86 
A COEOTSH FAUNA. 
“ I (Mr. Ooucli) find what appears to mo to be this species in 
abundance in the Bay fishes (Eaia maculata and E. Clavata), 
caught in from 30 to 50 fathoms of water.” 
ASTACIB^. 
Genus, Homaeus. — JEdwards. 
“ Eostrum, and with a few spines on each side ; scalo of the 
outer antonuEB very small, and like a tooth.” First pair of limbs 
chelate, hands large, ovate compressed ; second and third pair 
small, chelate ; fourth and fifth simple. 
Homaeus maeinus. — Fair. 
Astacus marinus. — Pennant ; Fair. 
Homarus vulgaris — Milne Edwards, Hist, des Crust., t. ii,p. 334; 
Couch, Cornish Fauna, p. 78. 
“Lobsters are very common among the borders of not very 
elevated rocks, from close to the shore to the depth of about 20 
fathoms. It is certain that they are less abundant at present 
than about the beginning of the present century ; for whilst now, 
with a hundred pots, a dozen a day is regarded as tolerable suc- 
cess, persons now living have caught about a hundred in the 
same space, and in one instance a hundred and forty seven. One 
fisherman has taken 640 in a week, where now another has 
secured only 300 in a season. The reason assigned for this faUing 
off is that the fishery for congers is not followed as formerly, and 
it is certain that this fish feeds eagerly on them. Perhaps, how- 
ever, too little is ascribed to the increased demand in the market, 
and the consequent extension of the fishery, for the number of 
edible crabs has also diminished within the few years that an 
advanced price has been obtained for them. On the coast of Scot- 
land, whore it does not appear that fishes likely to destroy them 
are less abundant than with us, lobsters are in great multitudes, 
for Sir William Jardine informs us that at Montrose from 60,000 
to 70,000 are annually sent to London, at the rate of 2^d. for 
each lobster.” 
“ Lobsters do not wander much from their accustomed haunts, 
and hence the discovery of a new station is a fortunate circum- 
stance for the fisherman ; and each situation is foxmd to impress 
its own shade of colour on the shell. The same means are employed 
in fishing for lobsters as for crabs ; but whilst the crab prefers bait 
