21 



I would like, finally, here to say a few words about the Cray-fish, as that Cray-fish. 

 animal forms an important addition to the public food. The cray-fish is also 

 called the " spring lobster " or "red crab" (Pulinurus vul (juris). It is not so 

 highly esteemed for food in this country as in France, where it is called 

 " Langouste." They are only caught on the west coast of Cornwall; the 

 principal place for them is the Scilly Islands. I have every reason to believe 

 that the cray-fish are migratory. Mr. Bond, a fisherman of Sennen, informed 

 me that they came in schools, swimming on the top of the water like pilchards. 

 The capture of cray-fish varies; "some seasons hardly any are to be caught; 

 " the next season they come in all of a body." The cray-fish are migratory 

 and vary in number from season to season. Mr. Bond has caught 50 or 60 

 a day in some years, and in others not more than 12. 10 years ago the pots 

 used to catch in one morning more cray-fish than they do now the whole 

 season, p. 20. Their horns can be seen working on the top of the water as 

 they swim along in shoals. They are caught in much the same places as 

 crabs. They certainly eat mussels, for they are found in mussel grounds, 

 and probably star-fish. Smooth water and warmth is good for catching cray- 

 fish. The fishermen at Cadgwith get the same price for cray-fish as they do 

 for crabs. Mr. Barber says, the cray-fish trade is quite as important as the 

 lobster trade. Cray-fish are dearer than lobsters; they are 2s. to 2s. Gd. each 

 when the average size. He thinks none under 10 inches should be taken. 

 He has bought 150 cray-fish at \)d. ; they are now 2s. and 2s. 6d, each. I heard 

 of the existence of cray-fish at North Berwick ; a witness stated : " There are 

 " plenty of cray-fish on the ground, but the fishermen never go after them as 

 " there is no sale. Has seen tons of these fish thrown away. Has thrown 

 " them back for the last 20 years. Calls them ' soft ground lobsters.' Would 

 " be glad to find a market for them. They average 3£ inches in the barrel." 

 For my own part I will not express an opinion as to whether these soft " ground 

 lobsters " of North Berwick are or are not the true cray-fish, until I have had an 

 opportunity of examining them. According to my own experience the cray-fish 

 carries berries in February and March. 



In concluding these remarks I beg to observe that many specimens illus- 

 trative of the natural history of the crabs and lobsters can be examined at 

 my Museum of Economic Fish Culture, South Kensington. 



Frank Buck land. 



40353. 



