IIARDW1CKE»S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



255 



of the house, it avails them nothing. In a niomeut 

 the operculum is brokea through, and the wretched 

 inhabitant seized, drawn out, and devoured. Nor, 

 if we may believe report, does the ruthless crus- 

 tacean stop here, but having perpetrated a gross 

 iujury, he proceeds to add a grosser insult. In 

 plain words, he inserts a claw in the empty shell of 

 the departed mollusk, and, elevating it high in the 

 air, executes a sort of war-dance of exultation. 

 Altogether, it cannot be denied that the Eobber 

 Crab is not, and never will be, a respectable member 

 of the order to which he belongs. One good point, 

 and one only, does he possess ; he is, at any rate, 

 frugally provident. Tliis is proved beyond contro- 

 versy, by his industry in carding and storing the 

 cocoa-nut husks. From no other point of view can 

 any good be discerned in his character. If, under 

 the guise of prose, we might venture to smuggle in 

 a line of poetry, Blrgus latro is aptly described as 

 carrying a name "linked with one virtue and a 

 thousand crimes." Nevertheless he is a very 

 interesting animal, and one thoroughly typical of 

 the sunny islands in which he makes his abode. 



We do not possess in our British fauna any crab 

 so monstrous, either in size or wickedness, as the 

 Robber, nor indeed any so remarkable. Still, there 

 are few, if any, of our native Crustacea -which will 

 not amply repay the attention of the naturalist. 

 Crabs are so curious in their habits, curious in their 

 movements, curious in their forms, that the very 

 sight of them invariably creates in our minds an 

 almost unaccountable interest. With the help of 

 such books as '" Half-hours at the Seaside," much 

 information may be gained, and many pleasant hours 

 passed, whenever we are able to take a trip to the 

 coast. 



Crustaceans are no doubt for the most part 

 rather crooked creatures, but it is possible to 

 observe their habits in an upright spirit ; and such 

 is the happy vivacity which reigns over all zoo- 

 logical pursuits, that the student of crabs, though 

 naturally "crabby," is not at all likely to become 

 crabbed. Edward C. Lefroy. 



NEW BOOKS.* 



ry.HE summer days have gradually dwindled 



-^ away, and the long, cheerful winter evenings 



are coming on us. The work of the naturalist 



changes from outdoors to indoors. By the bright 



* " Handbook of Hardy Trees, Shrubs, and Herbaceous 

 Plants." Based on the French work of Messrs. Decaisne 

 and Naudiii, by W. B. Hemsley. London : Longmans. 



"The Philosophy of Evolution." By B.T. Lowne, F.L.S. 

 London: Van Voorst. 



" Familiar History of British Fishes." By Frank Buckland. 

 London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. 



" Chronos : Mother Earth's Biography." By W. Wood, 

 M.D. London : Triibner & Co. 



" Half-hours in the Green Lanes." By J. E. Taylor, F.L.S. 

 London : Hardwicke. 



study fire, surrounded with English comforts, he 

 may compare his summer work and extend his 

 knowledge by consultation of authorities. New 

 books will begin to pour in upon him, whose study 

 will wile away the pleasant hours till the return of 

 summer. 



Fig. 167. Aiter grundiflorug, \ nat. size, N. America; from 

 Hemsley's " Handbook." 



The latter is not usually the season for the pub- 

 lication of new books, unless they be of such a 

 character as is likely tp influence our various pur- 

 suits. We have received several volumes for 



Fig. 168. Azalea lilliflora, I nat. size, Hardy plant, China. 



