CRUSTACEA—CRAB. 785 
THE CRAB. 

As the crab is found upon land as well as im the water, the peculiarity 
of its situation produces a difference in its habitudes, which it is proper te 
describe. 
THE COMMON,:OR BLACK-CLAWED: CRAB, 
Has three notches on the front; five serrated teeth on each side; the claws 
elevated ; the next joint toothed; the hind feet subulated; the color a dirty 
green, but red when boiled. It inhabits almost all shores, and lurks and 
burrows under the sand. 
It changes its shell once a year, generally between Christmas and Easter, 
and while it is performing this operation, it retires among the cavities of 
rocks, and under large stones. The crab is an exceedingly quarrelsome 
animal, and when it has seized on its antagonist, it is not easily compellee 
to forego its hold. In this situation, the captive has no resource but to re- 
linguish the limb, and nature has provided it with the power of accomplish- 
ing this in a very curious manner. It stretches the claw out stéady, the 
claw suddenly gives a gentle crack, and the wounded limb drops off, not, 
as we might be led to infer from reasoning, at the joint, but in the smoothest 
part. 
1 Cancer pagurus, Lin. The genus Cancer, or crabs, have the exterior antenne st ort, in 
verted between the inner canthus of the eye and front, and the intermediate ones, :n small 
furrows in the centre; third joint of the anterior feet-jaws, almost square, with a notchat 
the internal angle of the summit; anterior feet largest, with the forceps unequal; shell 
short, transverse, narrowed posteriorly ; the anterior margin semicircular, often dentated 
on the sides, with the lateral angle obtuse; eyes on a short peduncle. 
99 66* 
