16 REPORTS. 



species, but shortly afterwards were found dead. They were 

 not fed all the time they were in captivity. The cra(!king 

 sound is almost exactly like the cracking of a lamp chimney, 

 and he several times thought that the sound was so 

 produced. During the time he kept them they seemed 

 to crack only a few times a day. Their habitat is at extreme 

 low-water mark, and they may be discovered by this curious 

 cracking sound which they ])roduce. 



Dromia vuhjariH^ Edw\ A specimen of this rare crab 

 was found by Mr. Ferguson, fisherman, on the 12tli of 

 April, 1905, in a net in about ten fathoms water, off' the 

 coast of Guernsey. It was brought alive by him for exhi- 

 bition to the Guille-Alles Library, and for identification, as 

 in all his experience he had never seen a similar speci- 

 men. 



It was a half-grown specimen, about 2 inches across the 

 carapace, densely clothed with short hair-like velvet, and the 

 peculiarity was that the crab was completely enveloped on 

 the upper side by a thick concave yellowish sponge, larger 

 than the crab itself, so that the latter by drawing in its legs 

 and claws, concealed itself entirely from view. The sponge 

 was attached by a ligament of some sort, but allowed of 

 being moved so as to expose the carapace. 



In the museum collection of Crustacea there are two 

 fine adult specimens of Dromia vid(/aris^ male and female, 

 taken presumably in Channel Island waters. This species is 

 common in the Meiiterranean, but has occurred several times 

 on the southern shores of England, its first record dating as 

 far back as 1824. Probably it is not of very great rarity in 

 the Channel Islands. 



Bell (Stalk-eyed Crust., p. 371) states : — " I some years 

 ago received numerous young specimens from Sicily, every 

 one of which had the carapace entirely covered with a sponge 

 which had grown over it, concealing even the two hinder pairs 

 of legs, which were closely pressed against the back, and 

 rendered immovable." 1s\y. F. S. Wright, who kept the 

 specimen at the libraiy for two months, says that when he 

 received the specimen, the S])onge was dead, and the crab 

 nearly so, as the water in which it had been kept was foul. 

 Two days later he found that the crab, which Avas now quite 

 lively again, had taken hold of a sea-mouse ( Aplwodifc aculcato) 

 which was with it in the tank, and was holding it cloak-wise 

 over its carapace where the sponge had formerly been. The 

 sea-mouse was detached with difficulty, as the crab had tight 

 hold of the bristles on its back. 



