The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-06-22
CraWfish and Their Habits.

"There is nothing so fatal to crawfsh
as thunder Storm" said fish dealer to
a Washington Star writer. "When
make shipment of them to any place at
q distance, always make sure that the
weather promises well. On more than
one occasion I have had entire consign-
ments killed on journey by small
electrical disturbance. Another thing
have to look out for is that the crawtlsh
shall be so tightly packed as not to be
able to turn upon their backs. IT they
do 30, they work their feet until ex-
hausted' and die.
1.-THE worst enemies crawtsh nave are
eels, whose .tavorite food is one.year-old
craw6sh. Bigger ones seem very rarely
to be eaten by the eels. If you want
plenty of crawtish in pond or stream,
YOU must catch all the eels. The craw-
fish themselves are very voracious feeders.
As soon as dusk sets in each evening they
become lively and move about with great
agility. They swim we'll and have very
keen sight. When the crawfsh has spied
its prey, it steals up and with one bold
dash impales the little fish or frog on its
stusk,' as the long horn between its eye
is called. Then it drops to the bottom
and devours its victim.
"There are plenty of crawhsh about
Washington, in the Potomac and its
tributary streams. In the spring they
come to market in great numbers. The
female stays in her hole while the young
are Matching from the eggs. On an aver
age each one has from $50 to 200 eggs.
The young look like small worms and
remain for some time attached by strong
threads to the mothers tail, being thus
protected from fishes and other enemies.
At the end of year they are as big as
wasps, but they grow slowly, and three
or four years elspse before they get as big
as four inches. By the time they are
eight years old they have 1eacLed full
size.
"In Europe, I am told, fishermen
gather crawfsh by the aid of torches. ln
.ummer the animals seek the shadows
where the bottom is clear, and those who
hunt for them do so at night with flaming
pine knots. This method is called light
ing The crawish are dazzled by the
light and do not attempt to escape, so
that they can be easily captured with the
hands. One person will often take
thousand in night. Craw6sh are much
cultivated abroad in the ponds and In
closures of water. No artificial means
are resorted to for their propagation, but
eels and predatory fishes are caught and
removed. Thus the craw69h are given
chance to multiply, and they are fed
upon fresh meat to fatten them Tor
market. The industry is very profit
able"
THE Johnstown food separated
many families that were not united
for many days, and there may still be
former residents of that little city
who are mourning the loss Of friends
who may be living. A reunion after
long separation has recently taken
place. James Agnew and his family
lad their home washed away by the
,ood. The mother and children were
rescued and cared for by the Relief
Committee, and then sent to friends
In Tennessee. They never heard from
the father of the little family, and he
was given up for lost, as among those
who were in nameless graves. But
Mr.. Agnew all this time has been
searching for his lost family. He was
swept down by the rushing torrent,
and amid the wreckage was bruised
and injured so that he became uncon-
scious. He was cared for in the Red
Cross Hospital, and lay there un-
known, shattered in mind and body.
When he recovered SO as to he able to
identify himself his family had been
sent away, and the confusion of the
records placed them also among the
lost. But diligent search has, after
three years' separation, reunited the
family.