14 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



catching them for this purpose, their apparatus being simply a 

 piece of string with a fish's head tied at the end of it. A steady 

 trade also exists in catching and sending away Shore Crabs from 

 the Wash and Lincolnshire coast to the south-coast fishing 

 towns, where they are used as just mentioned. Immediately after 

 exuviation this crab is a tempting bait for some kinds of fish ; in 

 this soft state they are known as " peelarts." As an annoyance 

 to fishermen, it not only walks off with the bait from ground- 

 lines, but often when fishing from a boat the hooks upon being 

 drawn up are found to be occupied by several of these crabs, to 

 the exclusion of any fish. 



On the Sussex coast the Shore Crab is called the " Jack 

 Avell;" on the Norfolk coast, "Swinard;" and in Jersey, 

 " Verte Crabbe." 



Portumnus latipes (Pen.). 



Although this remarkably interesting little crab is the only 

 one of the genus yet known from the British seas, several others 

 exist and have been described. M. Milne-Edwards places them 

 in the genus Platyonychus. The two generic names seem to have 

 given rise to some slight confusion, and we would refer our readers 

 to Bell's explicit table of characteristics of the two genera. 



The carapace of this species is usually about an inch long, 

 and the same across the broadest part. The anterior margin is 

 rounded, the orbits forming circular indentations in the curve ; 

 on each latero-anterior margin are three tooth-like notches, and 

 between the orbits are three others, the centre one being the 

 longest. The carapace is smooth and shining, of a dull whitish 

 brown, with just a tinge of purple, and having a pitted 

 appearance. 



The chelae are equal in size, the movable forcep much curved, 

 the claws slightly ridged and fringed with short hairs. The 

 remaining legs are also slightly fringed with hair. The antennae 

 are short. The eyes are somewhat prominent and fixed on stout 

 peduncles. 



We have had an opportunity of examining the ova of this 

 species, which are very beautiful. We obtained specimens with 

 spawn in the month of May. At that time the ova were of a 

 beautiful straw-colour, and so clear as to be almost transparent 

 when examined microscopically ; they are, as usual, attached by 



