260 SEASIDE DIVINITY. 



The Crustacea are to be found in every part of 

 the ocean, but in the tropical seas they attain 

 their greatest size, and are frequently possessed of 

 most brilliant colours. The excellent naturalist who 

 accompanied the expedition of the "Samarang" 

 to Borneo, speaks with the liveliest rapture of the 

 beauty of colouring which some large crabs ex- 

 hibited, which he perceived on rocks in the deep 

 water, but of which, from their singular activity, 

 he found it impossible to procure any specimens. 

 The variety of form which the class exhibits is 

 very remarkable. Unhappily, however, we cannot 

 expect on visiting the beach to be so fortunate as 

 to pick up a specimen of more than a very few of 

 the many species by which even our own seas 

 are frequented. Such as we discover will never- 

 theless be sufficient as an example of their 

 various relations in the class to which they 

 pertain. 



The crabs we have supposed ourselves to find 

 in the pool are worthy of careful attention. The 

 large one is a specimen of the Cancer Pagurus, 

 and so well known from the excellence of its 

 edible qualities, as well as from its size and its 

 smooth claws, with black tips, that little special 

 description of its outward aspect is requisite. 

 This crab is found on all our rocky coasts, and in 

 the south of England is sometimes taken of the 

 weight of nine, ten, and even fourteen pounds. 

 The other is a specimen of the common crab, 

 C. moenas, a small species found on any coast, 

 and whose abode is in the rocks near the shore, 



