It is another dodge, of course, to escape
from enemies. The Lobster, whose picture you see, has a life-story much
like that of the Crab. He, also, grows too big for his suit of armour,
and casts it off in a wonderful manner, but only after a great deal of
trouble. In his new suit he is very weak and soft--an easy prey to the
first enemy to find him. He cannot defend himself then; he can only lie
helplessly on his side, waiting for his coat to harden. He is so weak
that his soft legs cannot bear the weight of his body.

[Illustration: HERMIT CRABS FIGHTING.]

Needless to say, the Lobster always finds a secure retreat before
casting off his protecting coat of armour. A hole under a rock suits him
well at that time. Strange to say, he seems to dislike his old clothes,
and often crunches them to pieces or eats them up, or even pushes them
under the sand or stones! Then he marches out like a proud warrior,
knowing his strength, and the power of his great claws.

Lobsters are fond of fighting, and must be very disagreeable neighbours.
They can swim along by using the little "swimmerets" under their bodies.
Or, by rapidly bending down their powerful tails, Lobsters are able to
shoot backwards through the water at a great pace. In our next lesson we
shall find that Prawns are also able to paddle forwards or dart
backwards in a similar way.

Lobsters, living and dead, are often on sale in the fishmonger's shop.
Like the Crabs and Prawns, they are usually caught in traps or pots,
baited with pieces of fish, and left among the rocks. The traps are of
various shapes, some being like bee-hives made of cane or wicker; others
are made of netting stretched over hoops, and more like a bird-cage in
shape.

The Lobster smells the bait in the trap, and hastens to get to it by
diving through the only entrance. Having enjoyed his meal he tries to
swim away; but there is no escape, and there he must wait until the
owner of the trap makes his usual "round" in the morning. Of course,
there is a rope to every trap, and a cork to mark its position.

[Illustration: HERMIT CRAB WITH SEA FLOWERS.]

Then the Lobster finds himself taken carefully out of prison; his claws
are tied to prevent him from fighting, and he goes to market with a lot
of other Lobsters. 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