198 CRUSTACEANS. 



A Pycnoyonum, fig. G, long enjoying indemnity in the jar to which it 

 was committed, still escaped, but a crab of a different kind perished. Yet 

 the perceptions of the stranger specimen, in regard to the presence of 

 food, were remarkably obtuse. Though sensible of its vicinity it expe- 

 rienced much difficulty of coming in contact. 



The shell of the stranger specimen was quite clean on its arrival, but 

 the leaves of fuel having been thrown into the vessel, for protection and 

 shelter, the crab had rent them in fragments, and clothed itself in rags. 

 The latter is effected by means of the spinous processes rising from the 

 shell, and here the ruddy integuments appear to be invested with the 

 ragged fragments. 



In four months, when a new and much larger shell came in on exu- 

 viation, the old shell was broken down, and partly devoured ; the new 

 one remained quite clean and symmetrical. 



Some time afterwards the use of green shreds of the fucus was re- 

 sumed ; at length they were finally abandoned. 



This specimen survived seven months from the beginning. 



PLATE XLIX. 



FIG. 1. Cancer (hyas) coarctatus, adult female. 



2. Apron of the female. 



3. Apron of the male. 



4. Cluster of ova, enlarged. 



5. Another. 



6. Specimen washed on board of a vessel. 



(4.) CANCER PHALANGIUM, MACROPODIA PHALANGIUM ; Leach. The 

 Spider Crab. Plate L. 



Several of the genus comprehending this animal, are separated by 

 distinctions so slight, that their narrow resemblance readily misleads the 

 unwitting observer. Certain distortions, frequent about the rostrum and 

 antennae, perhaps tend to promote the confusion. 



Probably the subject represented here is the real Spider Crab, to 

 which a place may be assigned in the older nomenclature of the Systema, 

 as the Cancer phalangium. 



