DECAPODA. 
387 
Genus Calocaris. 
C. Macandrece, Bell. 
Anterior hands found in stomach of a flat-fish. 
Genus Astacus. 
A. jluviatilis, Edw., 
Inhabits the rivers in many parts of Ireland, but is generally stated to 
have been introduced to its recorded haunts from other quarters. Thus, 
Rutty in his Natural History of Dublin remarks, “ It has been sometimes 
found in this country, chiefly in gentlemen’s ponds, and lately in the river 
near Finglass ; but said to have been brought thither from Munster.” In 
an essay on the parish of Templepatrick, written in 1824, it was stated, 
that “ the lady of the late Arthur Upton introduced a stranger into our 
river called craw-fish. It was put into the brook at Templepatrick ; it 
descended the Six-mile Water, where it found a situation perfectly suited 
to its nature, deep water and banks of loam, which they excavate as 
lodgings for themselves and their young ; they have increased to a very 
great multitude.” This locality is about ten miles distant from Belfast. 
The date of the introduction of the cray-fish unfortunately is not given, 
nor are we informed whence they were brought. About thirty years be- 
fore the essay was written, as I am informed by a venerable friend, cray- 
fish were plentiful some miles farther up the river than where they are 
said to have been introduced. They were obtained in drains connected 
with the river near Doagh, and were not sought for as a marketable com- 
modity, but served up at the table of the Antrim Hunt, to gratify the 
special palate of one of the knightly members of that body. 
About Florence Court, County Fermanagh, the cray-fish is abundant, 
but to this locality also, Lord Enniskillen tells me, that the species is said 
to have been introduced many years ago from Queen’s County : — of the 
correctness of this, as in former cases, there is no proof. About two years 
ago, however, I had “ ocular demonstration ” of the introduction of the 
cray-fish into a pond at Lismoyne, the seat of a relative near Belfast. 
Early in September, 1840, supplies taken in a small river in the County of 
Kildare were from time to time forwarded by the coach from Dublin to 
Belfast, and arrived in tolerable condition on the second day after cap- 
ture ; sometimes all were alive and apparently in good health ; at others, 
perhaps one-fourth would be sickly or dead. At this period none con- 
tained ova, but a supply sent forward in the middle of November had 
them well developed. It may be worth mentioning that these cray-fish 
were captured by a man wading up to his middle in the river, and thrust- 
ing his hands into their burrows in the banks — the water must be low at 
the time to render the holes visible. When caught they are generally 
put in a bag containing a little hay, and by being kept cool will live a 
few days out of the water. They are likewise taken in numbers by bait- 
ing with chickens’ entrails a common creel or basket, which is let down 
by a rope to the bottom of the river in the evening, and next morning is 
pulled up so quickly, that the contained cray-fish, having no time for 
escape, are all captured. 
River Erne, near Belturbet, Mr. Getty. 
Templeton says of the Ast. Jluviatilis that it “ inhabits several of our 
lakes and rivers ; near Antrim, in the Six-mile Water ; in great abundance 
in a lake near Tullahan, County Monaghan.” About Ballibay and Glas- 
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