268 SEASIDE DIVINITY. 



on the sea-shores. This opinion, however, has 

 been found erroneous ; but the change of form ' 

 which the creature undergoes is so remarkable 

 that, were it not established upon unquestionable 

 evidence, it could not be credited. 



Certain minute creatures to which the name 

 Zoea was formerly applied, and which were sup- 

 posed to form a distinct tribe of crustaceous 

 animals, have been discovered to be the young of 

 crabs. But nothing can be more dissimilar from 

 the form and habits of the crab than that of the 

 diminutive zoea. 



When the crab is first hatched and escapes from 

 the egg, its appearance is in the highest degree 

 grotesque. Its head is shaped like a Eussian 

 helmet, with a long spike projecting from the top 

 of it. In the front of this singularly formed head 

 are the antennae and a long beak, together with a 

 pair of huge eyes, not raised on supports as in the 

 full-grown crab, and beneath are four pair of 

 legs, with hairs at their extremities, and a long, 

 jointed tail. Thus furnished, the little creature 

 is capable of swimming with rapidity through the 

 water, and in this respect differs entirely from its 

 parents, who, instead of sporting through the 

 waves, live only at the bottom of the sea. After 

 remaining in this shape a certain length of time, 

 the zoea undergoes its first change, and approaches 

 in some degree its permanent form ; the eyes be- 

 come elevated on stalks ; the claws appear ; but 

 the tail is not yet laid aside, and the creature 

 still continues to swim through the water. The 



