CRUSTACEANS. 483 



on end on their eight feet. They seized the small objects on the 

 shore, which were carried to the mouth, each hand in its turn in 

 regular order: when the right hand reached the mouth the left 

 was on the ground. Let us just figure to oneself a company of 

 disciplined soldiers messing together at the same table ! 



The Long-horned Corophius (Coropliium longicorne), remarkable for 

 its long antennae, knows perfectly well how to cut the byssus by which 

 the mussels suspend themselves, in order that the bivalve may fall on 

 the weeds among them. Other Crustaceans, also great oyster- eaters, 

 have the cunning or instinct to attack the mollusc without exposing 

 themselves to danger. When the bivalve half opens its shell to enjoy 

 the rays of the sun or take food, the evil-disposed Crustacean slips a 

 stone between the valve. This done, it devours the poor inhabitant of 

 the shell at its leisure. 



The Corophius, respecting whom this question is hazarded, are 

 extremely numerous on the shores of the Atlantic towards the end of 

 summer and autumn. They make constant war upon certain marine 

 worms. Off the coast of La Kochelle they may be seen in myriads 

 beating the muddy bottom with their long antennae in search of their 

 prey. Sometimes they meet one of these Nereida or Arenicola many 

 times their own size, when they unite in a body to attack it. In the 

 oyster beds of La Eochelle they are useful friends to the oyster by 

 destroying these enemies, although they do not hesitate to attack the 

 mollusc when it comes in their way. During the winter the mud of 

 the bouchots gets piled up in unequal heaps, and when the warm 

 season returns, it has become hard and unfit for the cultivation of the 

 mollusc. It is necessary to level and dry these mud-heaps a process 

 which would be both difficult and costly. Well, the Corophia charge 

 themselves with the task. They plough up annually many square 

 leagues covered with these heaps. They dilute the mud, which is 

 carried out by the ebbing tide, and the surface of the bay is left 

 smooth, as it was in the preceding autumn. 



We have said that the Crustaceans do not even respect each other ; 

 the larger of the same species often devour the smaller. Bam con- 

 cordia fratrum ! Mr. Eymer Jones relates that . he had on one 

 occasion introduced six crabs (Platycarcinus pagurus) of different size 

 into an aquarium. One of them, venturing towards the middle of the 

 reservoir, was immediately accosted by another a little larger, which 



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