A Goodly Company of Crabs 



under this head is the busy vigorous sidling 

 Crab. 



And very important animals are crabs, in the 

 economy of the Ocean. Not only from their 

 enormous numbers; not only from the wide 

 extents of land and sea which own to their 

 presence ; not only from the fact that they form 

 a principal item of food to fishes and even to 

 whales ; but also because at least one species 

 is reckoned excellent eating for man. 



There are land-crabs as well as sea-crabs. 

 There are deep-sea crabs, as well as shallow- 

 water and shore crabs. 



There are crabs much less than half-an-inch 

 across ; and there are giant Japanese crabs, 

 carrying heavy back-armour or " carapace," 

 about a foot in length and breadth, while the 

 sprawling limbs extend to a yard and a half 

 or more on either side. 



Those of ordinary sizes are found everywhere ; 

 in numbers beyond reckoning. Not only in 

 tropic waters, but in moderate climes, and in 

 frigid zones ; alike near the poles and under the 

 equator. Different species, of course, in different 

 parts, but all connected. 



Moreover, they are quite as much at home in 

 the depths of the sea, with miles of water piled 



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