146 A DAY ON THE CROUCH RIVLR. 



gracile crawling over a large mass of " ross " {Serjyi/lce). This inter- 

 esting and extraordinary looking little Sea-spider forms the subject of 

 chapter xxvii. of Gosse's " Tenby." With his usual felicity of expres- 

 sion, Mr. Gosse refers to it as " Mr. Nobody," and comparing its tiny 

 cephalothorax with its eight long, many-jointed, strongly-hooked, 

 sprawling legs, it certainly seems to have no body. Another of these 

 curious Pycnogonids occurred in a male specimen of Fyctiogotmm 

 littorale. A much more compact looking creature than Nymphon 

 and with its four eyes on a swelling on the first segment. According 

 to Prof. E. Forbes, this is a true whale-louse. Do coming events cast 

 their shadows, or their parasites, before them ? 



Several specimens of the roughly triangular-shaped Pisa tetraodon 

 were brought up, all so covered with mud, in their short hairs, in 

 which Algae and Zoophytes were growing, that they had almost lost 

 their individuality. Indeed, when pointed out to our two practical 

 dredgermen, they declared they had never seen this crab before, 

 although I have no reason to believe but that it is fairly common. 

 They knew the Common, Spider and Flying-crab well. Specimens of 

 all were obtained. Carcinus in«nas (the Common Shore Crab) was, 

 of course, in great abundance : this pest appears to increase as the 

 eels decrease. The Spider-crab {Hyas araneus) was not common, 

 but very variable in size and general appearance. Possibly some 

 were H. coarctatus, but I have no specimens now to examine. Two 

 or three " Flying-crabs," as they are called here (more generally 

 known as " Swimming-crabs," Portuniis depurator) were captured, all 

 in the trawl. Their presence in the bucket was frequently impressed 

 upon us by a sharp nip on the fingers ; these active and pretty but 

 pugnacious little fellows are exceedingly fond of giving one a nip, and 

 they do it effectually. 



Many of the pretty little red-brown Pea-crabs {Pinnotheres pisuni) 

 were found, some hiding amongst the irregular Serpulidoe and others 

 in the Cliona-hox&di shells of oysters and mussels, the former for 

 preference. I only brought home one male and certainly the females 

 were much the more common, these were all well loaded with the 

 bright orange ova, very inconveniently so, I should think. So also 

 were many of the exceedingly abundant Carcinus fna'nas. 



Hermit-crabs, locally " Farmers " {Enpagurus hernhai-dus) were 

 as usual a common inhabitant of the A\''helk (yBuccinuni) shells. I 

 found one in a Natica shell, which may belong to a different species 

 {P. hvvis ?). When these creatures are frightened and they have 



