104 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Cornish coast, Berwick Bay, and Dublin coast. We have 

 obtained it from Mevagissey, where its colouring was of the normal 

 tint, a dark brown ; from off the Sussex coast, where specimens 

 were almost invariably of a paler or duller appearance ; and also 

 from the crab-pots off La Rocque, Jersey, where were obtained 

 specimens exhibiting the richest and brightest tints, often pre- 

 senting some interesting and beautiful varieties. Thus may be 

 seen, to a certain extent, the effect of a more or less genial 

 locality on the colouring and development of certain animals. 

 This species has also been recorded from Gal way, Belfast, and 

 Dublin : South Devon (rare) ; and Cornwall (scarce). 



Portunus pusillus, Leach. 



This is one of the smallest species of the genus, the carapace 

 rarely attaining to an inch in breadth. 



The upper part of the carapace is raised, the anterior margin 

 toothed, the space between the orbits being armed with a pyramid 

 of three teeth, the centre one projecting. The first pair of legs 

 are armed with stout forceps, and the wrist with sharp teeth, like 

 others of the genus. The remaining legs are slender, with 

 several transverse bars of dark colour, and the swimming blades 

 are oval in form. 



The colour of this species varies considerably from very pale 

 yellow, or even white, to various shades, through red to brown. 

 In some examples the colour is quite uniform, others are minutely 

 speckled on the whole of the carapace with darker colour, while 

 some specimens have patches and stripes of Venetian red tint 

 occupying the surface of the cephalo-thoracic region. 



This crab is recorded from St. Andrews (occasionally in deep 

 water) ; Shetland (frequent) ; Hebrides ; Dublin, Belfast, and 

 Galway : Milford Haven (dredged ; with ova April, 1881) ; Corn- 

 wall (common) ; Devon (dredged off Otterton Head in twenty 

 fathoms). A fine series was obtained by us from off the Sussex 

 coast in deep sea, which were brightest in colour and most 

 variable. Larger and darker specimens were dredged from about 

 thirty fathoms off Brixham and the Devon coast generally. 



Portunus longipes, Risso. 

 This is decidedly the most remarkable species of this genus, 

 being, as Bell remarks, a truly Mediterranean form. Its general 



