314 THE WILD RABBET. 



little, the lobster arrives at the bottom of the hole. 

 Here it fixes itself so firmly to the Rabbet, that it 

 is compelled to attempt its escape, dragging, at the 

 same time, its enemy along with it, into some one 

 of the nets. This chase (the writer observes) re- 

 quires much patience, since the operations of the 

 lobster are very slow ! ! !" 



The mode by which the warreners distinguish 

 young Rabbets from old ones, is the same that has 

 been mentioned respecting Hares ; by feeling the 

 knee-joints of the fore-legs. When the heads of 

 the two bones which form these joints, are so con- 

 tiguous, that little or no space is to be perceived 

 between them, the Rabbet is an old one. On the 

 contrary, should there be a perceptible separation 

 between the bones, the animal is young; and is 

 more or less so, according as the bones are more or 

 less separated. If the Rabbet is an old one, the 

 claws also are very long and rough, and the wool 

 is mottled with grey hairs: the claws and wool are 

 always smooth when young*. Experienced Rabbet 

 catchers have assured M. Sonnini, that they can 

 immediately distinguish a male from a female Rab- 

 bet, by the mode of its coming out of its hole in 

 the day time. The male always seems as if alarmed 

 at finding itself unexpectedly in the light, and does 



* Daniel's Rural Sports, i. 346350. 



not 



