13 JULY 1929, Page 14

NEGLECTED CRAYFISH.

English people have been abused by all sorts of gourmands and gourmets for neglecting the kindly fruits of their native country. The boletus, puffballs and other fungi, pignuts, snails, elderberries, young nettles and hops, dandelions, hips and haws and hedgehogs and doubtless other vegetable and animal products have from time to time been urged upon us. But perhaps a more surprising omission than any of these, except the mushrooms, is the neglect of that supreme luxury in France, the fresh-water crayfish. It is said by some to excel the lobster. Now is the best season ; and I have never seen crayfish so big or so many as in the little stream with which I am most familiar.