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The land crabs (Gecarcinus*) present us with the remarkable fact of terrestrial animals breathing by gills. Most fish die if out of the water for a few minutes, but a long submersion in the sea would actually kill these crabs. The gecarcinians visit the shore once a year only, for the purpose of depositing their eggs in the water. During the rest of the year these animals live in moist holes, in woods and rocky crevices, hiding in the day, and coming out to feed at night. The land crabs have a peculiar apparatus near the gills for holding water, so that the branchiæ are always kept moist. The species of gecarcinians inhabiting the South Sea Islands, and feeding upon cocoa-nuts, are said to visit the sea-shore every night to dip their gills in the water.

The mountain crab of Jamaica is declared by epicures to make a most delicious stew when caught at the proper time and seasoned with lime juice.

We must now make a few remarks on the general structure and physiology of these crustacea. Though crabs are classed with decapods, they have, in strictness, but eight feet, the front pair of limbs being mandibles, which serve as hands, and are not intended to aid progression. The well-known sideway motion of crabs is a necessary result of the peculiar manner in which the joints of the legs are hinged one to the other. Lost limbs are usually restored at moulting time, when the crab throws off its old shell. After a claw has been torn away, the blood vessels and nerves shrink at the point of separation, and from the hollow thus formed the new limb afterwards grows. A crab which had lost seven legs in battle, recovered them all about three months after, when the shell was cast. The new limbs were perfect in all respects, but somewhat smaller than the former set.

These repeated castings of so hard a shell, and the extrication of all the complex limbs from their stony covering, are not the least remarkable phenomena in a crab's life. When the animal ceases to increase, these changes doubtless cease; but during growth several such unclothings must occur. Crabs have been taken covered with oysters of seven years' growth, a clear proof that during the whole of that period the shell had not been cast. These crabs had, of course, ceased growing. How a creature of so complex a form withdraws its body from the tightly-fitting shell, leaving the latter, to all appearance, entire, is a puzzling problem. So completely does the rejected covering retain its form that an observer might easily mistake it for another but smaller crab than its late owner. We say smaller, because the animal after moulting is always larger than the coat it has just put off.

The operation is by no means a pleasant one, if we may judge by the symptoms of decided " illness" shown by the crustacean. It ceases to eat, wriggles about, rubs against the rocks, and acts like a creature "out of sorts." A thin skin is

prepared under the shell before this is thrown off, and the under coat soon hardens into a new covering. If we take up one of the shells soon after the moult, we may, with close inspection, generally detect a crack where the crust was split when the body was being drawn out.

ing apparatus, consisting of thousands of fine filaments, may be seen in action.

The crab's heart is placed just under the carapace, and is simply a strong muscular pouch or ventricle, from which the blood is sent over the body, and also to the gills, resembling in this respect the action of the human heart. The blood is mostly colourless, though sometimes a bluish tint may be noticed.

The nervous system of the crab consists of numerous ganglia (nervous centres) placed in the abdomen and chest, from which the fine nerve-threads radiate through the body. The most im portant of these nerves are beautifully exhibited in the hermit crabs dissected by Professor Owen, and now to be seen in the museum of the College of Surgeons.

The eyes are compound; each consisting of numerous sixsided tubes, every one of which forms a distinct eye or eyelet. These organs being placed on short tube-like bodies, retractile in some species, all such crustaceans are called "stalk-eyed."

The crab's ears are supposed to be concealed under a plate, on the lower part of the second antenna. If this plate be removed, a fine membrane will be seen, covering a cavity filled with a fuid, in which the nerve of hearing is visible.

The carapace, or shelly covering of the crab, corresponds to the epidermis, or outer skin, in man, but forms, in reality, the skeleton of the crustacea. It generally consists of about twenty-one flat shelly rings, and is formed of carbonate and phosphate of lime. The peculiar colouring matter is produced by the inner skin, or corium, and becomes, under the action of boiling water, of a reddish hue. The lime, phosphorus, carbon, and other elements forming the shell, are secreted by the animals from the sea water.

The crab has found a place in heraldry, several old families having adopted this crustacean among their insignia; and even that warlike and chivalrous king, Francis I. of France. did on one occasion, at least, introduce the animal into his shield. This, however, is said to have been a satirical allusion to the hesitating movements of the English army in France, under the Duke of Suffolk, in 1523.

All crabs discharge a most useful duty, being in fact the scavengers of the sea, consuming the dead animal matter which would otherwise do much to corrupt the waters along the coasts. Thus even the voracity of the crab promotes the well-being of the natural world, and consequently benefits the human race.

