66 



GENUS HYAS: distinguished from Pisa by the absence of 

 the strong spine which in that forms the anterior portion of 

 the circle of the orbit ; and by the second member or arti- 

 culation of the outer antennae being flattened and widened 

 on the outer side. 



SPIDER HYAS : H. Aranea. M. Edwards' Crust., vol. 1, 

 p. 312. Leach's Malac. pi. 21. Pennant, pi. 9, fig. 16. 



STRAITENED HYAS. H. Coarctata. M. Edwards' 

 Crust., vol. 1, p. 312. Leach's Malac. p. 21. 



I am not acquainted with these species, and therefore sup- 

 pose them not to be common ; but there are specimens of both 

 in the museum of the Athenaeum at Plymouth, and conse- 

 quently taken at or near the Cornish coast. 



GENUS MAIA : the stalk of the external antennas inserted 

 into the internal angle of the orbit, and uncovered ; nippers 

 of the hand slender and pointed. 



CORWICH CRAB or SKERRY. M. Verrucosa. M. 

 Edwards' Crust., vol. 1, p. 327. M. Squinado. Leach's 

 Malac, pi. 18. Our species differs much from the Cancer 

 Horridus of Pennant, pi. 8, fig. 14, to which M. Edwards' 

 refers for his M. Squinado ; and seems not exactly similar 

 to the latter author's M. Verrucosa, pi. 3, fig. 1. It may 

 possibly prove a distinct species. Tin's in its season is the 

 most abundant species of the family, and by far the largest, 

 sometimes weighing so much as five pounds, and the cara- 

 pace measuring 9 or 10 inches in length; so that it is com- 

 monly used as food, though only by poor people and fisher 

 boys, who find in it a delicate meal. Its not tempting form 

 and the small size of the legs, conspire to exclude it from 

 the tables of the rich. 



PARTHENOPIANS. 



GENUS EURYNOME: eyes retractile; joint of the hand 

 more or less triangular and armed. Lower articulation of 

 the outer antennas fixed in front, and giving insertion to the 

 next articulation on the forepart of the level of the inner 

 canthus of the eye. 



ROUGH EURYNOME. E. Aspera. M. Edwards' Crust., 

 vol. 1, p. 351. Leach's Malac, pi. 17. Pennant, pi. 9, fig. 

 20. Rare. There is a specimen in the Museum of the 

 Athenaeum at Plymouth. 



The length of the legs in this family of Crabs, necessarily 

 leads to slowness of motion ; but they are well fitted to a 

 residence among rocks and stones covered with sea weeds, 

 among which they stride with little difficulty. In the winter 

 they become almost, if not altogether torpid, concealing 

 themselves at this season either in deep crevices of rocks, or 



