Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1886-01-14
THE CURIOUS CRAwFIsH.
It's Strange neutrality-suspicious. and NOra
cious. and Killed BY Thunder.


"The crawlisll hasn't come to be gem
orally appreciated in this country Us u
food fish, although among small circle
of epicnres it Is alleged to be highly
priced said New York fish-,lealer.
"In some European countries. and
especially in northern Germany. the
crawfish Is Il common edible. and is in
such demand that it is largely raised By
artificial propagation.
The crawfish is in many respects a
curious fish. II is probably the slowest
of al freshwater fishes in reaching ma
urity, requiring from twelve to fifteen
years to attain its growth. which Is be-
tween three and five inches. The female
crawfish matches $50 eggs. which she
carries under her tail until the young
appear. These remain attached to the
mother for several weeks by fine
threads, and resemble small worms.
The mother protects her young from
other fish. At the age of ] year they
are about two-thirls Of an inch in
length, and ut the agc of 4 arc put on
the market AS soup crawlish, and are
used like oysters in making the soup.
..The male crawiish live in colonies in
holes in river banks. while the female.
especially while waiting for the Young
fry 10 hatch. prefers to live bs herself.
She always returns 10 the same hole.
and if by some chance another female
has taken up her abode there. one or the
other must leave before there can be
any peace. A fierce battle generally re-
suits when two females meet i'm that
way. The crawiish hunts IFS prey ut
night, and begins the quest ;lr soon as
dusk sets in. Then they liock from
their holes and forage They are vora-
ciolis feeders, and while ihey feast on
the cair;sscs of animals which max be
thrown i'm the water where the fish
abound. they will not touch them after
the meat becomes putrid. They hunt
young frogs and minnows, and capture
them by creeping stcalthily upon them,
much like Il ground spider approaching
u fly, and darling ont with great ycloci-
". spearing the minnow or frog with.
sharp horn or spear which the head ter
inmates. They quickly tear their cap
tives to pieces with their strong claws.
sinking 10 the bottom of the water for
the purpose.
'Crawfish are never found in any
numbers where there are eels or picker
ell The eel is its greatest enemy and
DESTROYER, always selecting the 1-vear-
olds. The crawlish will thrive on a
purely vegetable diet, and II especially
fond Of tlrnips and potatoes 1t sheds
its shell every year. the male in june
and the female in July. They are the
most tender of creatures. and especially
priced as bait for bass. The most
prolific water for crawiish that ever
knew IL the Miami river in Ohio. There
are no GELS or pickcrel III that stream.
but it Is noted for Il choice variety of
striped bass. These ba will seldom
take any bait except the soft crawfish
in the summer. aud IN fishing for other
fish with the peeled tail Of q hard craw-
fish or annleworn. tlle crawss as they are
called out there, become positive
nuisance They seize everything that
comes near their hiding places. and if
the angler i fishing for them for bait he
has only 20 let down Il piece Of beef or
pork tied 70 4 string. In 4 uoment every
craw Tint can get hold On il with its.
claws viii do 50. II the meat Is raised
SLOWLY anil steadily every one of them
will retain it hold. and frequently bang
ON long after They have been landed IN
the boat or on the shore The fisher
man wrenches the tail from the body
and throws the latter away. and II Is
common sight 10 see STORES If these
muItiIated bodies crawling about tho.
river banks and returning again 10 the
water. for tlinS ike for hours after the