THE PENNANT'S NUT-CRAB. 



595 



in a narrow but deep notch near the eyes. In common with nearly all this genus, it is 

 a native of the Philippines. 



The upper figure represents a much smaller species of the same genus, in which are 

 observable the same characteristics which have already been mentioned, namely, the 

 very small and narrow snout, the round and flask-like body, the strong claw-feet, and 

 the very small size of the external antennas, which cannot be seen from the upper 

 surface. 



On the extreme right hand of the illustration is shown a strange, long-armed crusta- 

 cean which is called the KEELED CRAB on account of the form into which its carapace 

 is moulded, being pinched, as it were, into a kind of keel throughout its length. 



In this crab the chief points of interest are the apparently shapeless carapace, 

 which is moulded as if squeezed out of clay by a single grasp of the hand, and the 

 very long claw-feet. In consequence of this latter structure, the Japanese call one of 

 the species of this genus, the Tenko-gani, or Long-handed Crab. In this creature, as in 



SPOTTED LEUCOSIA. Leucosis haematostlca. 



URANIA-CRAB. Leucosis Urania, KEELED CRAB -Myra cariomtM. 



the last, there is no appearance of external antennae when viewed from the upper 

 surface, the claws are feeble in proportion to the long and somewhat powerful limbs 

 to which they are attached, and the end of the carapace is drawn out into a long and 

 sharp point This species inhabits the Philippines. 



THE Nut-crabs are members of the same family, and are found off the British shores. 

 PENNANT'S NUT-CRAB is generally to be caught in about fifteen fathoms of water. It 

 is rather a sluggish and inactive species, burying itself in the sand or mud at the bed 

 of the sea, much after the fashion of the toad, and only leaving its eyes and claws at 

 liberty to act. Thus it sits and waits for prey, behaving much like the ant-lion in its 

 pitfall of sand. It seldom moves about except at night, and even when it does travel, 

 its motions are very slow and deliberate. It is rather a pretty little crab, being of a 

 tolerably bright yellow, with a red patch on the snout. 



This, and other species of the same genus, are often found in the stomachs of 

 marine fish, and as the shell is very hard, specimens are discovered in a good state of 

 preservation. 



