130 CLASS CRUSTACEA. 



The Lobster, (Astacus europcea.) 



The well-known and delicious shell- fish, the Lobster, is 

 found ^in great abundance in all the northern parts of 

 Europe. The north of Scotland is famous for the 

 Lobster, but it is still more plentiful on the coast of 

 Norway. The crab is more frequently found in shallow 

 water, but the Lobster prefers those spots where the 

 water is of considerable depth. The methods of taking 

 Lobsters are various, — the most usual is by means of 

 what are called Lobster-pots ; these are a sort of trap, 

 formed of twigs, and baited with garbage ; they are 

 made like a wire mouse-trap, so that when the Lobsters 

 get in there is no possibility of returning. These pots 

 are fastened to a cord, and sunk in the sea, their place 

 being marked by a buoy. Another method of taking 

 them is by means of a kind of bag-net, baited with 

 animal substances. This fishery is only carried on in 

 the night. They are brought in vast quantities to the 

 London market from the Orkneys and from the Norway 

 coast. 



Lobsters are much alarmed at the noise of thunder, 

 or any other sudden shock; the consequence of which is, 

 that in their fright, they frequently cast their claws. 

 This also often happens when the poor creatures are 

 thrown into the boiling-pot. As these animals frequent 

 clear water, their habits have been more noticed than 

 those of the crab. Their mode of feeding is suthciently 

 curious. In general, the pincers of one of the large 

 claws are furnished with knobs, while the other large 

 claw is more like a saw on its edge ; holding, then, its 

 food in the knobbed claw, it dexterously pulls it to pieces 



