DECAPODA. 
373 
species as sometimes exceeding 5 lbs. in weight on the coast of France, 
t. i. p. 414. The ordinary method of taking these crabs on the coast of 
Ireland is the same as that resorted to in England — “ wicker-baskets in 
the form of a wire mouse-trap.” But Mr. Hyndman has seen them sought 
after and captured at Donaghadee by persons thrusting a piece of iron 
hooked at the end into the crevices of rocks, the ordinary retreat of the crabs 
at low-water : a similar practice, according to Dr. Ball, is pursued in the 
South. In spring and summer they are considered to be in season at 
Belfast and Dublin,* — between Christmas and Easter is the period men- 
tioned by Leach. As this is not a littoral species it may be worth re- 
marking, that several very small individuals (their carapace an inch in 
breadth) were found by Mr. E. Forbes and myself in the month of July, 
frequenting the shore at Lahinch between tide-marks. 
Genus Pilumnus. 
P. hirtellus , Leach. 
This appears to be a widely-distributed species, occurring in small 
numbers where found. It is enumerated among the native Crustacea in 
Mr. J. Y. Thompson’s catalogue ; and in the first vol. of the Ordnance 
Survey is noticed as obtained at Carnlough, County of Antrim. In the 
course of a day’s dredging in the Loughs of Strangford and Belfast, one 
or two individuals of this species have generally been procured by us. 
Dr. Ball has taken it on the Dublin coast by dredging, and has likewise 
found it inhabiting the beach between tide-marks at Portmarnock— by 
Prof. Forbes and myself it was similarly found at Lahinch. Specimens 
from Youghal are in Dr. Ball’s collection, and from Courtmasherry Har- 
bour — also in the County of Cork, in Professor Allman’s. The figures of 
this species given by Leach and Pennant are good and characteristic : 
Desmarest’s figure (Consid. Crust., pi. 11, f. 1) is not so. 
Genus Pirimela. 
P. denticulata, Leach. 
Of this small and handsomely sculptured crab I have seen but two 
Irish examples. The first was found amongst a number of species of 
various kinds collected on the coast of Antrim and Down by Dr. J. L. 
Drummond, and kindly submitted to my investigation. The other was 
obtained alive by Prof. Forbes and myself between tide-marks at Lahinch, 
on the coast of Clare. 
Dublin, Dr. Coulter. 
Genus Carcinus. 
C. Mcencis, Leach. 
This species is common around the coast of Ireland, and is popularly 
known by the name of parten in the North, the crab , par excellence, being the 
Cancer pay ur us. f On gravelly, sandy, and muddy shores I have remarked 
* Rutty, writing seventy years ago, remarks — “ The greatest quantity of crabs 
and lobsters supplying Dublin comes from the Isle of Man ; but the best are those 
from Lambay, Howth, and Skerries ; for the former by longer carriage and 
agitation fret and waste themselves, and thereby become much worse food. They 
are also brought from the Saltee Islands, about 80 miles from Dublin, by the 
fishermen of Bullock, Dunleary, and Howth.” — Nat. Hist. Dioblin, vol. i. p. 374. 
f This species being distinguished as the crab, I should hope with Mr. T. Bell 
(Zool. Trans.) that it were considered the type of the genus Cancer. 