LESSONS IN GEOGRAPHY.-XXVII. WE now resume and continue the table of latitudes and longitudes of places in the Continent of Europe, commenced in our last lesson (see page 389, Vol. II.).

TABLE OF LATITUDES AND LONGITUDES OF PLACES IN EUROPE.

Cefalu

Cerigo (I.)
Chalons-sur-Marne.
Chalons-sur-Saone

Charkoff, or Kharkov
Chartres
Chelmsford
Cheltenham
Cherbourg

It has been lately ascertained that the crab undergoes a complete metamorphosis, all the changes having been traced from Cephalonia (I.) the egg to the perfect crab. The first form of the young crustacean is utterly unlike the parent, and was formerly a puzzle to zoologists, who, while they named it Zoea, could only guess at its nature. These creatures, after casting their shells, pass into the second state, in which they bear some resemblance to a shrimp. From this condition they at length emerge as perfect crabs. This metamorphosis has now been proved to occur in no less than seventeen genera of short-tailed decapods. Cherson, or Kherson The first hint of these transmutations was given by Slabber, a Dutch naturalist, a hundred years ago; and the truth was gradually proved by Mr. Vaughan Thompson, Mr. Couch, and M. Milne-Edwards.

The crab, of course, breathes by gills or branchiæ,t as they are often called. These occupy two cavities in the chest, the water being admitted to them through a slit in the side of the thorax, and ejected by an opening near the mouth. The animal is able to regulate the outflow of water from the gills by a movable plate which, turning on a pivot, can be opened or shut at pleasure. By raising the carapace a little, the breath

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ESSAYS ON LIFE AND DUTY.-XII.

APTITUDE.

THE old proverb that it is of little use putting a round stick into a square hole finds abundant confirmation in daily life. There exists, of course, in nature an adaptation which it requires no effort to secure. The olive and the pomegranate find their proper soil, and the lily its proper shade, and the cocoa-nut tree grows in arid regions where men need its stores of refreshing milk; and to everything there is a place. It is, however, the glory and honour of man's high estate that he has to exercise thought, and will, and judgment, and adapt means to ends. In the science of life it is important both to know what to do and how to do it in the best possible way. In well advanced states of civilisation the battle of life becomes one of intensified difficulty; and those who in earlier ages might have found themselves first in the race, are amongst the last in more advanced eras of national life. Science is making such rapid progress, the facilities for education are so much greater and better in their kind, that the door of success opens only to those who have well fitted themselves for the competition of their own day. We cannot, however, shut our eyes to the patent fact that there are natural aptitudes which ought as early as possible to be sought out in each individual character. Some have a mechanical genius -some a positive faculty for learning languages-some find in mathematics pleasurable mental struggles; whilst others have gifts differing in their nature and degree in other departments of knowledge and duty. Our aptitudes, of course, decide our likings; for those things which suit our taste and thought become of necessity not only easier but pleasanter than other things. Yet even aptitudes give us no immunity from toil and difficulty. Unless our knowledge is to be very superficial, there must be painstaking, care, and effort, in the culture and development of our powers. Universal geniuses seldom get on; their versatility of talent may be the early admiration of their friends, but it becomes their own bane and loss. They know something of everything, all the "ologies" find them possessed of a smattering; but they excel in nothing, and are soon found to tire in the earnest prosecution of any separate study. Their gifts are their griefs in the end, inasmuch as the day of opportunity passes by without the strenuous exertion which ought to have been put forth in direct efforts for some ultimate end. These remarks require no modification of sentiment for thoughtful readers. They do not impugn the fact that knowledge must embrace many departments, and that a truly educated mind must have a broad sphere of exercise. They simply serve to show that aptitudes for mechanics, for music, for mathematics, etc., may be like the touch of a finger on the piano, which runs over the notes in a careless way, and is glad to escape from one study, so that it may easily pass on to another. Clever youths who can take photographs, bind their own books, build their own sheds, play piano or flute, mix their own medicines, and put their inefficient hands to anything or everything, may form the admiration of some select circle of busy idlers, but they seldom do anything worth doing, or gain anything worth gaining, in the race of life.

