CLASS IV. CRUSTACEA: 
OEDER 
1. DECAPODA. 
Lobster, Homarus Americanus, abundant on our coasts from New Jersey nortliward, is used in 
very large quantities ; it is nearly twice the size of the common European species, weighing from 
two to thirty-five pounds ; the average weight, however, being four pounds. 
The Cray-Fish, Asfacus Jluviatilis, is very common in European rivers ; and may be seen for 
sale, boiled as red as a lobster, in many inland towns there. The American Cray-Fish, A. 
Bartonit, often called Fresh-ioatcr Lobster^ is exceedingly common in some of our mountain 
streams. It is rarely eaten. There are three or four other species, from three to four inches long. 
THE PALINURID^. 
This family includes some of the largest of the Crustacea. These are powerful animals, with very 
hard shells. The breast is broad, the outer antennas usually very long ; the anterior feet are 
rarely furnished with nippers, and these, when present, are small. They inhabit the sea, where they 
usually frequent deepish water not far from the shore. Many of them are used as food in various 
countries. The Spiny Lobster, Palinurus vulgaris, which may be taken as the type of the 
family, often weighs as much as twelve or fifteen pounds. It was in great esteem among the 
ancient Romans, who denominated it Locusta. The French call it Langouste, and the English 
Sea Craio-Fish. It is eaten, but is inferior to the common lobster. 
THE AI^OMUKA. 
This term is from the Creek anomos, irregular, and oura, a tail, and is descriptive of the species 
belonging to this sub-order ; it includes the Crabs, whose spiteful disposition has given us the 
word crabbed, and whose curious habit of running or swimming forward, sideways, or backward 
has always provoked the mirth of observers. They are of many forms and a great variety of 
sizes. 
THE PAGURID^. 
This includes the Hermit or Soldier Crab, Pagurus Bernardus, the abdominal portion 
of whose body is quite soft, 
forming a sort of cylindri- 
cal fleshy mass behind the 
shelly cephalothorax. As the 
comfort of the animal would 
be materially interfered with 
were this soft, worm-like 
appendage exposed to be 
grabbed at by every pass- 
ing fish who might take a 
fancy to it, he usually seeks 
some shelter for his tail, and 
the habitation selected is 
generally the empty shell of 
some univalve moUusk. Into 
this spiral home the Hermit 
Crab is coiled, and retains 
himself in his position by 
means of a sucker at the 
extremity of his tail, assisted 
by two or three rudimentary 
feet, which are developed 
upon the abdominal sac ; 
and so firmly does he adhere 
to his castle, that he will 
allow himself to be torn to pieces rather than let go his hold. By protruding his body, with its 
three pair of legs, from the orifice of the shell, the little Hermit is enabled to walk with ease 
THE HTSRMIT-CEAS. 
