FOOD FROM THE CRUSTACEANS AND MOLLUSCA. 389 



It is largely imported into London for the purpose of 

 garnishing dishes.* 



The small river crayfish " ecrevisses " are in great 

 demand in France, for making the celebrated bisque 

 soup, and for serving up as a garnish to other dishes. 

 From Berlin they are sent weekly to the Paris market 

 to the value of £160 during the season of summer. 



In the San Francisco market crayfish are sold at 6d. 

 to 7^d. the pound. 



The large crayfish of Tasmania (Palinurus Edwardsii) 

 forms an article of export to New South Wales. This 

 species attains a length of from 1 foot to 18 inches, 

 and finds a ready sale at from Is. 6d. to 2s. 6d. each. 

 The fresh-water species (Astacopsis FranMinii) exceeds 

 that of its representative on the main land. 



There is brought in annually to the Vienna markets 

 from Upper Austria about 123^ million pounds of cray- 

 fish (Astacus fluviatilis). It is considered a great table 

 delicacy in Europe and sells at high prices. 



The river crayfish in the lakes on the borders of the 

 Danube, attain extraordinary dimensions, equalling in 

 size small lobsters. Those of the ponds and rivers, 

 though not so large, are equally savoury. They are 

 caught in great quantities and largely consumed, 

 especially in the fast days of spring. 



Shrimps and Prawns. — Although at first sight shrimps 

 might be thought to be of small value, yet for food pur- 

 poses the shrimping industry is of very great importance 

 in many countries. 



In the great Thames estuary, between the North Fore- 

 land on the south and Harwich on the north, are 

 thousands of acres of sand plateaus, favourable to 

 shrimps. From this great shrimp farm are netted up 

 hourly, daily, from April to October, thousands and ten 

 thousands of shrimps; yet in spite of the number cg,ught 

 there does not appear, except at times, to be any falling 

 off" of these "sea flies," as they are sometimes called. 



* Cassell's '' Natural History." 



