XX 
STINGING CORALS 
493 
possibility of this ; but with the Pandanus 1 the task would be 
very much easier. I was told by Mr. Liesk that on these 
islands the Birgos lives only on the nuts which have fallen to 
the ground. 
Captain Moresby informs me that this crab inhabits the 
Chagos and Seychelle groups, but not the neighbouring Maldiva 
archipelago. It formerly abounded at Mauritius, but only a 
few small ones are now found there. In the Pacific this 
species, or one with closely allied habits, is said 2 to inhabit 
a single coral island north of the Society group. To show 
the wonderful strength of the front pair of pincers, I may 
mention that Captain Moresby confined one in a strong tin 
box, which had held biscuits, the lid being secured with wire ; 
but the crab turned down the edges and escaped. In turning 
down the edges it actually punched many small holes quite 
through the tin ! 
I was a good deal surprised by finding two species of coral 
of the genus Millepora (M. complanata and alcicornis), possessed 
of the power of stinging. The stony branches or plates, when 
taken fresh from the water, have a harsh feel and are not slimy, 
although possessing a strong and disagreeable smell. The 
stinging property seems to vary in different specimens : when 
a piece was pressed or rubbed on the tender skin of the face or 
arm, a pricking sensation was usually caused, which came on 
after the interval of a second, and lasted only for a few minutes. 
One day, however, by merely touching my face with one of the 
branches, pain was instantaneously caused ; it increased as 
usual after a few seconds, and remaining sharp for some 
minutes, was perceptible for half an hour afterwards. The 
sensation was as bad as that from a nettle, but more like that 
caused by the Physalia or Portuguese man-of-war. Little red 
spots were produced on the tender skin of the arm, which 
appeared as if they would have formed watery pustules, but 
did not. M. Quoy mentions this case of the Millepora ; and 
I have heard of stinging corals in the West Indies. Many 
marine animals seem to have this power of stinging: besides 
the Portuguese man-of-war, many jelly-fish, and the Aplysia or 
sea-slug of the Cape de Verd Islands, it is stated in the Voyage 
1 See Proceedings of Zoological Society, 1832, p. 17. 
2 Tyerman and Bennett, Voyage, etc., vol. ii. p. 33. 
