The natural color of a live, healthy lobster is usually a dark, mottled, bluish green, but in sandy regions sometimes slightly reddish, and when boiled the color of the lobster changes to red. Lobsters are most plentiful during April and May, and the average weight is from 2 to 5 lbs. Lobsters should always be bought alive (unless they are bought ready cooked), and cooked, at once, by plunging as quickly as possible into a large kettleful of boiling and bubbling hot water, head first. Add about 1 tablesp salt, cover the kettle closely, and boil briskly 1 minute, and then simmer gently 1/2 hour. Hard shell crabs are treated the same way. To dress a crab or lobster remove the shell by cutting with scissors, leaving the white flesh whole, wherever possible, and discarding the intestinal vein and stomach. Lobster or crab meat, cut fine, is nice mixed with an equal amount of cream sauce. Soft shell crabs are usually fried. Dress carefully, dip in milk, season with salt and pepper, roll in flour or bread or cracker crumbs, and fry a golden brown in deep, hot fat.-[A. G., Mass.