West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-05-31

When the young lobster leaves it's parent
il seeks refuge i'm small Clcfts Of the roCkS,
or crcyiccS at the bottom of the sea, where
1t passes the earliest DAYS of it's existence
in "a yagahoud state. for period of from SO
to 40 days. During this time IL undcrgocs
four different changes of the shell, hut ON
the fourth IL loses its natatory organs, and
is therefore mo- longer able to swim ON the
surface of the water, hui falls to the bottom
lying torpid and motionlcSS. where it NJ
mains for the future according, however
To its increase i'm size 10 gains courage to
approach the shore, which il had left at its
birth. The number of enemies which as
sail the young cmhryos i'm the deep sea is
enormous Thousands of all kinds Of fish,
molusks and crustaCca arc pursuing IL con
tinually To destroy IT, The very changing
of the shell causes great mvagcs at these
periods, as the Young Holsters have to un
dcrgo "a crisis which appears to bee "a ncccs-
sary condition to their rapid growth. In
fact, every young lobster loses and rumakcs
its Crusiy shell from eight Co ten times the
first year. five 90 seven the second, three to
four the third, and from two 60 three the
fourth year. After the fifth year the change
is only annual For some days before the
change the animal loses its usual strength
and yigor, lying torpid and motioulcss; and
just before casting its shell, striking its
claws against each other, every limb seems
to trcmbc Then the body swclls i'm am
unusual manner, and the shell begins 90
dividc-it seems turned INSIDE out, the
stomach coming away with its she'll In
like manner the claws ARE discngagcd, the
lobster casting them of much as person
would kick of boot too biz for him For
several hours it now continues cnfcchlcd
and mOtionlcsS but i'm two days the new
skin becomes hardened, and within - hours
the shell is perfectly formed and hard, like
the one cast off. Below in his native Gle
ment the lobster reaches the age of 2O
years, and loses "a foot or claw without Zee
ling the loss, for ne well knows it will
grow again. When suddenly alarmed by
peal of thunder, or the report of can
non, its shoots it's claws Immediately No
part of the lobster is poisonous The So
called LADY is simply the cartihginous
stomach, and would not be- good eating be
cause il is tough. The delicious "tom-
ally y' is the liver, while the imprcruatcd
eggs form the "coml ' and are considered
"A delicacy. The lobster is often caught in "A
kind of trap, or "lobstcr pot, ,N rs it is
called II is made with narrow strips of
board or lath nailed upon strong hoops, 80
as To give it an oval form upon the top
Inside are placed stones To sink il 10 Ger
tain depth. At each end of the pot is "a
network of cord fastened to "a small hoop i'm
the centre of the net. Tough this hop of
six inches diameter, perhaps, the lobster
struggles to get the bait placed inside the
cage. But when once i'm he finds himself
a prisoner; for hc cannot retreat at the same
door by which he entered. The situation
of the trap is marked by buoy, and is
visited at interval TO remove the game and
make room for others They are sometimes
caught with merely piece of fish tied to
string-thc lobster convey the bait to his
mouth with his claws, and will let you
draw him to the surface if YOU do il quietly
50 as not TO alarm him, but if he is fright
ened in the least he is Oft like "a flash You
must grasp the instant his horns are ont Of
the water. In this country the lobster is
found from the coast of New York north
ward; the best are taken on the rocky
shores of New England, north of Cape Cod
Fishermen at MarshGeld and Plymouth,
Mass, catch from 1000 to 100, 900 a
year, which are sold TO Boston dealers.
Great numbers have been put mp in cans
and shipped abroad. The packing houses Of
Portland, Me, send large quantities in tins
20 England II is said that the demand for
canned Holsters in America equals the
supply.