recently caught, have always some remains of muscular action in the
claws, which may be excited by pressing the eyes with the finger; when
this cannot be produced, the lobster must have been too long kept.
When boiled, the tail preserves its elasticity if fresh, but loses it
as soon as it becomes stale. The heaviest lobsters are the best; when
light they are watery and poor. Hen lobsters may generally be known by
the spawn, or by the breadth of the "flap."