THE OCEANIC SWIMMING CRAB. 



583 



the shell, is frequently captured and killed by this doughty warrior. Every one who has 

 tried to pull a hermit-crab out of its house, knows the difficulty of the task. The creature 

 has the art of retreating into its dwelling so far, and pressing its claw and legs so firmly 

 against the inner mouth of the shell, that there is nothing by which the animal can 

 be grasped, except, perhaps, the -antennae ; and the crab will allow itself to be pulled 

 to pieces rather than loosen its hold. Yet the Fiddler-crab makes little account of 

 the hermit, but pokes his claw into the shell, pinches the poor hermit across the thorax, 

 and drags him out of his cell. It then pulls off and eats the soft abdomen, tears up 

 the body and limbs, and flings them away in fragments, as if for sheer wantonness of 

 destruction. 



There are many species belonging to this genus, which are scattered all over the 

 world, especially where the seas are warm or temperate. The Velvet Fiddler is tolerably 



VELVET FiDDLEIt-CRAB. Pertunut, 



common on our own coasts, more especially those of the southern parts of the island, 

 and England can also boast of several other species. Of these the MARBLED FIDDLER 

 (Portunus marmoreus) is perhaps the handsomest, on account of the regular patterns of 

 buff, brown of various shades, and red, which are seen upon the body. The shape of the 

 patterns is variable, but their arrangement is always symmetrical. These colours are, 

 however, very fugitive, and can only be preserved by removing the whole of the soft 

 parts, and dyeing the carapace with great care. All the species seem to be decidedly local, 

 so that in the space of two or three miles of coast as many species of Portunus may be 

 found, each in its own particular locality. 



PERHAPS the very best swimmer in the family is the OCEANIC SWIMMING CRAB, n 

 creature to which the generic name of Neptunus has been given on account of its 

 wonderful mastery over the waves. 



A glance at the illustration will show that this crab is made for speed, its flattened 

 limbs and body being calculated to offer the least possible resistance to the dense fluid 



