71 



WIDEFOOT. P. Latipes. M. Edwards' Crust., vol. 1, p. 

 436. Portunus Variegatus, Leach's Malac, pi. 4. 



GENU'S POLYBIUS: all the legs having the terminal arti- 

 culation wide, oval and thin, well formed for swimming. 



NIPPER CRAB, SWIMMING CRAB. P. Henslowii. 

 M. Edwards* Crust., vol. 1, p. 439. Leach's Malac. pi. 9. 



This is, more than any of the others, a swimming crab : for 

 whilst the other British species of this family are only able 

 to shoot themselves along from one low prominence to another, 

 the Nipper crab, as our fishermen term it, mounts to the sur- 

 face over the deepest water in pursuit of its prey ; among 

 which are numbered the most active fishes, as the Mackarel 

 and Rauning Pollock ; the skin of which it pierces with its sharp 

 pincers keeping its hold until the terrified victim becomes ex- 

 hausted. We are witnesses to this curious method of obtaining 

 food in the summer only, at which season the fishermen's nets 

 intercept them and their prey together ; and it is probable 

 that in colder weather they keep at the bottom in deep water; 

 from which however I have never seen them brought in the 

 stomachs of fishes. So far as my observation extends, it is 

 chiefly or only the male that pursues this actively predaceous 

 existence ; but that for a time they also remain quietly at the 

 bottom, appears from the fact that while for the most part the 

 smooth and flattened carapace is clean, I have seen it covered 

 with small corallines (sertulariae.) 



GENUS PORTUNUS: the terminal articulation of the three 

 hinder legs styliform. Moveable stem of the outer antennae 

 composed of only two articulations, and inserted on the 

 same line with the eyes and inner antennae ; their basilar 

 articulation fixed in front and entirely separating the orbit 

 and cavity of the antennas. 

 VELVET CRAB. P. Puber. M. Edwards' Crust., vol. I., 

 p. 441. Leach's Malac. pi. 6. Cancer Velutinus, Pennant, 

 pi. 4, fig. 8. 



This is the largest British species of the family, sometime* 

 measuring 4 or 5 inches across the carapace. It is also the 

 most active and fierce, running with great agility on the ap- 

 pearance of danger, but stopping and assuming the attitude of 

 defence when closely pressed. It seizes an enemy in an in- 

 stant, and holds with tenacity. The largest keep in water of 

 the depth of a few fathoms, and the smaller about low water 

 mark, among stones ; beneath which they shelter themselves. 



MARY CRAB. P. Plicatus. M. Edwards' Crust., vol. 1, 

 p. 442. P. Depurator, Leach's Malac, pi. 9. Pennant, 

 pi. 4, fig. 6, a. Common, and with much of the habits of 

 the last species. There is some difficulty in assigning the 

 proper synonyms to this and the two following species, 



