TVeymouth Crab , Spunge , Sec. 
E VERY day brings under obfervation new fpecimens of little animals, and 
their workmanfhip, drenched up from our feas. The chambers of the deep 
teem with myriads of living creatures whofe wonderful economy is ftill unexplored. 
To perfons who have tafte and leifure, it is certainly a pleafant tafk to examine and 
arrange them : and the pleafure is greatly augmented by putting them in a way to 
contribute to the entertainment of Society. 
The little crab, marked F, belongs to the fpecies called, in the British Zoo- 
logy, Weymouth. Mr. Pennant defcribes it in the following words. 
Dorfettenjis. Cr. with a cordated body, rugged and bent, with a few fpines; very 
thick, and long claws ; and very {lender legs, the fir ft pair much longer than the 
reft. 
The fpecimen which he had feen was in the Portland Cabinet ; but no attention 
had been paid to it in the drying, and it feemed to have died in convulfive agonies, 
as the legs and claws were all twilled, and turned towards its body. 
When thefe animals are procured alive, great care is rcquifite to preferve their 
fhapes true and elegant. While yet moilt and flexible, they fhould be ftretched at 
full length upon a piece of board, until they become hard and dry. Then no 
chance remains that their forms will alte-r; and the fpecimens have the advantage of 
being (hewn in their native elegance. 
The crab from which the (ketch in the plate was taken, had been kept for a con- 
fidcrable time alive in fait water. The greateft curiofity about it feemed to be the 
lingular quantity of little corallines with which it was overgrown. During the time 
in which the animal was kept alive, it employed itfelf almoft wholly in picking off 
thefe branches. They feemed to be a heavy incumbrance to it, and its anxiety to 
<r e t rid of them was very llrikingly difplayed. The corallines which take up their 
habitations on the bodies and legs of thefe animals, are of every different fpecies ; 
and great variety are found on the fame crab, fome of exceeding fine workmanfhip, 
and very beautiful forms. The animal was fo wholly overgrown with them, that the 
fhape of its body and limbs could fcarcely be difeerned. 
There is a very delicate entertainment in purfuing the little infe£t through its va- 
rious a&ions and employments in life. The mind cannot dwell long on fuch tender 
fubie&s without being elevated and refined. He who contemplates them, admires 
the deep myfleries of Almighty Wifdom ; and every new beam of that divine 
knowledge awakens pleafure in the foul. 
The fmall drawing at e, is a reprefentation of the manner in which fpmge be- 
gins to fhoot. At E the fame is confiderably magnified : the fpines are adhering 
to a fhell from which they feem to fhoot forth, and are interwoven vyith curvatures 
©f very beautiful red and white corals. 
A, B, C, 
