Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1908-07-10
FISH AND OYSTER NOTES.

Planting bottoms i'm Somerset county.
Md, will be thrown open for leasing
shortly
There is a growing interest in the
Fourth International Fishery Congress,
which will meet in Washington, ID. c.,
from the 22d to the 18th of September
A crab was caught near the mouth of
Hunting creek, Alexandria, few days
ago. probably dropped by a passing
vessel or steamer. 1t is rare to see
crabs above Quantico. although in pro-
longed drought they have been caught
almost at Washington wharves.
A company has been formed and
started up the fertilizer plant on Dy-
mers creek known as the Wharton
Fisheries. Three steamers already
belonging to the Chesapeake bay feet
have been purchased. The works are
being overhauled now and will be in
full operation in few days.
There has been scarcity OF soft
crabs at Crisfield, Nd, during the last
week. AS a result, prices were some
what higher than in the past. the rul,
ing figure being from SO to rs cents q
dozen. At the present time it look
as if there will not be any first-class
crabs before July Is.
Ieter Dixon, of Norfolk, bought q
lot of CLAIMS paying about one cent q
piece for them. When the clans wer,
opened one of them was found to con.
tain black object, which he thought
might be black pearl. He submitted
it to local iewelry firm, which paiS
him $50 cash for the pearl.
This is to be good year for crab
bling around New York All the bar,
whereabouts are now swarming will
young crabs, after three consecutiv,
years of scarcity. What makes the crab
run that way nobody knows, but that
the way they go. They may be plenti
full year after year for ten years, an,
then may come lean year or two, O
three lean years together. as has hap
pened just now, and then, as they hay,
now done, they may return In grea
numbers, to remain plentiful for years
The Fishing Gazette gives the fol
lowing as habit of the New Jerse,
crab, which Is not at all trait O
the Chesapeake Bay crab: at is tn
female crab which is most priced a
a soft shell by epicures. When the fe
male is about to shed her shell she dig
a hole in the sand or beneath rock be
yond low water, and within few hour
she is helpless and unable to gathe
food. At such times male crab sen
tinels each hole, protects the femal
from enemies and provides food. TIL,
male crabs do not shed at the perio,
when the female exchanges her oil,
shell for the new. BY the time the fe
male is ready to emerge she is about
third larger than when she entered
The male digs the hole to the proper siz,
so as to make the exit easy. Usually
the new shell is hard the third or fourth
tide after the shedding
If you should mash the end of the
claw of fresh-caught hard crab, watcl
with what fierce wrath he will tear of
the mutilated member. Is it pride tina,
causes him to do this bit of surgical
work? Or is he afraid of blood poison.
ing? Or is it because the manned claw
might obstruct his speed, or entangle
him in the submarine botany? The
crab is an interesting creature, and like
his big cousin, the lobster, is as scrappy
as game bantam, often losing limb
in scuffie. Exchange.
An injured claw crab will quickly
tear off. If allowed to remain it will
slowly rot off and not grow out again.
If shed while freshly hurt it will return.
And the crab knows this. If one fin or
claw is trapped or caught fast the crab
will quickly shed it.