98 The Commercial Products of the Sea, 



whatever may be within their reach. When thrown to- 

 gether in the boat, they will grapple and tear off each other's 

 feelers and legs. Without much care in handling them the 

 fingers of the fishermen get many a hard bite. To prevent 

 them from injuring each other, the fishermen provide sharp- 

 pointed wooden pegs, which they insert into the joint or 

 hinge of their pincers ; this prevents them from closing. 

 When they have visited all their pots they row to their 

 landing-place. If they now wish to preserve them for 

 several days, they put them into a long box or kennel, made 

 of plank, and bored full of holes, which is moored in the 

 water at a little distance from the shore. If they wish to 

 prepare them immediately for market, they are taken ashore 

 in hand-barrows and carried to a sort of shed, in which is 

 fixed a large cauldron in which they are boiled. 



The cause of the change of colour in the crustaceans 

 after boiling has been investigated by several scientific 

 inquirers. It is found to be due to two or three pigments, 

 scarlet, blue, and green. The lobster, crayfish, and crab 

 take a vermilion hue ; the prawn acquires a bright rose 

 colour, and the grey shrimp a slight rose tint, bordering 

 on violet. 



There are now about 67 canning establishments in 

 Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, which use up from three 

 to five tons each per day in the season, which lasts from four 

 to six months, making a total annual destruction of at least 

 30,000 tons. Every season the number of canning estab- 

 lishments is increasing, and of course the destruction will 

 increase proportionately. As no supply, however large, can 

 stand a ceaseless and increasing drain, unless means are 

 taken to supply the waste, it is evident that this valuable 

 supply must soon become exhausted by over-fishing. 



The whole of the edible part of the lobster is not 



