DECAPODA. 193 



It appears that from their size, tin- form (>f their tail, and the 

 'I consistence of their iis, the Birgi are unable to 



shelter theniM-lvcs in .shells. They must retreat to holes, or fissures 

 ia the rocks. 



The best known species, Cancer latro, L., Herbst. XXIV ; 

 Rumph., Mus., IV; Seba, Thes., III, xxi, 1, 2, according to the 

 I ii linns, feeds on cocoa-nuts, which it obtains during its nocturnal 

 excursions for that purpose *. In the others, or the 



PAQURUS, Fab. t 



The last four feet are much shorter than the preceding ones, and 

 the forceps are covered with granules. The tail is soft, long, cylin- 

 ilrie;il, narrowed near the extremity, and has usually but a single row 

 (f filiform oviperous appendages. The thorax is ovoid or oblong. 



With the exception of some species domiciliated in sponges, Ser- 

 juil;r and Alcyouii, they all inhabit univalve shells, whose aperture 

 they close with their anterior claws, and most frequently with one of 

 their tinkers, which is usually larger than the other. It is asserted 

 that the female spawns twice or thrice in the year. 



Some species, C^ENOBITA, Latr. ; distinguished from the others by 

 their projecting antennae, of which the mediate are nearly as long as 

 the external or lateral, and are furnished with elongated filaments, 

 who>e thorax is ovoido-conical, narrow, elongated, strongly com- 

 j-ressed on the side, with the anterior cephalic portion shaped like 

 a heart, establish their domicile in terrestrial shells on rocks near 

 the sea, whence at the approach of danger, they roll down with 



them f. 



The true Paguri PAQURUS, Latr., on the contrary, have the me- 

 diate untt nn:- curved, much shorter than the lateral ones, with the 

 two filaments -hoit. the superior forming an elongated or subulated 

 eone ; the anterior division of the thorax is square, or fonnsa reversed 

 and curvilinear triangle. They inhabit marine shells. 



The Hermit, Cancer Bernhardus, L., Herbst., XXII, 6 ; Pa- 

 minis strebl&nyx. Leach, Malac. Brit., XXVI, 1 4, is of a 

 mean size. Its two claws are bristled with spines, with the 

 fore. : in the shape of a heart, the right one being the 



largest. The last joints of the ensuing feet are also spinous. It 

 i-s \-i : -y e. .siiiion in European seas. A second but fossil species, 

 the Pagure de Faujas^ Desmar., Hist. Nat. des Crust. Foss., 

 XL ...sely allied to it. 



A third species, the Pagurus angulatus, Risso, Crust, de Nice, 

 I, 8; Desmar., Consider.. XXX, 1, is remarkable for its forceps, 



* Pagttria laticauda, Cuv. K ... IV, xii, 2; Desmar., Consider, p. 



180, from the Isle of France. Very curious facts relating to the anatomy of the 

 'ling species have been published by M. Geoffrey Saint- Hilairc, from which 

 however we do not draw similar r 



f Paffurus clypeat**, Fab.; Herbat., xii, 2. 



in. O 



