CRUSTACEA. 1:^23 



curved,, brushy, outer foot-jaws, admirably adapted for re- 

 taining food brought to the mouth by the pincers. Be- 

 neath these will be seen, partly doubled back, a very slender 

 pair of feet or arms, each wqth a little pincer-brushed hand. 

 These are in advance of the true pincer-arms, and not, like 

 them, adapted for seizing prey. What is their use ? They 

 are in constant request as cleansing instruments. The Prawn 

 loves to be clean, and he takes surprising pains to keep 

 himseK so ; and these tooth and nail-brushes are placed so as 

 to be capable of reaching every part of the body. Drawing 

 up his tail and abdomen, he subjects their under surface to 

 the most careful revision, scrubbing and poking between the 

 lappets of the shell and the body, diving into every crevice, 

 and with the pincer-hand picking out every speck too large 

 to brush away. !N^ext to these useful instruments are the 

 larger pincers, whose use is obvious ; then come three pairs 

 of slender walking legs, with pointed claws ; and then, under 

 the plates of the abdomen, are the five pairs of what are 

 called '^ abdominal false feet.''^ . They are used partly in 

 swimming, and partly in holding the eggs of the female. 

 The plates covering the joints of the abdomen have broad, 

 fringed lappets at the sides; and the tail, with its four oval 

 plates, acts as a terminal fin. 



