609 



MAIID.E. 



MAUD^E. 



610 



wider than it is long; buccal frame the same. Second joint of the 

 external jaw-feet prolonged a good deal, from the internal side. 

 Sternal plastron nearly circuit'", and its median suture, although suffi- 

 ciently long, only occupying the last thoracic ring. First pair of feet 

 not a great deal shorter than the others, slender, nearly cylindrical, 

 and terminated by a claw, the fingers of which, nearly styliform, are 

 never hollowed into a spoon-shape nor dilated towards the extremity, 

 and present few or no dentilations. Length of the second pair hardly 

 exceeding once and a half the width of the carapace ; the succeeding 

 feet gradually shorter ; their terminating joint is styliform, and presents 

 neither spines nor dentilations on its inferior border. Abdomen 

 consisting of seven distinct joints in both sexes. 



The species are found in the seas of Europe. 



if. Sguinado.the Corwich, or Spinous Spider-Crab. Body covered 

 with hooked hairs ; length four or five inches ; colour reddish. 



It is a native of the British Channel, the oceanic coasts of Europe, 

 nd the Mediterranean. 



6 ^ "" . > ~ A 



Corwich, or Spinous Spider-Crab (Jfoio Squinado), reduced. 

 I, female (young) ; c, abdomen of female ; d, abdomen of male ; e, antenna : 

 f, pedipalp. 



This species is often dredged up, and the fishermen sometimes eat 

 it, but its flesh is not much esteemed. It was considered by the 

 ancients to be endued with reason, and was by them represented 

 suspended from the neck of Diana of the Ephesians, as an emblem of 

 wisdom. It is also figured on ancient coins and medals. We take from 

 Bell's ' British Crustacea ' the following interesting communication 

 from Mr. R. L. Couch, on the habits and reproduction of this species : 



" This is the most abundant of all the crabs found on our coast, 

 but it does not make its appearance so early in the season as the 

 Common Crab, the Lobster, or indeed any other ; it is rarely found 

 earlier than May, but from that time till the end of the fishery in 

 August and September these crabs make their appearance in vast 

 numbers, to the great vexation of the fishermen ; for it is found that 

 from the time these begin to enter the pots the more valuable kinds 

 considerably decrease in number, and this is supposed to arise from 

 their restless activity. No sooner are they in the crab-pot than they 

 are continually in motion, scrambling from one part to another, and 

 in this way frighten the Crab and Lobster, and prevent them from 

 entering. In the spring and early part of the summer they lie con- 

 cealed beneath the sand in deep water. About May they leave their 

 places of concealment, but never come into shallow water, as does the 

 Common Crab; the Utter is often found in crevices of rock, or 

 beneath stones left by the receding tide, but this is never the case 

 with the Corwich. They shed their spawn about August or Sep- 

 tember, at some short distance from the shore, probably in the sands. 

 In this too they differ from the Common Crab, for even when the 

 spawn is quite mature for ' casting' they enter the pots as readily 

 as at any other time ; whilst, on the other hand, it is a very rare 

 occurrence to catch the Common Crab with spawn, unless it be with 

 a dredge-net. It would eeem either that they grow very fast or that 

 the young differ considerably in their habits from the larger ones ; 

 for whilst it is very common to find specimens measuring nine or ten 

 inches in the length of the carapace, it is very rare indeed to get one 

 less than three inches ; and a fisherman tells me that after many years 

 fulling he caught one about the size of a half-crown, which was the 

 smallest he ever saw. The ova, when quite ready for shedding, are 

 about the size of a very small mustard-seed, and of a reddish-brown 

 colour, besprinkled with small dark spots. 



" After keeping them suspended in sea-water for twenty-four hours 

 some of the ova dropped from their attachments, and soon after the 



HAT. HWT. DIV. VOI,. III. 



young escaped, and this evidently by their own exertions, as distinct 

 motions were easily observable under the microscope while they were 

 yet inclosed. When they first escape they are, as it were, rolled on 

 themselves, the caudal extremity being bent on the body ; but this 

 is soon changed for a different position. 



" I could detect no spine on the anterior part of the carapace, which 

 was quite smooth, but marked with dots. The eyes are sessile and 

 large ; the claws, particularly towards the extremity, covered with 

 minute hairs." 



_ Micippa (Leach). Post-frontal portion of the carapace nearly quad- 

 rilateral, slightly convex, rounded backwards, and hardly narrowed 

 anteriorly ; its fronto-orbital border is straight and very wide, and 

 its lateral borders are armed with spines. Rostrum lamellar, and 

 directed vertically downwards so as to form a straight angle with the 

 axis of the body and the epistome. Orbits placed above and on the 

 sides of the rostrum; at their superior border a deep slit; ocular 

 peduncles retractile, rather long, narrowed in the middle, and pro- 

 longed to the extremity of the cornea. The stem of the internal 

 antennas in bending back remains vertical, instead of becoming 

 horizontal, as in nearly all the other brachyurous crustaceans. The 

 basilary joint of the external antennce very large, and wider in front 

 than it is behind ; the second joint of these appendages is inserted 

 against the edge of the rostrum, at a considerable distance from the 

 orbit. The thircl joint of the external jaw-feet is extremely dilated 

 on the external side, and very deeply notched at the point where it 

 articulates with the succeeding piece. Sternal plastron nearly circular. 

 Feet cylindrical and of moderate length, there being little difference 

 in size and length between the first and succeeding pairs. Abdomen 

 consisting of seven distinct joints in both sexes. 



The species occur on the coasts of the Indian Ocean. 



M. Philyra. Length about 2 inches; colour yellowish. It is found 

 in the Indian Ocean and on the coasts of the Isle of France. 



ippa FhHyrft. 



C'riocarcinus (GueYin). The principal characters of this extraordinary 

 genus are found in the disposition of the orbits and of the eyes. The 

 orbitary cavities have nearly the form of a long and truncated tube 

 directed outwards ; but they do not sheath the eyes as in Pericera, fn- 

 the ophthalmic ring advances nearly to their extremity, and the ocular 

 peduncle, which is long, slender, and, like that of Maia, is inserted 

 so as to be completely exposed, and to be capable of reflection back- 

 wards, and of applying itself throughout its length against the 

 external border of the basilary joint of the external antennae, a 

 position in which it is concealed under the post-orbital spines of the 

 carapace. 



C. superciliosus (Cancer superciliosus Herbst). Length 18 lines. 



Criocarcinus tupfrciliosus. 



Paramicippa (Milne-Edwards). Approaching nearly to Micippa. 

 Carapace nearly as wide as it is long ; rostrum bent back below, and 

 the latero-anterior borders armed with teeth. Disposition of the 

 external nntenntc nearly the same as in Micippa, except that the 

 second joint, which is placed on the same level as the upper part of 

 the front, is flattened, enlarged, very short, and triangular or heart- 



2 R 



