174 LIFE BY THE SEASHOEE. 



of Scotland. It is curious to note that although at certain 

 seas >ns many hundreds are daily brought to market in 

 Edinburgh, almost all these are males, and an egg-bearing 

 female is very rarely seen ; one would therefore expect that 

 a rapid diminution of numbers is less likely to occur than 

 in the case of the lobster. 



In the Norway lobster the rostrum is long, slightly 

 exceeding in length the peduncle or stalk of the antenna ; 

 it is furnished with three teeth at either side, and is hairy 

 beneath. The anterior part of the carapace (gastric region) 

 is furnished with seven longitudinal rows of spines. The 

 abdomen is beautifully marked, the markings being ac- 

 centuated by the distribution of the fine hairs. The great 

 claws differ much in shape from those of either lobster or 

 crayfish, for the propodite or hand is four-sided, the margins 

 being emphasised by the development of rows of spines. 

 The whole limb is elongated and slender, very different 

 from the broad and heavy chelipeds of Homarus. In colour 

 Nephrops is a delicate orange-red with brown hairs. It is 

 much smaller than the lobster, being usually seven to eight 

 inches in length. Young specimens may sometimes be ob- 

 tained from the trawlers, and make most charming pets. 

 They live well in confinement, but have most voracious 

 appetites, quite out of harmony with the fairy-like form and 

 delicate colouring. In such specimens the eyes are ex- 

 ceedingly conspicuous, and their peculiar "kidney" shape 

 should be noticed. It is this peculiarity which gives the 

 animal its scientific name (Nephrops = kidney-eyed). 



It may, perhaps, be well to note here, for the sake of 

 future reference, the names given by systematists to the 

 typical segments of the legs of Crustacea. Beginning at the 

 outer end these are : dactylopodite, or finger ; propodite, or 

 hand ; carpopodite, or wrist ; meropodite, or arm ; and less 

 important, ischiopodite, basipodite, and basal coxopodite, 

 seven pieces in all. 



The next family is that of the Palinuridce, including only 

 one British form, the splendid rock lobster or spiny lobster 

 (Palinurus vulgaris), a Mediterranean species found on the 

 South and West of England and off the coasts of Ireland. 

 Like many of its allies it is sometimes called a crayfish, and 

 is esteemed as an article of food in those districts in which 



