LOBSTERS. 99 



The baj^s, sliallows, and mouths of rivers on the coast 

 of Prince Edward's Island, abound in a species of sea- 

 weed, known amongst the inhabitants as ^^ eel grass;" 

 on this vast numbers of Lobsters feed as in a rich sea 

 garden. To these favoured hunting-grounds the Lobster- 

 catchers betake themselves, and by wading little more 

 than half-leg deep gather as many as they require. A 

 bushel basket has been filled in this way in less than 

 an hour. 



Like the branching growths of sub-mariue life which 

 form the connecting link between the vegetable and 

 animal kingdoms, we find crustaceans, dwelling, so to 

 speak, on the border lands of other races, and linking 

 the shrimp, crab, and lobster families together ; par- 

 taking of the nature of each, but being identical 

 with neither : such are the so-called squat lobsters or 

 Galatltea. Three well-marked kinds are to be met 

 with more or less abundantly; these are the Olive squats 

 (G. squamifera), the scarlet squat (G. nexa), and the 

 joainted squat (G. strigosa) ; all these are of compara- 

 tively small size, the largest or painted description 

 rarely exceeding three and a half inches in length. 

 The singular alertness of all the race renders capture 

 somewhat difiicult. Like the lobsters they possess 

 extraordinary powers of vision and retrograde move- 

 ment. The horns are extremely long, and so sensitive 

 that the slightest touch seems to reveal at once the 



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