118 



PORTUNIDJE. 



western coast of Devon ; also in herring-nets on the Dorset- 

 shire coast, amongst the refuse of the nets of fishermen, 

 by the late Rev. Dr. Goodall. I have also obtained it 

 at Hastings, and received it, by the kindness of Mr. Couch, 

 from Cornwall, and by my friend Mr. Dixon, from Worthing. 



The following observations on the habits of this species 

 are from the Cornish Fauna of Mr. Couch ; and as this 

 gentleman appears to be the only one who has ever ob- 

 served its habits, I make no apology for quoting his ac- 

 count entire. " This is, more than any others, a swimming- 

 crab ; for whilst the other British species of this family are 

 only able to shoot themselves from one low prominence to 

 another, the Nipper Crab, as our fishermen term it, mounts 

 to the surface over the deepest water, in pursuit of its prey ; 

 among which are numbered the most active fishes, as the 

 Mackerel and the running Pollock ; the skin of which 

 it pierces with its sharp pincers, keeping its hold until its 

 terrified victim becomes exhausted. We are witnesses of 

 this curious method of obtaining food in the summer only, 

 at which time the fishermen's nets intercept them and 

 their prey together ; and it is probable, that in colder 

 weather, they keep at the bottom in deep water, from 

 which, however, I have never seen them brought in the 

 stomachs of fishes. So far as my observation extends, it is 

 chiefly or only the male that pursues this actively preda- 

 ceous existence ; but that for a time they also remain 

 quiet, as appears from the fact that while for the most 

 part the smooth and flattened carapace is clean, I have 

 seen it covered with small corallines. 11 * 



This interesting narrative is perfectly consistent with 

 the remarkable natatory structure of the species, evinced 

 in the form of the carapace and the structure of the 

 legs, and with the sharpness and strength of the claws. 



* Couch's Cornish Fauna, p. 71. 



