CRTfSTACEA. 
69 
The foregoing passage has been quoted at length in Bell’s 
Stalk-Eyed Crustacea, p 118. 
Gentts, Poetunps. — Leach. 
Terminal articulation of the posterior legs formed flat for 
swimming. “ Moveable stem of the outer antennas composed of 
two articulations, and inserted on the same line with the eyes 
s-nd inner antennae ; their basilar articulations fixed in front 
and entirely separating the orbit and cavity of the antennae,” 
PoRTUNTTS PULBEE. — Velvet Crab. — Leach's Malac., p. 16; Milne 
IMwards, Hist, dea Crust., t \,p. 431; .Bell’s Brit. Btalk-Eyed 
Crust., p. 90. 
Cancer velutinus. — Pennant, pi. 4, fig. 8. 
“ This is the largest British species of the family, some- 
times measuring four or five inches across the carapace. It is also 
the most active and fierce, running with great agility on the 
appearance of danger, hut stopj)ing and asuming the attitude of 
defence when closely pressed. The largest keep in water at the 
depth of a few fathoms, and the smallest about low water mark, 
among stones, beneath which they shelter themselves.” 
Writing to Mr. Bell Mr. Couch says : — “It seizes an enemy 
suddenly and holds him with tenacity.” 
Mr. Bell says “ that he has occasionally seen it brought to the 
liondon market with Carcinus Manas, and it is taken in large 
quantities on the French coast as an article of food.” 
A friend residing in the Channel Islands informed me that it 
la preferred in that locality as a greater luxury than the com- 
lUon edible crab. 
J’oRrcTNus DEPTiRATOE. — Cleanser Swimming Crab. — Linn., Pen- 
nant, Leach Malac., pi. 9; Bell Brit. Stalk-Eyed Crust., p. 90.' 
I’ortunus plicatus . — Milne Edwa/rds, Ilist. des Crust., t \, p. 
d42; Couch’s Cornish Fauna, p. 71. 
“Common, with much of the habits of the last species. There 
la some difficulty in assigning the proper synonyms, to this and 
file two following species, which are described as inhahiting our 
i^oasts, and it is probable that we have one or more to which 
Hoae of the descriptions apply. They are aU. termed harbour 
Hi^ Mary crabs, and all exceedingly ravenous, fastening eagerly 
°n any animal substance that comes within their reach.” 
