Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-05-03
A CHAPTER ON LOBSTERs
lThcmas J. Bowdi,ch in the rroy r;ms.

a CHAPTER ON LOBSTERS.
tThcmas ]. Bowdi,ch in the Trov r;ms.1
Of all the crustaceans HOLSTERS are the mos
tinp tdnt ana the most in demand VINO doe
not IKE the flesh Of the lobster? Even the CHILD
nS "" Ihe nursery riddle: 'Back In the kitchen
Is Dlulsh- black, beautifully varteyated witt
paiel spots and clouds. Without any warmth
III Inelr bodies. aud even without red blood cir.
fu1i He ny through tneir VEINS they are wonder
a LUZ Vorac1ous. They even devour each other
a ah, may 6e said to eat themselves; for changing
, nnen smell and stomach every year, these re
th ains are generally the first morsel to glut
neavily armed TO the teeth; seven-jointed is the
cunnlngly forged mail OF their back Bene Atm
snis protecting roof move eight sprawling feet
1 1 on each SIDE, pushing forward the unWieliy
war engine, like the Roman legion under the
snelter OF the batter1ng-ram. The two great
claws OF the Holsters form It's Instruments OF
PROVISION and weapons of defence, and by
opening like a pair of scissors they have
Between the two claws lies the anlmlr5 he IL,
very small, with two eyes like two black,
NOT no1ny specks on each side, which are projec-
tile or retractile at Will. The mouth, like that
OF insects opens lengthwise OF tue body, not
crossW1Se, as with men aud the higher races of
animals. 1t has two teeth for the IN a5tication
OF It's 1000, but three more in the stomach. Be-
lore the pointed nose the long, wlre-like feeders
or horns are stretched out, that seem TO aid tue
dimness OF its sight. The tail, a six jointed in
safument Is the great locomotive oy which it is
meath this we see lodged the spawn In great
abundance. When the young lobster leaves It's
parent it seeks refuge in small cIefts of the
rocks, or crevices at the bottom of the sea-
where It passes the earliest days of its exiS-
tence In vagabond state, for period OF from
thirty to forty days. During this time IL under
the fourth 1t loses its matatory organs, and is,
therefore, no longer able to swim on the sur.
face OF the water, but falls to the bottom. lying
torpid and motiOnless, where it remains for the
future; according, however, to its Increase in
size 1t gains courage to approach the sh )re
which 1t had left at its birth. The number of
enemies which assail the young embryos Ia the
deep sea Is enormous. Thousands of all kinds
Of fish, mollusks and crustacea are pursuing it
continually to destroy it. The very Chang
Ing OF the shell causes great ravageS at these
as the Dser have
necessary condition to their rapid growth. In
fact, every young lobster losses and remakes
it crusIy shell from eight TO ten times the first
year, hve to seven the second, three Co four
the third, and from two to three the fourth
year. After the fifth year the -... ,ge Is only
annual. For some days before the cnange the
torpid and mOtiOnless; and just before casting
its shell, striking its claws against each other,
every limo seems to tremble. Then the body
swells In an unusual manner, and the shell be-
gins to d1vtde-ft seems turned inside out, the
stomach coming away with its shell. In like
manner the claws are disengaged, the LOBSTER
casting them OIL much as person would kick
now continues enfeebled and motionless, but
in two days the new skin becomes hardened
and within fOrty-eigh hours the shell is per.
fectly formed and hard, like the one cast of.
Below In his native element the lobster reaches
the age OF twenty years, and loses foot Or
claw without feeling the loss, for he well
knows it will grow again. When suddenly
cannon, 1T shoots its claws Immediately. No
part of the lobster Is poisonous. The so-called
LADY" is simply the cartlaginous stomach,
and il T f01s6 not be geo eating
the liver, while the tmpregnated eggs form
the "coral" and are considered a delicacy
The lobster Is often caught In q kind of trap
with narrow strips OF board or lath nailed upon
strong hoops, so as to give 1t an oval form upon
the top. Inside are placed STONES to sink it to q
sSd to ena 81 .ne pot Is net
center Of the net. Through this hoop, OF six
inches diameter, perhaps the lobster struggles
to get the bait placed inside the cage. But
cannot retreat at the same door by which he
entered. The situation of the trap is marked
by buoy, and Is visited at intervals to remove
the game and make room for others. They are
sometimes caught with merely piece Of fish
tied to the end Of strng-the lobster CONVEYS
the bait to his mouth with his claws, and win
let you draw him to the surface IL you do it
frightened In the least he is OF like q fash You
must grasp him the instant his horns are out of
the water. In this country the lobster is
found from the coast OF New York northward;
England, north Of Cape Cod. Fishermen at
Marshfeld and Plymouth, Mass, catch from
so 600 to 100 900 year, which are sold to Boston
dealers. Great numbers have been put up in
cans and shipped abroad. The packing houses
OF Portland, Me-, send large quantities In tins
to England.