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COMMON OBJECTS OF THE SHOEE. 



in boats, with creels made of basket work, baited 

 with thornback, skate, or other fish ; and, like other 

 crustaceans, the crabs are not particular as to the 

 nature of their food, being destined to consume the 

 refuse of the sea. 



Some of the most beautiful of our British crabs 

 are those termed Velvet-crabs, on account of the 

 velvety down with which the shell is covered, and 



which extends even to the limbs of the animal. 

 They are of reddish colour, tinged with blue. One 

 of these, commonly found on our shores (Portunus 

 puber], is about two inches and a half long, and 

 much esteemed as food. Its colours are remark- 

 ably bright. 



Then there are crabs on our coast with triangular 



