than the old, who come to their full growth, and who remain in the same shell often for two years together. In general, however, all these animals change their shell once a year, and this is not only a most painful operation, but also subjects them to every danger. The time of casting the shell is generally about the beginning of summer; at which time, their food is in plenty, and their strength and vigour in the highest perfection. But soon all their activity ceases, they are seen forsaking the open parts of the deep, and seeking some retired situation among the rocks, or some outlet where they may remain in safety from the attacks of their enemies. For some days before their change, the animal discontinues its usual voraciousness; it is no longer seen laboriously harrowing up the sand at the bottom, or fighting with others of its kind, or hunting its prey; it lies torpid and motionless, as if in anxious expectation of the aproaching change. Just before casting its shell, it throws itself upon its back, strikes its claws against each other, and every limb seems to tremble; its feelers are agitated, and the whole body is in violent motion; it then swells itself in an unusual manner, and at last the shell is seen beginning to divide at its junctures, particularly it opens at the junctures of the belly, where it was before but seemingly united. It also seems turned inside out; and its stomach comes away with its shell. After this, by the same opera}

tion, it disengages itself of its claws, which burst at the joints; the animal, with a tremulous mction, casting them off, as a man would kick off a boot that was too big for him.

Thus, in a short time, this wonderful creature finds itself at liberty; but in so weak and enfeebled a state, that it continues for several hours motionless. Indeed, so violent and painful is the operation, that many of them die under it; and those which survive, are in such a weakly state for some time, that they neither take food, nor. venture from their retreats. Immediately after this change, they have not only the softness, but the timidity of a worm. Every animal of the deep is then a powerful enemy, which they can neither escape nor oppose; and this, in fact, is the time when the dog-fish, the cod, and the ray, devour them by hundreds. But this state of weakness continues for a very short time; the animal, in less than two days, is seen to have the skin that covered its body grown almost as hard as before; its appetite is seen to encrease; and strange to behold! the first object that tempts its gluttony, is its own stomach, which it was lately disengaged from. This it devours with great eagerness; and some time after, eats even its former shell. In about forty-eight hours, in proportion to the animals health and strength, the new shell is perfectly formed, and as hard as that which was but just thrown aside

When the lobster is completely equipped in its new shell, it then appears, how much it has

grown in the space of a very few days; the dimensions of the old shell, being compared with those of the new, it will be found that the creature is encreased above a third in its size; and like a boy that has out-grown his clothes, it seems wonderful how the deserted shell was able to contain so great an animal as entirely fills up the new.

The creature thus furnished, not only with a complete covering, but also a greater share of strength and courage, ventures more boldly among the animals at bottom; and not a week passes that, in its combats it does not suffer some mutilation. A joint, or even a whole claw, it sometimes snapped off in these encounters. At certain seasons of the year these animals never meet each other without an engagement. In these, to come off with the loss of a leg, or even a claw, is considered as no great calamity; the victor carries off the spoil to feast upon at his leisure, while the other retires from the defeat to wait for a thorough repair. This repair, it is not long procuring. From the place where the joint of the claw was cut away, the beginning of a new claw is seen, in a most surprising manner, to grow. This, if observed, at first, is small and tender, but grows, in the space of three weeks, to be almost as large and as powerful as the old one. I say almost as large, for it never arrives to the full size; and this is the reason we generally find the claws of the lobsters of unequal magnitude.

After what has been thus described, let us pause a little, to reflect on the wonders this extraordinary creature offers to our imagination! An animal without bones on the inside, yet furnished with a stomach capable of digesting the hardest substances, the shells of muscles, of oysters, and even its own; an animal gaining a new stomach and a new shell at stated in tervals! Without red blood circulating through the body, and yet apparently vigorous and active! But most strange of all, an animal endowed with a vital principle that furnishes out such limbs as have been cut away!-These are but a small part of the wonders of the deep, where nature sports without a spectator!

Of this extraordinary yet well known animal there are many varieties, with some differences in the claws, tho' but little in the habits or conformation. It is found above three feet long; and if we may admit the shrimp and the prawn into the class, though unfurnished with claws, it is seen not above an inch. These all live in the water, and can bear its absence but a few hours. The shell is black when taken out of the water, but turns red by boiling. The most common way of taking the lobster is in a basket, or pot, as the fishermen call it, made of wicker-work, in which they put the bait, and then throw it to the bottom of the sea, in six or ten fathom water. The lobsters creep into this for sake of the bait, but are not able to get out again.

THE CRAB.

THE Crab is an animal found equally in fresh and salt water; as well upon land as in the ocean. In shape, it differs very much from the lobster, but entirely resembles it in habits. The tail in this animal is not so apparent as in the former, being that broad flap that seems to cover a part of the belly, and when lifted discovers the peas or spawn, situated there in great abundance. It resembles the lobster in the number of its claws, which are two; and in its legs, which are eight, four on each side. Like the lobster, it is a hold voracious animal; and such an enmity do crabs bear each other, that those who carry them for sale to marker, often tie their claws with strings to prevent their fighting and maiming themselves by the way.

As the crab is found upon land as well as in the water, the peculiarity of its situation produces a difference in its habitudes, which it is proper to describe. The Land Crab is found in some of the warmer regions of Europe, and in great abundance in all the tropical climates in Africa and America. They are of various kinds, and endued with various properties; some being healthful, delicious and nourishing food; others, poisonous or malignant to the lat degree; some are not above half an inch broad, others are found a fcot over; some are of a dirty brown, G