The Washington herald., 1908-08-02
AQUARIUM's YELLOW LOBSTER.
Not Only CuriOusIy Marked, but AD-
parenSIy Intelligent Crustacean-


They've got A yellow lobster az the
Aquarium. in New York, ana yellow lob
sJers are q rarity. In the dozen years
or more that the Aquarium has beer
established IL has had. including this one.
but two.
This one. which came from Gravesend
Bay. Is about ten inches in length, with
its big claws Strengthened out In front il
would measure about fifteen inches In
color il Is yellow and brown. notified, the
yellow being Of a bright deep lemon color
and the yellow areas being as great OF
greater than those Of brown, while these
yellow markings extend not only over the
Holsters she'll but over its big and little
claws.
What is it2" visitors ask. taking il for
some strange creature. but a closer in
! spection shows f. 70 be true and perfect
lobster. strange only in its freak color
[ !nEs. and these it may lose when next Il
/ sheds its shell, growing one then of the
[ Holsters natural green
/ This yellow lobster appears 10 be very
intelligent An evidence OF this that II
/ gave the ether day drew q crowd around
| It's tank. In nature the lobster backs into
/ crevices IN rocks. holding its big claws 10
I the front to seize upon such prey as Il
/ can capture and FOR protection against
I enemies that might attack It. On a sandy
/ bottom Il might dig OFT with its big claws
/ a hollow place into which 4 could settle
I The bottom OF the yellow lobsteT's tank
/ is covered with sand. 10 which the yellow
. lobster likes 10 dig It viii 80 10 one cor
] uer and scoop out the sand there and
push g over 20 the farthest opposite cor
ner. and then AT some other time Il will
I attack the mound thus made and dig a
hole IN that corner and push the sand
[ back AGAIN 70 the corner from which i
{ had brought It Its digging IS interesting.
The special exhibition OF intelligence
that the lobster gave the other day was
] Incidental 10 this, in its handling OF an
interfering green crab
In the tank with the yellow lobster
there are a number Of green crabs IN
ike the blue crab. the green crab has nc
swimming claws. but it can run rapidly
on the bottom, and with its sharp-pointed
claws 10 hold on with. u walks readily
I'd the front OF vertical faced rocks 4
euick-movinE- agile creature is the greer
crab. and one OF these green crabs here
ia this tank set out seemingly 10 bother
The yellow lobster
The lobster had dug quite hole IN tbs
sand in one corner. pushing the excavst
ed sand over 10 the corner G-agOnally op
pcsite and pIling Il up there, making
quite q slope Up between. and once wheT
the lobster nad pushed Up some sand II
that way au6 gone back down the slop'
10 the hollow place for more. il was FOL
lowed By the green crab. apparently ben
on teasing II.
> The yellow lobster took that bothersom'
! green crab between Its two big claws
holding Il Ear enough out between then
so that the crab couldn't bite Il or huT
it. and holding Il so. Il started back wiz
; it-p the slope. ANY sort Of lobster walk
; tnE along or the bottom on rs long. sle-
der legs and carrying {ts gvo big claw
b out in front OF & Is an interesting object
but this yellow lobster walking Up h
sand slope carrying a green crab q P-is
Oner made a sight that was more thai
6o-bIy- interesting and then a UOz1eu
later. when Il had got 20 the TOP q II
r slope. the people looking On saw the lot
2 s-e- thrust the crab down into the sand
- And -hen the lobster turned around an
- went down for more sand
Being stuck into the sand Ike that Va
Z nothing 20 the crab-it IS q common thin
{ for crabs 20 bury themselves in mud G
= sand. leaving only their eyes sticking o.
e and this green crab was out O the san
fl a moment and scuttling down u
: slope after the yellow lobster aga1
i Again the lobster seized the crab n 81
claws and carried il up the slope az
VI thrust IL into the sand IN the same MAJ
! rer. and Il did this four times Il sUcce!
: I sion. with ell the people looking on Wit
. great interest A woman in the crow
\ when she saw the yellow lobster walkin
]. up the slope with the green crab for 4
: fourth time laughed aloud