CUUSTACEOUS * DEMONS.' 67 



By some he is called a fierce, cannibalistic, and re- 

 morseless villain, totally unfit to be received into 

 respectable marine society. Mr. Jones relates how 

 he put half a dozen specimens into a vase, and on the 

 following day found that, with the exception of two, 

 all had been killed and devoured by their companions ; 

 and in a trial of strength which speedily ensued be- 

 tween the pair of ' demons in crustaceous guise/ one 

 of these was eventually immolated and devoured by 

 his inveterate antagonist. Sir J. Dalyell mentions 

 several similar instances of rapacity among these ani- 

 mals. Now, these anecdotes I do not doubt, but feel 

 inclined, from the results of my own experience, to 

 consider them exceptional cases. 



When studying the subject of exuviation, I 

 was in the habit of keeping half a dozen or 

 more specimens of the Edible Crab together as com- 

 panions in the same vase ; but except when a ' friend 

 and brother' slipped off his shelly coat, and thus 

 offered a temptation too great for crustaceous nature 

 to withstand, I do not remember a single instance of 

 cannibalism. True, there certainly were occasionally 

 quarrelling and fighting, and serious nocturnal broils, 

 whereby life and limb were endangered ; but then such 

 mishaps will frequently occur, even in the best regu- 

 lated families of the higher animals, without these 

 being denounced as a parcel of savages. 



Compared to Cancer pagurus, the Shore-Crab ap- 

 pears in a very unamiable light. When the two are 



