LOBSTERS. 97 



thundering roar, preserved lobster, from Fortnum and 

 Mason's, was scattered far and wide over the battle- 

 field. Fishermen declare that thunder or the reports 

 of artillery causes the lobsters in the store boxes or 

 wells, in which they are brought alive to market, to 

 suddenly cast off their large claws, just as the crabs do 

 in their battles vntli each other; a smart blow will 

 cause a lobster to throw off a damaged claw, and thus 

 stop bleeding in the manner before described. 



The regular Lobster season may be said approximately 

 to last from the month of March to August. About 

 the middle or latter end of the last-mentioned month 

 the shifting of shells takes place, and the fish is unfit 

 for human food ; but, like silkworms after a change of 

 skin, they commence feeding in the most voracious 

 manner directly the new garment is durable enough to 

 admit of their taking their walks abroad, and their 

 temporary seclusion and compulsory abstinence is amply 

 made up for by a course of heavy feeding. The lost 

 plumpness and condition soon return, and the winter 

 season furnishes Lobsters equal in goodness and flavour 

 to any caught " in high lobster time." It has been 

 remarked by many experienced shell-fish dealers that 

 the Lobster is exceedingly local in its habits, and there 

 are some who profess to be able to recognise the natives of 

 particular localities by their general appearance and the 

 colour of their shells. Unlike some crustaceans who 



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