554 



THE PRAWN, AND SHRIMP. 



THE WESTER. 



stomach and intestines. The animal, while it is moulting, is said to 



feed upon its former sto- 

 mach, which wastes by 

 degrees, and is at length 

 replaced by a new one. 



Like some of the Crabs, 

 these animals are said to 

 be attached to particular 

 parts of the sea. 



The pincers of one of 

 the Lobster's large clawa 

 are furnished with knobs, 

 and those of the other are 

 always serrated. With 

 the former it keeps fina 

 hold of the stalks of sub- 

 marine plants, and with the latter it cuts and minces its food very 

 dexterously. The knobbed or numb claw, as the fishermen call it, ia 

 sometimes on the right, and sometimes on the left side, indifferently. 

 It is more dangerous for a person to be seized by the cutting claw 

 than the other; but, in either case, the quickest way of getting dis- 

 engaged from the creature, is to pluck off its claw. 



In the water these animals are able to ran nimbly upon their Ieg3 

 or small claws; and, if* alarmed, they can spjing, tail foremost, to a 

 surprising distance, almost as swiftly as a bird can fly. The fishermen 

 can see them pass about thirty feet, and, by the swiftness of their 

 motion, it is supposed that they may go much further. When 

 frightened, they will spring from a considerable distance to their hold 

 in the rock ; and, what is not less surprising than true, will throw 

 themselves into their hold in that manner, through an entrance 

 scarcely sufficient for their bodies to pass. 



The circumstance of Lobsters losing their claws at thunder-claps, 

 or the sound of cannon, is well authenticated ; and the fishermen are 

 often jestingly threatened with a salute by the sailors. The restoration 

 of claws thus lost may always be observed ; for these never again 

 grow to their former size. When the claws of Lobsters become incon- 

 venient to the animals, from being injured, they always break them of 



THE PRAWN, AND SHRIMP. 



Prawns are chiefly found among sea-weed, and in the vicinity of 

 rocks at a little distance from the shore. They seldom enter tht 

 mouths of rivers. Their usual mode of swimming'is on their backs, 

 but when threatened with danger, they throw themselves on one side, 

 and spring backward to very consderable distances. Thej feed on aJl 

 the smaller kinds of marine animals, which they seize and devour 

 with great voracitv. In their turn, they are the prey of numerous 

 species of fish ; altnough the sharp and serrated horn in front of their 

 head con-stitutes a very powerful weapon of defence against the 

 attacks nf all the smaller kinds. 



