to judge whether the bird or the man is the best fisher. This species is
most abundant round the borders of the stagnant lakes, bayous, or ponds
of the Southern Districts; and I have seen them caught even in the
streets of the suburbs of New Orleans, after a heavy shower. They become
a great pest by perforating embankments of all sorts, and many are
the maledictions that are uttered against them both by millers and planters,
nay even by the overseers of the levees along the banks of the Mississippi.
But they are curious creatures, formed no doubt for useful purposes,
and as such they are worthy of your notice.
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dantly swimming, crawling at the bottom or on shore, or working at their
muddy burrows, in all the southern parts of the Union. If I mistake
not, we have two species at least, one more an inhabitant of rocky streamlets
than the other, and that one by far the best, though the other is good
too. Both species swim by means of rapid strokes of the tail, which propel
them backwards to a considerable distance at each repetition. All
that I regret concerning these animals is, that they are absolutely little
aquatic vultures—or, if you please, Crustacea with vulturine habits—
for they feed on every thing impure that comes in their way, when they
cannot obtain fresh aliment. However this may be, the Crays somehow
fall in with this sort of food, and any person may catch as many as he may
wish, by fastening a piece of flesh to a line, allowing it to remain under
water for a while, and drawing it up with care, when, with the aid of a
hand-net, he may bring it ashore with a few! But although this is a
good method of procuring Cray-fish, it answers only for those that live
in running waters. The form of these is delicate, their colour a light
olive, and their motions in the water are very lively. The others are
larger, of a dark greenish-brown, less active in the water than on land,
although they are most truly amphibious. The first conceal themselves
beneath shelving rocks, stones, or water-plants; the others form a deep
burrow in the damp earth, depositing the materials drawn up, as a man
would do in digging a well. The manner in which they dispose of the
mud you may see by glancing at the plate of the White Ibis, in my
third volume of Illustrations, where also you will find a tolerable portrait
of one of these creatures.
According to the nature of the ground, the burrows of this Crayfish
are more or less deep. Indeed, this also depends partly on the increasing
dryness of the soil, when, influenced by the heat of summer, as well as
on the texture of the substratum. Thus, in some places, where the Cray
can reach the water after working a few inches, it rests contented during
the day, but crawls out for food at night. Should it, however, be left
dry, it renews its labour; and thus while one burrow may be only five or
six inches deep, another may be two or three feet, and a third even more.
They are easily procured when thus lodged in shallow holes; but when
the burrow is deep, a thread is used, with a small piece of flesh fastened
to it. The Cray eagerly seizes the bait, and is gently drawn up, and
thrown to a distance, when he becomes an easy prey. You have read of
the method used by the White Ibis in procuring Crays; and I leave you