Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 4 (1900).djvu/315

Rh the 'Contemporary Review' for May, Mr. Matthias Dunn contributes an article on "Mimicry and other Habits of Crabs." The instances adduced as mimicry seem to fall under the terms "Assimilative Colouration" or "Active Mimicry." Of "Habits" there is quite a number of most interesting observations recorded. Of Cancer pagurus, the Great Crab, Mr. Dunn has been led to believe that the finest specimens exist between Dartmouth in Devon and the Lizard headland in Cornwall, where males are often known to reach thirteen and fourteen pounds weight, and where they are only called half-Crabs when under eight inches across the back; whereas on most other parts of the British Isles Crabs two or three pounds weight and six or seven inches across the back are considered large. The powers of smell and eyesight in this species are fairly good, and it prefers fresh red-coloured fish as food, such as the Red Gurnard, Red Mullets, and Bream, or the strongly perfumed flesh of the Whitehound Shark. Its enemies are all the large Skates existing on the coasts, with the Octopus vulgaris, and the Nursehound Sharks; while the Sea-Breams and Wrasse delight in feeding on the remains of their slaughter. The Skates hunt them with great energy, and with their tough snouts rout them out of the crevices of the rocks, and, after crushing them, devour them whole. Mr. Dunn has seen as many as five of these Crabs in the stomach of one Skate. The Octopus also feeds on them ravenously, and, but for their sharp nippers, would scarcely look for any other food. He has more than once seen such Cuttles with their arms bitten clean off, which no doubt was the result of battling with these Crabs. The Nursehound also feeds on the smaller forms.

the 'Cornhill Magazine' for May, Mr. C. Parkinson writes on "The Great Birds of the Southern Seas." The Albatross was well observed, and graphically described. On approaching Tristan da Cunha three or four species of Albatross had congregated round the ship, as many as thirty birds settling on the water astern in a manner highly satisfactory for close and continuous observation. After half a gale of wind a lull not infrequently occurs, when the speed is reduced to two or three knots; then the hungry creatures literally clamour for food. Directly a bird intends to alight, the legs appear straddling downwards in ungainly fashion—a moment when even an Albatross looks like an ill-balanced Goose of unwieldy size. For half a minute it runs along the surface of the waves, treading water, so to speak, until the enormous wings become manageable. Then the bird swims with both wings thrown back, like a pair of lateen sails—a very Argonaut on the translucent sea. At length the difficulty is overcome, the wings are packed away, and—like a large Gull—it rides the waves with consummate ease. Sometimes it paddles to and fro, or again