PORTUNUS. 47 



covered^ as well as the following, with a dense pile, inter- 

 rupted by raised longitudinal lines, which are granular on 

 the hands and smooth on the hind legs. 



Not uncommon on the south-west coast of England, and 

 on the Irish coast. In Scotland the Rev. G. Harris has 

 taken it in the Moray Firth. Mr. Norman says that it is 

 eaten and considered a great delicacy in the Channel Islands, 

 where it is known as the Lady Crab. That gentleman says 

 that hundreds of them may frequently be seen on the shore, 

 the refuse of the lobster pots ; and he has likewise frequently 

 taken it under stones at low water off Tenby, and in the 

 Firth of Clyde. 



From Mr. Gosse's ' Aquarium' (p. 195) we derive the 

 following description : — "An old male of the Yelvet Fiddler 

 is a striking and handsome Crab. His body generally is 

 clothed with a short velvety pile of a pale brown or drab 

 hue, from beneath which here and there shines out the 

 glossy deep black shell, especially where rubbed, as at the 

 edges. The feet, particularly the plates of the oars, are 

 conspicuously striped with black ; the large and formidable 

 claws are marked with bright scarlet and azure, as are also 

 the foot-jaws and face, while the eyes are of the richest ver- 

 milion, projecting from hollow black sockets." This species, 



