There are many lobster fisheries along the rocky
parts of our coast.
[Illustration: HERMIT CRAB WITH SEA FLOWERS.]
You will often see Lobsters with one very large claw, and one small.
They are able to throw off a limb or two whenever they are frightened.
Also they often lose a claw in the terrible fights of which they seem so
fond. If one joint of a claw becomes injured the Lobster has no further
use for it; he is wise, for his very life depends on his armour. So he
throws it away, not at the wounded joint, but at the joint above.
After a time a slight swelling appears on the stump thus made; this
gradually grows into a new limb. It may be smaller than the lost one,
but it is perfect in detail. What a useful gift this must be to an
animal like the Lobster, whose whole life is one terrible fight after
another!
The baby Lobsters, like the baby Crabs, are quite unlike their parents.
They swim about at the surface of the sea, and already they seize every
chance of fighting and eating their small neighbours.
When about one inch in length they leave this infants' school, and join
another at the bottom of the sea.
Pages:
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47