94 LOBSTERS. 



14th, and grew 3-16th in., it moulted five times again ere 

 it was approximately 'twelve months old (making a total of 

 11 times in 12 months) and was then If in. long. Probably 

 owing to its having been kept in captivity this lobster was 

 small and backward for its age, as, according to Herrick's 

 extensive and prolonged observations it should have been 

 from 2in. to Sin. long when twelve months old and have 

 moulted from fourteen to seventeen times. However, since 

 Mr. Waddington has had this lobster it has cast its shell 

 fourteen times (the latest being on 8th June last) making 

 probably 20 times since it left the egg. It is now over three 

 years old, measures about 4Jin. long, and is still alive in Mr. 

 Waddington's tank. 



This lobster is not the first Mr. Waddington has kept in an 

 aquarium. I believe his first was captured in the summer of 

 1904. It moulted on the 16th September, 1904. This shell 

 measured 4 fin. long. It died owing to some temporary 

 neglect of the purification of the water during Mr. Wadding- 

 ton's absence from home on the 31st July, 1909. Mr. 

 Waddington had therefore kept it alive in a small aquarium 

 for 5 years, during which time it had moulted eight times 

 and had grown from 4 fin. to 9in. in length. All its exoskele- 

 tons are now in the British Museum. This lobster was kept 

 in an aquarium with a sea anemone, and Mr. Waddington 

 told me (as an illustration of the sense possessed by lobsters) 

 this lobster and the anemone used to be fed at the same time. 

 The lobster used to retreat to his corner to eat his meal, 

 and then, if hungry, would come back to the anemone and 

 gently squeeze that creature with its large claw, from the 

 base of its body upwards, making it disgorge what it had 

 eaten, and so provide additional sustenance for the more 

 intelligent occupant of the aquarium, but it never injured 

 the anemone, thus giving a splendid exemplification of the 

 proverb which bids us " take care not to kill the goose that 

 lays the golden eggs ! " 



