DKCAPODA. ;j71 



stones between tide-marks at Lahinch, on the coast of Clare. In Mr. Hynd- 

 man's cabiriet are two crabs of this species with oysters attached to their 

 backs. The oyster {Ostreu edulis) on the larger crab is 3 inches in length, 

 and five or six years old, and is covered with many large Bakmi. The 

 " shell " or carapace of the crab is but 2:^^ inches in length, and hence it 

 must. Atlas-like, have borne a world of weight upon its shoulders. The 

 presence of this oyster affords interesting evidence that the Hyas lived 

 several years after attaining its full growth. Both crabs and oysters, 

 though dead, were brought to Mr. Hyndman in a fresh state. The hairs 

 on the body and legs of specimens in my collection are longer in the small 

 than in the large individuals. On the North-East coast of Ireland the H. 

 araneus is very much preyed on by the cod-fish. 



In January, 1840, I saw specimens of this crab of very large size on the 

 coast near Edinburgh : the carapace of one which I measured was 3 

 inches in length, and the extent from the extremities of the first pair of 

 legs, 11 inches. 



H. coarctatus, Leach. 



This species is set down as Irish in Mr. J. V. Thompson's catalogue, his 

 specimens being most probably from the southern coast. In Dr. Ball's 

 collection are examples from Youghal, and some dredged by him in 

 Dalkey Sound, near Dublin. In the Loughs of Belfast and Strangford 

 we take it very commonly with the dredge. Donaghadee, in 8 — 10 

 fathoms, by Dr. Drummond. I have seen an example from the Giant's 

 Causeway — thus from the North to the South of Ireland the species 

 prevails. 



Dr. J. L. Drummond has found numbers of these crabs in the stomachs 

 of cod-fish brought to Belfast market. The largest example I have seen 

 was found in the mouth of a haddock taken at Killough, County Down. 

 Its carapace is 2 inches 2 lines in length ; each arm from base to point of 

 claw 3 inches 7^ lines. The body, legs, and arms of my siDecimens of H. 

 coarctatus are very much invested with zoophytes, sponges, and alga?. 



Examples of this crab have been sent me from Portpatrick by Capt. 

 Fayrer, R. N. ; and I have myself obtained it on the opposite or eastern 

 coast, at Newhaven, near Edinburgh. Captain Beechey, R. N., brought 

 up four examples of this species alive in the dredge from a depth of about 

 140 fathoms off the Mull of Galloway. 



Genus Maia. 

 3Iain Squinado, Latr., 

 Inhabits the southern coast. Native specimens of this crab are in Mr. J. 

 V. Thompson's collection. Dr. Ball informs me that it is taken not un- 

 frequently with lobsters about Youghal, where it is called horrid-crab ; it 

 is not brought to market, but is sometimes eaten by the fishermen — the 

 carapace of a specimen from that locality in this gentleman's collection is 

 7 inches in length, and others are little mferior to it. 



One of these crabs was brought to me at Ventnor, Isle of Wight, where 

 it was taken in a crab-pot at the same time with a Galathca strir/osa. 



Genus Eurynome. 

 J3. aspera, Leach. 

 Marked as Irish in Mr. J. V. Thompson's collection. It is rather a 

 rare species, and an inhabitant of deep water. In Strangford Lough a 

 single specimen was taken in the dredge bv Mr. Hyndman and myself in 



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