75 



cannot indeed, be easily made to quit this habitation, but shrink 

 into it on the least appearance of danger; so that the usual 

 way in which they fall victims to an enemy is when the shell 

 and its inhabitant are swallowed together. Few Crustaceans 

 are more frequently found in the stomachs of fishes; and as 

 they quit the shell when about to die, they soon become the 

 food of their devourer, the empty shell being speedily re- 

 jected from the mouth. These Crustaceans also quit their 

 assumed tabernacle from increase of size, which as in others, 

 is at the time of exuviation ; and on one occasion when I was 

 observing the combat of a pair in captivity, the smaller, which 

 seemed to have felt itself fettered by its unwieldy covering, 

 quitted the encumbrance, and manoeuvered round the enemy 

 with great alacrity in its naked condition. They often seize 

 the fisherman's bait, and are drawn up in deep water by the 

 line; and in feeding I have seen it hold the prey with the 

 smaller (or left) hand, while the other was engaged in nipping 

 off pieces and conveying them to the mouth. They breed 

 when of small size, the pea being thrown round on the back ; 

 from which position it is certain that they must quit the shell 

 in order to deposit it. 

 SMOOTH HANDED HERMIT CRAB. P. Prideauxii. 



M. Edwards' Crust., vol. 2, p. 216. Leach's Malac, pi. 26. 



More scarce than the last species. 



I have examined a specimen of this Genus, with a line of 

 hair encompassing the thorax, with a few rather long fibres 

 also pointing forward from the first segment of the. abdomen; 

 but further observation is necessary to decide whether it be a 

 distinct species. 



PORCELLANIANS. 



GENUS PORCELLANA: carapace nearly circular; the 

 hands broad and twisted ; the hinder pair of legs slight and 

 weak, bent on the others, and ending with a finger. The 

 abdomen bent under as in Brachyures, but ending in a fan 

 shaped tail. 

 HAIRY CRAB. P. Platychelus. M. Edwards' Crust., vol. 

 2, p. 255. Pennant, pi. 6, fig. 12. 



Abundant under stones at low water mark. It is incapable 

 of moving in any direction except backward, not lifting its 

 claws, but drawing them after it; the antenna; lying on the 

 sides of the carapace in the direction of its march. Unlike 

 our other Crabs, it does not wait for an attack to throw off its 

 legs; but seizing an enemy with the nippers, it leaves them to 

 do all the injury of which they are capable, whilst itself has 

 retreated to a place of safety. 



LONG HORNED PORCELLANA. P. Longicorms, M. 

 Edwards' Crust., vol. 2, p. 257. Pisidia L. Leach's M.iiao. 

 Pennant pi. 1 fig. 3. Common. 



