ON THE CRAB. 
I received on tlie 3rd January of this year, from Mr. John 
Douglas, Beadnell, a female crab which throws some fresh light on 
the habits and life history of that species. Mr. Douglas furnished 
me with the following particulars regarding it. He found the male 
and female together in July, and keeping them under regular 
observation, he noted that the female cast her shell on the 12th 
August. He removed the male on the 17th August (after they had 
been together five weeks) and retained the female until it was placed 
in my hands on the date given above. He was good enough to 
send the cast shell as well. This was found to measure inches. 
The crab measured Gf inches, and thus the animal gained at this 
casting If inches, or about one fourth in size. The shell was not 
completely hardened until the end of December, and thus four to 
live months are necessary for this process. 
Unfortunately, during the early months of the year our supply 
of water was not constant, and on the 17th June I was greatly dis- 
appointed to find the tank empty and the crab dead. This was the 
more aggravating because the same cause had cut off the lobster 
previously received from Mr. Douglas. But I can assure him and 
others who may be good enough to send such interesting specimens 
that arrangements are now made which should preclude such risks. 
Up to the time of the crab’s death, which must have occurred 
about the 10th June, no eggs had appeared on the tail, and on 
opening the animal it was found that the ovaries were not at all 
in a ripe condition. 
We know from the evidence which was gathered together for the 
Committee by Dr. Gregg Wilson that spawning occurs on this coast 
during the months of November, December and January. This 1 
am able to confirm from observation and enquiries, at least for the 
two former months. The crab under consideration must have 
hatched out her embryos about the end of June or the beginning of 
July, and thus the incubation period is not less than six months. 
Her shell was cast on the 12th August, and it took until nearly the 
end of the year for the new shell to become fully matured. This 
fact, and the condition of the ovaries in June, showed that she 
