CLASS IV. CRUSTACEA: ORDER 1. DECAPODA. 



6or 



Lobster, Homarus Americanus, abundant on our coasts from New Jersey northward, is used in 

 very large quantities ; it is nearly twice the size of the common European species, weighing from 

 two to thirty-five pounds ; the average weight, however, being four pounds. 



The Cray-Fish, Asiacus JiuviatUis, is very common in European rivers ; and may be seen for 

 sale, boiled as red as a lobster, in many inland towns there. The American Cray-Fish, A. 

 Bartonii, often called Fresh-water Lobster, is exceedingly common in som(J of our mountain 

 streams. It is rarely eaten. There are three or four other species, from three to four inches long. 



THE PALINDRID^. 



This family includes some of the largest of the Crustacea, These are powerful animals, with very 

 hard shells. The breast is broad, the outer antennsB usually very long ; the anterior feet are 

 rarely furnished with nippers, and these, when present, are small. They inhabit the sea, where they 

 usually frequent deepish water not far from the shore. Many of them are used as food in various 

 countries. The Spiny Lobster, Palinurus vulgaris, which may be taken as the type of the 

 family, often weighs as much as twelve or fifteen pounds. It was in great esteem among the 

 ancient Romans, who denominated it Locusta. The French call it Langouste, and the English 

 Sea Craw-Fish. It is eaten, but is inferior to the common lobster. 



THE AKOMURA. 



This term is from the Greek anomos, irregular, and oura, a tail, and is descriptive of the species 



belonging to this sub-order ; it includes the Crabs, whose spiteful disposition has given us the 



word crabbed, and whose curious habit of running or swimming forward, sideways, or backward 



has always provoked the mirth of observers. They are of many forms and a great variety of 



sizes. 



THE PAGURID^. 



This includes the Hermit or Soldier Crab, Pagurus Bernardiis, the abdominal portion 



of whose body is quite soft, 

 forming a sort of cylindri- 

 cal fleshy mass behind the 

 shelly cephalothorax. As the 

 comfort of the animal would 

 be materially interfered with 

 were this soft, worm-like 

 appendage exposed to be 

 grabbed at by every pass- 

 ing fish who might take a 

 fancy to it, he usually seeks 

 some shelter for his tail, and 

 the habitation selected is 

 generally the empty shell of 

 some univalve mollusk. Into 

 this spiral home the Hermit 

 Crab is coiled, and retains 

 himself in his position by 

 means of a sucker at the 

 extremity of his tail, assisted 

 by two or three rudimentary 

 feet, which are developed 

 upon the abdominal sac ; 

 and so firmly does he adhere 

 to his castle, that he will 

 ' allow himself to be torn to pieces rather than let go his hold. By protruding his body, with its 

 three pair of legs, from the orifice of the shell, the little Hermit is enabled to walk with ease 



THE HERMIT-CEAB. 



