CRANCH'S SPIDER CRAB. 11 



feet are very hairy. The hands are earinated longitudinally. 

 The epistome is quadrate. The abdomen in the female (and, 

 according to Dr. Milne Edwards, in the male also,) is six- 

 jointed. In the former it is oval, expanded towards the 

 posterior part, and earinated through its whole length. The 

 carapace is about six lines in length. 



Colour, pale reddish brown. 



Of the occurrence of this beautiful little species on our 

 coasts, we have, I believe, only two recorded instances. 

 In the " Malacostraca Podophthalma Britannise," Dr. Leach 

 first made it known as having been discovered by Mr. 

 Cranch in dredging off Falmouth. This single specimen, a 

 female, is now in the British Museum. The second ex- 

 ample is thus stated by Mr. W. Thompson in his catalogue 

 of the Crustacea of Ireland. " In the collection of Crustacea 

 formed by Mr. J. V. Thompson, and now in the possession 

 of the Eoyal College of Surgeons, Dublin, is a native speci- 

 men of this crab, which we may presume was obtained on 

 the Southern coast." This is the sum of the information 

 we have respecting this species as indigenous to this country. 

 Dr. Milne Edwards gives as its habitat on the French 

 coast, " I'embouchure de la Kance, pres Saint- Malo." Of 

 its habits nothing whatever is recorded, beyond the remark 

 of Dr. Edwards, that it lives amongst sea-weeds and on 

 oyster-beds. 



