LOBSTKtl. 3 SO 
bits and cjualities with which the mean- 
est animals are gifted. 
Lobsters have the power of casting 
off a claw, if caught by it; and they fre- 
quently lose one in fighting, and by various 
accidents ; it is even asserted, that the 
noise of very loud thunder, or of cannon, 
if close to them, occasions the loss of 
some of their limbs; but this is of little 
importance, as they are reproduced in a 
short time. 
Lucy, Has the cray fish, when alive, 
the same colour as the lobster ? 
Mother. Its colour is of a dark brown, 
almost I>1 ick ; it burrows in the banks of 
rivers, and only comes abroad at night, 
in search of food ; it is named cancer 
astacus. Two other species, with which 
yon are well acquainted, are cancer squilla, 
the prawn, and cancer crcmgori, the shrimp. 
I will mention one more species of this 
family, from a curious circumstance in 
its conformation ; the female is provided 
with a poUch, in which she carries about 
