small shells. All crabs below 3$ inches should be returned to the Gauge. 

 water. 



Mrs. Smith, fishwoman. Agrees with Mrs. Flucker. The smallest crabs 

 should measure 3 inches from the eye to tail or 5 inches along the back. A 

 3 inch crab is very good to eat ; crabs this size are worth 2s. a dozen or 2c?. each. 

 The small crabs are called cavies ; if a crab wants a claw the fish merchants 

 require two for one. Crabs begin to get soft about the end of August. Soft. 

 Thinks they spawn in September. Has known the nets catch from Saturday to Spawning. 

 Monday 10, 12, to 17 dozen. This is a good fishing. The fishing depends 

 very much on the weather. A swell in the sea makes the crabs crawl. 



Mrs. Mayne, of the Peacock Inn, Newhaven. Buys crabs and lobsters for 

 the hotel. Both crabs and lobsters are getting very scarce, and require a close Decrease. 

 time. When the oysters come in the crabs go out. The crabs are best in 

 harvest time. There should be no fishing from August to April. It is a wicked close time. 

 thing to bring on shore small crabs. They are only given to children to play 

 with. All crabs under 5 inches should be put back. The white crabs with Q auge% 

 transparent shells, if boiled, are found to be all_water. They are unseasonable 

 and should be put back. 



A crab is called a partan here. The red and green crabs are called cavies. 

 They are not partans. 



Mrs. Carnie, dealer in crabs and lobsters many years. At certain times of 

 the year the little crabs are better than the big ones, because they have filled up 

 their shells. 5 inches is just little enough for a crab. The little ones should be Gauge. 

 put back and be left to grow. Has seen barrels full of small crabs in the 

 Edinburgh market. Thinks that all soft crabs should be put back into the Soft. 

 water alive, and that all crabs under 5 inches should be put back at all times 

 of the year. 



The test by weight will not act, because it cannot be ascertained what crabs 

 weigh until they are boiled. Crabs have doubled their price these last three ■ Prtce - 

 years because they are scarce, and have been fished out. Has seen rock codlings Enemies of. 

 with their stomach full of crabs. 



The Tarbert Hotel, Tarbert, Harris, Monday, 

 23rd October 1876. 



Present : 

 Spencer Walpole, Esquire. 



Norman MacLeod, junr. A general dealer and fisherman at Tarbert. 

 Has been in business 17 years. Has been dealing 8 years in lobsters. Buys 

 from the fishermen, and sends them away by the " Dunara Castle " and 

 " Clydesdale " steamships to Liverpool, London, Birmingham, &c. Sends 

 away 6,000 to 7,000 a year. Begins buying in September or October, and 



