Cape Breton's Magazine

quite a different animal when free to move at will in its natural environment on the sea bottom. It is very cautious and cunning, capturing its prey by stealth, and with weapons which it knows how to conceal* Lying hidden in a bunch of seaweed, in a cre? vice among the rocks or in its burrow in the mud, it waits until its victim is with? in reach of its claws, before striking the fatal blow.,..The food of the lobster consists principally of fish, alive or dead, and of invertebrates (such as shell? fish) which inhabit the bottom and come within its reach. (The lobster will dig the bottom in search of shellfish.) It is not unusual to find bits of algae, such as common eelgrass, in its stomach; however, vegetable matter forms but a small part of its diet....The lobster undoubtedly regurgitates the insoluble and indigestible part Embryo 14 to 16 days old; 16 • 18 days; about 21 days old; about 26 days old. of its food....Some such outlet for waste matter is absolutely necessary in an ani? mal where the fluid or finely divided and digestible parts of the food only can pass into the delicate intestine. The hard parts of fish, mollusks and Crustacea appear to be retained until they have given up a good deal of their lime, thus contributing to the calcerous supply of the exoskeleton. The larger mollusks are eaten by crush? ing the shells and picking out the soft parts, while many of the smaller species are swallowed entire, and afterwards pulverized in the gastric mill....The lobster ea? gerly seizes a piece of food with the chelae (smaller claws;the big, familiar claws are chelipeds, claw feet) of the third and fourth pairs of walking legs, and passes passes it up to the third pair of maxillipeds, which are held close together, each being bent at the fourth joint and folded on itself. With the third maxillipeds thus pressing against the mouth, the food is kept in contact with the other mouth parts, all of which are in motion, and their action is thus brought to bear upon it. By means of the cutting spines of the appendages external to the mandibles (jaws) the meat is as finely divided as in a sausage machine, and a stream of fine particles is passed constantly into the mouth.... The senses of sight and hearing are probably far from acute, but it possesses a keen If you're satisfied, tell others If not...tell us. Cottage Lunchette North Bast Margaree 7 Days a Week On the Cabot Trail Maclnnes ESSO INDIAN BR(X)K INGONISH Deervale Cottages Phone 285-0073 Sydney Motors Ltd. Yoor WOLVO Dealei" CyoEVOJ Corner George & Townsend Streets '' Dial 564-5443 or 564-5441 WILL PICK UP ANYWHERE MAKS Used Furniture &Antiquest; WE PAY CASH Granville St., Port Hawkesbury 625-2517 ' 314 Charlotte Street SYDNEY PRESCRIPTIONSCOSMETICSTOILETRIES.ETC. INVERNESS • PHONE 258-2400 • NOVA SCOTIA "Turn left at the Causeway • Route 19 • It's a lovely way to go." Cape Breton's Ma'azine/ll