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 eyes from behind jutting rocks and the mouths of sea caverns, they looked somewhat like smuggler sailors!

Tanks 10 to 13 have fish in them.  The Wrasses are very beautiful in colour.  Most gorgeous indeed, if you can look at them in a particular way.  Tank 32 has been made on purpose to display them.  It is in another room.

No tank in the Aquarium is more popular than Tank 14.  Enthusiastic people will sit down here with needlework or luncheon, and calmly wait for a good view of—­the cuttle-fish!