IV. 



THE foregoing motto, extracted from a humorous tale 

 by ' dear Tom Hood/ which appeared in one of his 

 comic annuals, or volumes of ' Laughter from year 

 to year,' as he delighted to call them, may not 

 inaptly introduce the subject of this chapter. 



The term partane is generally applied in Scotland 

 to all the true crabs (Brachyurd). An esteemed 

 friend, however, informs me that in some parts it if 

 more particularly used to denote the Edible Crab 

 (Cancer pagurus), which is sold so extensively in 

 the fishmongers' shops. However that may be, there 

 is no doubt it was a specimen of this genus that 

 Creel Katie so boldly captured. 



Now this crab, to my mind, is one of the most 

 interesting objects of the marine animal kingdom, 

 and I would strongly advise those of my readers who 

 may have opportunities of being at the sea-side to 

 procure a few youthful specimens. Its habits, ac- 

 cording to my experience, are quite different from 

 those of its relative, the Common Shore-Crab (Carcinus 



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