LOW LIFE IN THE SEA. 



79 



covering at least once a year. It lias been said quite graph- 

 ically that "the new integument is so soft and yielding, 

 and the muscles in such a flaccid condition, that the limbs 

 are drawn through the small openings at the joints, much 

 as a sack nearly filled with some fluid may be drawn 

 through an opening much smaller than the sack itself." 

 It should not be forgotten, however, that the neck in 

 the great claws, or nippers, is crossed by thin, knife-like 

 blades, or plates of shell ; and it is certain that in draAv- 

 ing out the thumbs 



they are cut into long- 

 shreds, which doubt- 

 less, when drawn out, 

 come together imme- 

 diately and heal. 



5. As giving a 

 peep at the private 

 life of the European 

 crabs, let us skim off 

 the cream of a para- 

 graph from Gosse. 

 The naturalist has been exploring the rocks on the English 

 coast, and says : " Peering into a hole, I saw a fine large 

 crab. I pulled him out, and carried him home. There 

 came out with him the claw of a crab of similar size, but 

 quite soft, which I supposed might have been carried in 

 there by my gentleman to eat. After I had got him out — 

 it was a male — I looked in, and saw another at the bottom 

 of the hole. 



G. "Arrived at home, I found that I had left my 

 pocket-knife at the mouth of the crab-hole. I returned ; 

 the crab had not moved. I drew it out. But lo ! it was a 

 soft crab, the shell being of the consistence of wet parch- 

 ment. It was a female, too, and had lost one claw. What, 

 then, are we to infer from this association ? Do the com- 



Ei/il.le Crab. 



