416 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
Maia squinado (Latr.). 
As this genus only comprises one British species, we will not 
refer to its generic features separately, but briefly describe the 
species at once. 
The carapace of Maia squinado, unlike that of preceding 
species, is very rounded in form, not only laterally, but also 
dorsally. It is much covered with spines, the points of which are 
frequently worn round, no doubt by the animal crawling beneath 
rocks and between cleft ledges. The rostrum is somewhat similar 
to that of Pisa, but more divergent. The antenne are small, the 
second and third joints being about equal in length. The legs 
are cylindrical and hairy, the anterior pair being much longer 
than the remainder. They, however, vary very much in length, 
some specimens having them much more developed than have 
others. Maia squinado has a remarkable habit of gathering its 
legs together in a very awkward-looking manner when handled, 
and if it can obtain a hold on—say a net—it is with difficulty 
that it can be removed. We have met with specimens that have 
at some time lost limbs, which have been in due course renewed, 
the fresh ones being about an inch long, while the carapace of the 
crabs were about six inches across. ‘The disparity in appearance 
is very curious. The abdomen is seven-jointed, that of the male 
being, as usual, narrow, while that of the female is very broad— 
in fact, almost round—thus affording “ cover” to masses of ova. 
This species, though not so liable to the growth of extraneous 
forms as many others, is nevertheless not free from them. 
We have seen specimens completely encrusted with tubes of 
Serpule, small Balani, and young oysters, together with little 
tufts of Polyzoa. Others, again, of even larger dimensions, are 
perfectly free from such growth. Hence it follows either that the 
casting of the shell must take place at longer intervals than is 
generally supposed, or else that some specimens arrive at maturity 
in a diminished size, whilst others cast their exoskeletons and con- 
tinue to grow to much finer proportions. The organic forms 
frequently met with on medium-sized specimens are not merely 
the result of a few months’ or a year’s development, but must 
have taken a much longer time. In Mr. Carrington’s cabinet 
is one evidently old specimen of this species, which is richly 
covered with short sponges, Balani, &c., with the addition of 
