Page:The crayfish - an introduction to the study of zoology (IA crayfishintroduc00huxl 2).pdf/29

 9

THE FOOD OF THE CRAYFISH.

which a stream haunted by crayfishes

runs,

is soft

and peaty, the crayfishes work their way into it in all directions, and thousands of them, of all sizes, may be dug out, even at a considerable distance from the banks. It does not appear that crayfishes fall into a state of torpor in the winter, and thus “hybernate” in the strict sense of the word.

At any rate, so long as the weather

is open, the crayfish lies at the mouth of his burrow, barring the entrance with his great claws, and with pro¬ truded feelers keeps careful watch on the passers-by. Larvae of insects, water-snails, tadpoles, or frogs, which come within reach, are suddenly seized and devoured, and it is averred that the water-rat is liable to the same fate.

Passing too near the fatal den, possibly in search

of a stray crayfish, whose flavour he highly appreciates, the vole is himself seized and held till he is suffocated, when his captor easily reverses the conditions of the anti¬ cipated meal. In fact, few things in the way of food are amiss to the crayfish; living or dead, fresh or carrion, animal or vegetable, it is all one.

Calcareous plants, such as the

stoneworts {Chara), are highly acceptable; so are any kinds of succulent roots, such as carrots ; and it is said that crayfish sometimes make short excursions inland, in search of vegetable food.

Snails are devoured, shells

and all; the cast coats of other crayfish are turned to account as supplies of needful calcareous matter; and the unprotected or weakly member of the family is