Cie i ER. xo. 
THE CRUSTACEANS. 
THE Crustaceans are the insects of the ocean world; but the word 
insect appeals to our terrestrial experience, and would convey to 
us a very erroneous impression of these inhabitants of the sea. 
A CRAB IN THE PROCESS OF MOULTING. 
They are by no means frail and fragile creatures, dancing on 
gossamer wings, a thousand of which one touch of a finger would 
crush; but many of these so-called insects of the sea are clad in 
the hardest mail. The plates of their armour are jointed, and are 
more invulnerable than the best suit of Milanese steel ever donned 
by chivalrous knight: for, as a general rule, wherever we find 
