52 THEIE USE. 



himself, or rather looked on while he used them. 

 Strange to say, they are didactyle, each being termi- 

 nated by a minute hand or claw of two fingers. They 

 are set, moreover, with radiating hairs, so that in all 

 respects they are the very representatives of the ante- 

 rior feet of the Prawn, which I shall presently have 

 occasion to describe, though placed at the opposite 

 end of the series. And this resemblance is not one 

 of structure only, hut of function also ; for these 

 feeble limbs are the cleansing brushes, with which the 

 Broad-claw washes his person, applying them, with the 

 greatest ease, to the lehole surface of the abdomen, and 

 inferior region of the carapace, while the fingers of 

 the little hand are used to pick off adhering matters, 

 that cannot be removed by brushing. 



I do not then consider it an useless exercise to seek 

 for the reasons of any organization that seems unusual 

 or abnormal. When once these members that I have 

 been speaking of are seen in natural action, their 

 purposes become evident, and the perfection of their 

 contrivance becomes admirable ; and we may use them 

 as a fresh occasion of ascribing honour to the In- 

 finitely Holy, Wise and Good God, all whose works 

 praise Him. 



Each shell, each crawling insect holds a rank 

 Important in the plan of Him, who fram'd 

 This scale of heings ; holds a rank, which lost, 

 Would break the chain, and leave behind a gap 

 Which nature's self would rue." 



Stillihgfleei. 



