Eleanor Stackhouse Atkinson

“ So the oyster keeps his improved insides, shingles himself with scales made of the lobster's shell, changes the claw legs into fins, sets his tail on edge for a rudder, makes an inside backbone of his limy, outside house, but jointed like the crawfish's shell, and ringed like the muscles of the earthworm. ”

“ When he gets to be a bird you will see him twist his tail back again, and carry it in the same position the lobster does. It will lie flat on the air pressing it down, just as the lobster's tail lies flat on the water!
What will he do that for?
That is the very first question we will take up when we come to birds—why does a bird have his tail set on like a crawfish?
But why not watch the next bird you see; notice how he uses his tail as a crawfish does. ”

“ Oyster, "will need to be tough and smooth and round at the edges like a boy's finger nails, so they won't get broken easily."
"But what are you going to do with that bony shell of yours?" asked Mr. Lobster. "It seems a great pity to throw it away. Mother Nature tells us never to throw anything away. And it's a perfectly good shell." ”