THE HARPER-CRAB, OR SEA- TO AD. 441 



is elongated and very deeply cleft, so as to form a forked protuberance. The body is rounded 

 at the base, and small in proportion to the limbs, though the apparent disproportion is not so 

 marked as in the Leptopodia. This species is a native of the Philippines. The genus to 

 which this creature belongs does not seem to be very large, only three, or perhaps four species, 

 being known. 



Still keeping to the same family, we come to a curious genus containing some very 

 remarkable creatures, among which the Doclea calcitrapa is one of the most notable. 



In this genus the beak is comparatively small, but still contains the cleft tip, although 

 the notch is not nearly so deep as in other members of this family. The claws are of consider- 

 able size and power, and the legs are long and furnished with an array of stiff bristles. The 

 chief peculiarity, however, which most strikes the sight, not to say the touch, is the formidable 

 display of long and pointed spikes, which radiate from the body like the spines of a hedgehog. 

 The eyes are not very prominent, being set on rather short footstalks, and nearly concealed by 

 the projection from the shelly covering. This genus seems to be widely spread over the hotter 

 portions of the globe, specimens having been taken off the Mauritius, in China, India, and the 

 Philippines, of which latter locality the present species is a native. 



All the crabs of this family are marine, and prefer the deeper parts of the sea, where they 

 lurk among the waving masses of sea-weeds, or crawl upon the oyster banks. As might be 

 imagined from the length and slenderness of their limbs, they are but slow of progress, and 

 seem to tumble over the ground in a very unsteady manner. Still, their long limbs are 

 admirably calculated for the peculiar substances on which they pass their lives, and they 

 are able to stride, as it were, over obstacles which would seriously encumber a creature 

 with shorter legs. Their food consists almost wholly of small mollusks and other marine 

 animals. 



We now come to another family wherein many of the same characteristics are preserved, 

 but the legs are of moderate size. These creatures are popularly known by the name of 

 Spider-crabs, and scientifically are termed Maiadae. 



We will describe a few examples of this genus. The Gouty Ciiab has been gifted with 

 its very appropriate name on account of the knobby and swollen limbs, which give it an aspect 

 as if it were suffering from the painful but unpitied disease from which it derives its name. 

 The specific title of Chiragra is of Greek origin, and bears a similar signification. The Gouty 

 Crab is known to be an inhabitant of the Mediterranean, and is thought also to be a native of 

 the West Indian seas. 



A creature which looks as if it had been made almost at random out of a thistle-bud and a 

 handful of thorns, is known under the name of Thornback Chorinus (Chorinus acantho- 

 notus). This species can hardly lie mistaken for any other, on account of its altogether 

 eccentric shape, and the branching spines which spring on every side from its body and the 

 joints of its limbs. It is but feebly provided with claws, these members being little larger 

 than the ordinary limbs ; and the eyes stand out on tolerably long footstalks. 



Nearly related to these species, we find two moderately common European crustaceans, 

 which are interesting in their habits, though not particularly pleasing in their aspect. One of 

 these is the Four-horked Spider-crab (Arctopsis tetraodon), a rather long legged creature 

 that seems to be very local in its habits, being rarely or never seen in some localities, while in 

 others it is found in vast numbers. This crab generally hides itself under the overhanging 

 masses of fuci which cover the submerged rocks, and thence is fond of descending into the 

 lobster and crab pots, and so is made captive by the fishermen. The color of this species is 

 yellow, and the body and greater part of the limbs are densely covered with thick hair. The 

 male is larger than the female. 



The second species is the Harper-crab, or Great Spider-crab, or Sea-toad (Hya.s 

 araneus), as it is sometimes called. This is commonly found on nearly all the coasts of 

 Northern Europe, and prefers to range among the weeds just about the zone beneath low- water 

 mark. It is one of the day-feeders, and will often leave the waves for the purpose of feeding 

 upon the fish and other animal substances that have been flung upon the shore by the tide. 



Vol. m.-56. 



