The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-07-03
THE CURIOUs CRAwFIsH.
a CruGtacenn Highly Esteemed as n Food b,
Gsermana and by Iass.

Germans and by BASS.
THE crawfsh hasn't come to be much appre-
ciated in this country;as food" said a Fulton
Market fish dealer, although among n small
circle of cpicures here it is alleged TO be highly
priced. In some European countries, and cs-
pecially in northern Germany, the crawtish as
an edible crustaccan is in such denand that it
is largely grown by artificial propagation.
The crawflsh is in many respects a curious
creature. 1t is so tardy in-roaching maturity
that II requires from twelve to fifteen years to
attain its growth, which is between three and
five inches. The male crawiish live in colonies
in holes In the river or creek banks, and the f-
male. especially while waiting for her eggs to
hatch, prefers to live by herself. The craw-
fish hunts its prey at night and begins the quest
as soon as dusk sets in. Crawfish are never
size in water Inhabited b. cells or pickcrel, The
crawfsh sheds its shell every year. tho male in
June and.tne female IN July. They arc then
especially priced as bait for bass. The most
prolific wafer for crawtlsh.I ever knew is the
ereI in that stream. but II is noted for "A choice
variety of bass. These bass will seldom take
fs6S the net tai Gft Of t the hard arc S era@, a as the na tGT St a%iI
1t. with the shell peeled from The hard, white,
s ss, fa M aSSh; is aeS a K bii u tia bait sib i f. the ie ANGLER can
catch before It is seized by some living crawiish.
"lfa, fisherman is after crawfish for bait he
any other kind of flesh, or even a piece of potato
or turnlp. tied to a string; In a moment every
craw that can get a hold on II with its claws
will quickly do so. II the string is pulled up
slowly and steadily not a crHw will let loose Of
the bait until it. Is landed on the bank or in
the,boat. The fisherman wrenches the tail from
the body and casts the latter away. So tena.
ciOus of life are the crawiish that II is a com.
bodies crawling about the river banks and ro,
turning to the water, where they will live for
hours. The craws that are captured in this
way arc all hard shells. The soft'shells are so
delicate.thatit would not be possible for them TO
cling with their claws to ANYTHING. They are
caught by turning over stoneS on the bottom Of
the river. where they hide during the season In
which they are sheddors. Anglers who want
them for bait are not the only foes that invade
the hiding places OF the soft-shell crawhsh.
Bass constantly hunt them, turning over the
the angler can. That such enormous quaint.
ties of crawfsh survive the shedding season in
the Miami River Is ono OF the wonders.of pls-
~catorial life.
hours, and sometimes q day or more, the mutt
lation to which fishermen subject 1t, It will soon
die IL laid on its back and kept there. II
placed in that position 1t works violently with
Its rows OF feet and its claws, which seems to
soon exhaust 1t and cause its death. The craw-
fish will live for a week or more out OF water If
who consider this cTustacean a delicacy have
a superstition that they are not good In the
months containing the letter IT, unlike tho
belief in this country that oysters are only good
in such months. 1t is declared to be n fact by
growers and shippers Of crawtish that II a thun.
derstorm arisos. while they are In transit they
viii die instantly"