Chapter III— GIANT LOBSTERS. 



Stories of gigantic lobsters made their appearance at a very early period, and one 

 could probably gather as many exaggerated accounts of this animal now as in the days 

 of Olaus Magnus. Time, however, has narrowed the bounds of credulity, even among 

 the ignorant, and we no longer hear some of the interesting legends which the old writers 

 have carefully handed down. Thus Olaus Magnus tells us in his description of northern 

 lands and seas,"^ published in 1555, that between the Orkneys and Hebrides there lived 

 lobsters so huge that they could catch a strong swimmer and squeeze him to death in 

 their claws. His curious figures were copied by Gesner, who has many others equal to 

 any which are described in the old mythologies. 



Giants are met with in all the higher groups of animals. They interest us not only 

 on account of their actual size, but also in showing to what degree individuals may 

 surpass the mean average of the race. It may be a question whether lobsters weighing 

 from 20 to 30 pounds or more are to be regarded as giants in the technical sense, or 

 simply as sound and vigorous individuals on whose side fortune has always fought in 

 the struggle for life. I am inclined to the latter view, and look upon the mammoth 

 lobster simply as a favorite of nature, who is larger than his fellows because he is their 

 senior; good luck never deserted him until he was stranded on the beach or became 

 entangled in some fisherman's gear. 



Gesner gives a poor likeness of a lobster, but an excellent drawing of the large 

 crusher claw of one which he had preserved in his collection on account of its great 

 size. The length of this claw was 8f^ inches, and its breadth at the junction of the 

 dactyl about 4 inches, so that it was borne by a lobster which weighed not far from 8 

 pounds. 



The European lobster of to-day seldom or never attains so great size as the TVmerican 

 species, as already remarked, and its average weight is considerably less. Buckland 

 gives an account of large lobsters from the British Islands, in which the greatest weight 

 recorded was 14 pounds, and European lobsters of this size are undoubtedly now very 

 rare. The Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia possesses a skeleton of Homarus 

 gammarus^ which, judging from its measurements, must have weighed from 23 to 25 



oHistoria de Gentibus Septentrionallbus, Rome, 1555. 



b It is possible that a mistake has been made in attributing the Philadelphia specimen to the European species The deter- 

 mination was made by Prof. John R. Ryder, who evidently relied upon the character of the rostrum (see p. 161) in basing his opin- 

 ion. Regarding this specimen. Professor Ryder wrote under date of March 10, 1894, as follows: "It turns out to be European 

 instead of American. I send the data obtainable. The catalogue does not give weight or locality. At one time there was a 

 label statingthe weight: now that has also disappeared." Again on March 15, he wrote: " There is no doubt of the large lobster 

 being H. vulgaris. I found no spines on the under side of the rostrum of the large specimen ; perf ecUy smooth, as was also another 

 smaller specimen of the same species. I made a very careful examination to-day and can assure you that the facts are as I state." 

 He further added that the large skeleton "is also perfectly symmetrical and must have been a beautiful specimen originally, as 

 it now is." 



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