268 LOBSTEE-EISHING. 



be seen in the fine days assiduously waiting on the lobster-traps' 

 and crab-cages, -which are not unlike overgrown rat-traps, and are 

 constructed of netting fastened over a wooden framework, baited 

 with any kind of fish offal, or garbage, the stench of which may 

 be strong enough to attract the attention of those minor monsters 

 of the deep. A great number of these lobster-pots are sunk at, 

 perhaps, a depth of twelve or twenty fathoms at an appropriate 

 place, being held together by a strong line, and all marked with 

 a peculiarly-cut piece of cork, so that each fisherman may recog- 

 nise his own lot. The knowing youngsters of our fishing com- 

 munities can also secure their prey by using a long stick. Mr. 

 Cancer Pagurus is watched as he bustles out for his evening 

 promenade, and, on being deftly pitched upon his back by means 

 of a pole, he indignantly seizes upon it with all his might, and 

 the stick being shaken a little has the desirable effect of causing 

 Mr. Crab to cling thereto with great tenacity, which is, of course, 

 the very thing desired by the grinning " human " at the other 

 end, as whenever he feels his prey secure he dexterously hauls 

 him on board, unhooks the crusty gentleman with a jerk, and 

 adds him to the accumulating heap at the bottom of the old boat. 

 The monkeys in the West Indies are, however, stiH more ingeni- 

 ous than the " fisher loons " of Arran or Skye. Those wise 

 animals, when they take a notion of dining on a crab, proceed 

 to the rocks, and slyly insinuating their tail into one of the holes 

 where the Crustacea take refuge, that appendage is at once seized 

 upon by the crab, who is thereby drawn from his hiding-place, 

 and, being speedily dashed to pieces on the hard stone, affords 

 a fine feast to his captor. This reminds me of the story told 

 about a man's dog which was seized by a crab when passing a 

 fish shop: Punch has it, "Whustle on your dog, manj" " Na, 

 na, my man; whustle you on your partan." On the granite- 

 bound coast of Scotland the sport of crab-hunting may be 

 enjoyed to perfection, and the wonders of the deep be studied 

 at the same time. A long pole with a small crook at the end 

 will be found useful to draw the crab from his nest, or great 

 fun may be enjoyed by tying during lo-s«rater a piece of bait 

 to a string and attaching a stone tosJae other end of the 

 cord. The crab seizes upon this bait ^M. cpver the tide flows, 

 and drags it to its hole, so that when^g*ebb of the tide 

 recurs, the stone at the end of the cord marks the hiding-place 

 of the animal, who thus falls an easy prey to his captor. The 

 natives are the best instructors in these arts, and seaside 



