6oo 



THE NODULED-CRAB. 



of the hedgehog. It appears to be rather dull and sluggish in its movements, crawling 

 along the bed of the sea with slow monotonous action. 



One species of this genus, the NORTHERN STONE-CRAB (Lithodes Maia), is found off 

 the coasts of England, and is plentiful on many of the Scottish shores. It is covered 

 with short thick spines which extend over its legs and claws, and in its general shape 

 bears some resemblance to the spider-crabs already described. In spite, however, of 

 its thorn-studded surface, it is much eaten by fishes, and is not unfrequently found en- 

 tire in the stomachs of the fish that are taken off our coasts. 



The Northern Stone-crab may be known by its very long beak furnished at the end 

 with two short and rather diverging teeth, and by its bright scarlet color when it is first 

 taken from the water. The Porcupine-crab, which has the characteristics of its genus 

 almost exaggerated, is found in Japan. 



PORCUPINE-CRAB.-L/tf7<xfes Hystrix. 



THE last of the Homolidae is the strange and uncouth-looking creature which is shown 

 in the accompanying illustration, and called the NODULED CRAB on account of its sin- 

 gular conformation. 



This crustacean, instead of being covered with thorny points as in the stone-crabs, 

 has its entire carapace, limbs, and claws so studded with tubercles, that it can scarcely 

 be recognized as a living creature, and looks more like a rough stone encrusted with 

 marine growths. The carapace is rather triangular in form, but its sides are so scooped 

 into hollows and projections, its surface so moulded into elevations and depressions, 

 and its shell so covered with tubercles of various shapes and sizes, that its true pro- 

 portions are not easily distinguished. 



