The Living World (Volume 2); Containing Descriptions of the Several Races of Men, and All Species of Animals, Birds, Fishes, Insects, Etc., Etc. with ... Reasoning Powers and Domestic Habits - Softcover
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This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1868. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... movable style like a sword. One species, L. Polyphemus, is often found near our coasts; and we have frequently seen numerous specimens, after a storm, strewn lifeless along our shores. It is from one to two feet in length. As the other orders of this class contain nothing of peculiar interest, we close our observations on the Crustaceans with a few general remarks. The facility with which the Crustacea cast off their legs, and even their heavy claws, when they have been wounded in one of these organs, or alarmed at thunder, is most remarkable. Without the least appearance of pain, they then continue to run along upon their remaining legs. After a time a new limb grows out of the old stump, but never attains the size of the original limb. The wonderful metamorphoses of the insects are universally known, but the changes which the young crabs have to undergo ere they assume their definitive form are no less astonishing. We are indebted to Mr. Vaughan Thompson for the first discovery of the metamorphoses of the Common Crab; and since then the evolutions of many other Crustaceans have been observed by other naturalists, so that most likely all the more perfect Crustaceans undergo analogous changes. Before Mr. Thompson's observations, the small creatures, which he proved to be young crabs, were considered as belonging to a distinct genus, called Zoea. "On creeping out of the egg, these larvae look very strange indeed. Fancy a preposterously large helmet-shaped head, ending behind in a long point, and furnished in front with two monstrous sessile eyes, like the windows of a lantern. By means of a long, articulated tail, the restless chimera continually turns, so to speak, 'head over heels.' Claws are wanting; while the old crabs have eight legs, the young have only fou...
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