156 FISH CULTURE. 



The flesh is said to be excellent. Of the swim- 

 ^ming bladder, when dried, the best isinglass is 

 made ; of the roe, the appetizing caviare is manu- 

 factured. 



There is a small member of the Crustacea which 

 plight be cultivated far more than it is in many of 

 our waters with great advantage. I refer to the fresh- 

 water Crayfish. 



This delicate little fish forms an excellent edible, 

 whether eaten by itself or used for the purpose of 

 making into soup. Crayfish soup is looked upon by 

 gourmands, and justly, as a choice and most desirabto 

 addition to a feast. In Germany, especially, I3ie nobles 

 pride themselves upon their ciayfish. In England, it 

 is used, in addition to I3ie above methods, as a garnish 

 to turbot more particularly, In many of the rivers 

 and streams in our midland counties, it is found in 

 large numbers ; in others, it exists, but not to an 

 extent to make fishing for it profitable. In many 

 tributaries of the Thames, it is very plentiful ; I may 

 instance, the Windrush, the Lambourne, and Kennet, 

 the streams about Oxford, and in the Colne. It is 

 found, but not in abundance, in the Thames itself. 



carrying out the operation has hitherto deterred even them. I 

 wrote to Mons. Coumes, the superintendent of Huningue, who was 

 here in 1862 on a mission, for information as to the acclimatisa- 

 tion of sturgeon, but he could not give me any, 



