CANCER, PAGURUS, OR COMMON CRAB. 169 



bottom of the sea by stones firmly fixed to them. 

 On the coast of Devon a certain bishop has pots 

 of his own, and on one occasion a jolly parson 

 of my acquaintance hauled the crab-pots of his 

 diocesan, and extracted some of the contents, 

 remarking, when he was remonstrated with, that 

 there was no harm, as it was specially ordered 

 that the " church should live by the church." 



The " Cancer gaumarus," or common lobster, 

 is also well known as one of the most delicate of 

 the genus for the table ; they frequent the rocky 

 shores, especially where there is clear, deep water. 

 Lobsters breed in the summer months, depositing 

 their eggs in the sand to the number of from 12 

 to 20,000. They change their shell or crust 

 annually, and can renew their claws and feet, if, 

 by accident, they are torn off. They dread 

 thunder, and arc apt to cast their claws on a loud 

 clap. They are considered in season from 

 October to May. In buying, they should always 

 be chosen by their weight, the best being the 

 heaviest ; the shells on the sides should be hard 

 enough to prevent yielding under moderate pres- 

 sure. Incredible numbers are annually disposed 

 of in the Billingsgate market alone for metro- 



