576 



THE HAIRY CRAB. 



volume. This creature is not very frequently captured, although it is far more common 

 than might be supposed from its rarity in cabinets. There seem to be few parts of 

 the British coasts where the Toothed Perimela may not be found by those who know 

 where to look for it. The zone just above low-water mark appears to be its favored 

 residence, and it is discovered lurking very craftily among the seaweeds that fringe 

 the rocks just at the low- water line. It is a little species, and on account of its retiring 

 propensities can easily escape observation. Even on our more northern shores this 

 creature has been captured, and is to be found on the Irish as well as on the English 

 coasts. 



TOOTHED PERIMELA. Perimela deaticulata. 

 MONTAGU'S CR\B.Xaatho florlda. RED-SPOTTED ^GLE.^Bgle rufo-punctata. 



The name of Toothed Perimela is given to this species in allusion to the shape of 

 the carapace, which has the front edge rather flattened, and cut into a series of four 

 or five strong teeth like those of a saw. The surface of the carapace is smooth, and is 

 swollen into several decided projections, something like those softly rounded hills 

 call by the French "mamelons" Over the region of the liver, the carapace is concave. 



NEARLY allied to the preceding species is the HAIRY CRAB (Pilumnus hirtellus}, a 

 creature which derives its popular name from the curious hairy covering with which it 

 is decorated. The convex carapace is studded more or less thickly with longish hairs, 

 and the four hinder pairs of legs are also protected in the same manner. This crab is 

 not a very common one, and is mostly found on the southern and western coasts of 

 England, as well as in some parts of Ireland. It seems to prefer moderately deep 

 water, fifteen fathoms being the usual depth at which it is captured. 



It may be easily known by the following characteristics. On the front edge of the 

 carapace are arranged four spines set in the same line, and the front is divided by a deep 

 notch down the middle. The claw-legs of this species are always unequal in size, and the 

 first joint of the outer pair of antennae is short. The ground-color of the Hairy Crab 

 is chestnut brown, with a reddish tinge of greater or less intensity according to the 



