19(5 
NATURE’S CRAFTSMEN 
for they serve him not only as a skeleton to hold 
his body in shape, but as a coat of mail. To be 
sure, his skeleton is not made up of bones just 
like ours, it is fashioned in the form of plates, 
and while it serves double duty it yet has its dis¬ 
advantages. For instance, when we meet with 
an accident, we may possibly break a bone; the 
crawfish has his crushed, because there is no cush¬ 
ion of flesh to deaden the shock. 
44 The crawfish is a flesh eater. Moreover he 
is not at all particular about his meat being fresh; 
indeed, if the truth be told, he would a little rather 
it smelled to the high heaven, and he will go long 
distances to obtain a taste of a delectable bit whose 
odor is borne to him on the winds. For this rea¬ 
son, too, he is easily trapped with a bait of de¬ 
caying, ill-smelling flesh. He has many enemies 
among mankind, especially in the low countries. 
They say he is a mischievous creature, which of 
course only means that the crawfish’s patient and 
persistent industry frequently conflicts with the 
plans of man. He will occasionally cut holes 
through dykes and dams, and sometimes causes 
dangerous and costly breakdowns of water bar¬ 
riers. Not infrequently, too, he varies his meat 
diet with a bit of green stuff, and thus causes 
serious damage to tender young crops. But the 
crawfish is not maliciously wicked. He follows 
his own even course in the pursuit of life and 
