about the Merrow.

The spiny lobsters (commonly, but erroneously called craw-fish or
cray-fish) and the common lobsters are in Tank No. 9.

Ah! that is a wonderful pool. The first glimpse of the spiny lobsters is
enough for any one who has read of Coomara. We are among the Merrows at
last.

I don't know that Coomara was a lobster, but I think he must have been a
crustacean. Even his green hair reminds one of the spider-crabs; though
matter-of-fact naturalists tell us that _their_ green hair is only
seaweed which grows luxuriantly on their shells from their quiet habits,
and because they are not given to burrowing, or cleaning themselves
among the stones like the silver-coated basse. At one time, by the bye,
it was supposed that they dressed themselves in weeds, whence they were
called "vanity-crabs."

But the spiny lobsters--please to look at them, and see if you can so
much as guess their age, their capabilities, or their intentions. I
fancy that the difference between the feelings with which they and the
fishes inspire us is much the same as that between our mental attitude
towards hill-men or house-elves, and towards men and women.

The spiny lobsters are red. The common lobsters are blue. The spiny
lobsters are large, their eyes are startlingly prominent, their powerful
antennae are longer and redder than Coomara's nose, and wave about in an
inquisitive and somewhat threatening manner. When four or five of them
are gathered together in the centre of the pool, sitting solemnly on
their tails, which are tucked neatly under them, each with his ten sharp
elbows a-kimbo "engaged thinking" (and perhaps talking) "very seriously
about something," it is an impressive but _uncanny_ sight.

We witnessed such a conclave, sitting in a close circle, face to face,
waving their long antennae; and as we watched, from the shadowy caves
above another merrow appeared. How he ever got his cumbersome coat of
mail, his stiff legs, and long spines safely down the face of the cliff
is a mystery. But he scrambled down ledge by ledge, bravely, and in some
haste. He knew what the meeting was about, though we did not, and soon
took his place, arranged his tail, his scales, his elbows, his
cocked-hat, and what not, and fell a-thinking, like the rest. We left
them so.

Most of the common lobsters were in their caves, from which they
watched this meeting of the reds with fixed attention.

In their dark-blue coats, peering with their keen