63 



CHAPTER VIII. 



LF^USTACEA, 



THE Crustacea of Malta have been admirably 

 classified by Dr. Gulia and for his list of them see 

 page 314 of the first volume of "II Earth." The 

 Revd. H. Seddall also enumerates numerous species 

 in an appendix to his book " Malta Past and Pre- 

 sent/' but it is from Dr. Gulia's list that, with his 

 kind permission and assistance the following facts 

 have been gathered. 



The Long-legged Spider Crab about an inch in 

 length is plentiful, as are also the Four-horned and 

 Spinous Spider Crabs. The common Shore Crab 

 loves the mud, and the Swimming Crabs are repre- 

 sented amongst others by the Cleanser, Velvet, and 

 Wrinkled varieties, all of which are useful as food. 

 Land crabs abound in brooks, and in fresh water at 

 the Marsa, Gneina, etc. They are often converted 

 into soup on fast days by poor people, who in 

 consequence suffer from diarrhoea. The Common 

 Pea Crab is very rare, but the Pinna variety is 

 fairly abundant, as are also the Angular Crab, the 



