60 



A CORNISH FAUNA. 



common crab, the lobster, or indeed any other ; it is rarely found 

 earlier than May, but from that time till the end of the fishing 

 in August or September, these crabs make their appearance in 

 vast numbers, to the great vexation of the fishermen ; for it is 

 found that from the time these begin to enter the pots, the more 

 valuable kinds considerably decrease in number ; and this is 

 supposed to arise from their restless activity. No sooner are 

 they in the crabpot than they are continually in motion, 

 scrambling from one part to another, and in this way frighten 

 the crab and lobsters and prevent them from entering. 



' ' In the spring and early part of the summer they lie concealed 

 beneath the sand in deep water. About May they leave their 

 places of concealment, but never come into shallow water, as 

 does the common crab. The latter is often found in crevices of 

 rock or beneath stones left by the receding tide, but this is 

 never the case with the Corivich. They shed their spawn about 

 August or September at some short distance from the shore, 

 most probably in the sand. In this too they differ from the 

 common crab, for even when the spawn is quite mature for 

 casting, they enter the pots as readily as at any other time, 

 whilst on the other hand it is a very rare occurreDce to catch the 

 common crab with spawn, unless it be with a dredge net. It 

 would seem that either they grow fast, or that the young differ 

 considerably in their habits from the larger ones ; for whilst it 

 is very common to find specimens measuring nine or ten inches 

 in length of the carapace, it is very rare indeed to get one less 

 than three inches, and a fisherman tells me that after many 

 years fishing he caught one about the size of half-a-crown, 

 which was the smallest he ever saw. 



"The ova when quite ready for shedding are about the size 

 of a very small mustard seed, and of a reddish brown colour, 

 besprinkled with dark spots. 



After keeping them suspended in sea water for twenty-four 

 hours, some of the ova dropped from their attachments, and soon 

 after the young escaped, and this is evidently by their own 

 exertion, as distinct motions were easily observable under the 

 microscope while they were yet enclosed. "When they first 

 escape, they are as it were rolled on themselves, the caudal 

 extremity being bent on the body ; but this is soon changed for 