Aptitudes wisely discovered and tested, should be the foundation, so far as we are able to make them so, of future labour, and then the work should be carried on with perseverance and ardour. Even the most apt will meet with many an ugly difficulty, and many a wearisome hour. The musicians who charm us are men who have blistered their fingers and wearied their muscles, and tired their vision again and again. The mechanicians and manufacturers whose discoveries bring fame and fortune, are men like Palissy, the potter, who go on through hard battle after battle in sweat of brain as well as sweat of brow. No mistake can be greater than the supposition that aptitude means idleness. Aptitude is only the open gate which leads up the hill of difficulty to the goal of success.

Having thus guarded the subject from misapprehensions which might arise, it may be remarked that nothing is more cruel than to persist in directing the minds of others to pursuits for which they have no aptitude or desire. Many who have thus been placed in the Church have had a life-long bitterness of heart; and others who have been buying and selling to get gain, have been yearning for some head and heart work which nature has wondrously fitted them for. True, indeed, it is that men may be mistaken in their own aptitudes. Conceit may

deceive them, and it may be the delusion of their brain that they are made for posts which they admire and envy, rather than have any special adaptation for. These mistaken ones soon knock their heads against the hard facts of life, and wake up to the startling discovery that they are in the wrong road; wise, indeed, are they if they set themselves right as soon as may be, and leaving the mistaken path, hasten across the intervening fields to the old lane they were walking in before.

Aptitudes themselves may be snares, inasmuch as their possessor often depends too much upon genius and too little on toil. How comes it that many are more successful than others even in paths for which they had no great adaptedness, and who distance the geniuses far more clever in the work than themselves? On this principle, that they have made the very best of any little power they had. Ease of acquisition in knowledge tempts to idleness not only in the lessons of school, but in the after pursuits of youth and manhood. It must be manifest to all thinkers that aptitudes are born, not made. Yet it is equally clear that we may suffer our best powers to be weakened by disuse. To discover aptitudes, therefore, is not all; we should very early try to give them due exercise, so that they may grow. It is marvellous how any well-used power expands; and for the most part it is only laziness which makes many contented with a mediocrity of power and position, above which they never even strive to rise. With many the aptitude of getting wealth is considered the great gift; to make every wheel turn its grist to gold is considered the cleverest skill; but where this aptitude is secured, it still remains necessary to turn that gold into wisdom and happiness.

Aptitudes differ very greatly in families, and surely it should be no too difficult task for parents to watch the workings of the young nature, and see the bent and drift of the mind; nor should the young forget that to know themselves lies very much at the foundation of all future success.

Since the days of the good Prince Consort, science and art have made very rapid strides in Britain, and there are institutions rising up now which will enable men to try their "prentice hand" at designs, architectural, scientific, and intellectual, which but a generation or so ago they would have had no opportunity for doing. We live in an age when all aptitudes may soon be brought to the touchstone. The measure of our opportunity is in all matters the measure of our responsibility; and not least so in selecting the right field of labour, and sticking fast to whatever plough we resolve to put our hand.

LESSONS IN FRENCH.-XL. SECTION LXXVII.-GOVERNMENT OF VERBS (continued).

1. MANY French verbs reach their object by means of prepositions, while the corresponding English verbs govern their object directly, that is, without intervening prepositions. Other French verbs reach their object through prepositions different from those used in English. We give here a few verbs coming under those two classes, commencing with the first:

2. Verbs which have a preposition before a noun in French, but have none in English :

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1. Cet arrangement vous convient-il? 2. Il ne me convient pas, mais il convient à notre parent. 3. Cela ne déplait-il pas au peintre? 4. Votre conduite lui déplait beaucoup. 5. Ne craignez-vous pas d'abuser de la patience de votre ami ? 6. Je crains d'en abuser. 7. Ne pensez-vous jamais à vos devoirs ? 8. J'y pense tous les jours. 9. Avez-vous pensé à votre frère aujourd'hui ? 10. J'ai pensé à lui, et je me suis souvenu de ses bontés. 11. A-t-il eu soin de son père, et lui a-t-il obéi? 12. Il lui obéit constamment. 13. Ne lui a-t-il jamais désobéi ? 14. Il lui a désobéi plusieurs fois, mais il gémit de sa faute. 15. Ne les remerciez-vous pas de leur complaisance ? 16. Je les en remercie de tout mon cœur. 17. Le sellier vous a-t-il félicité de votre succès ? 18. Il m'en a félicité. 19. N'avez-vous pas ri de notre malheur? 20. Nous n'en avons pas ri, nous ne rions jamais des malheurs d'autrui. 21. Ne vous souvenez-vous pas des nouvelles que je vous ai apprises ?

EXERCISE 150.

1. Have you not abused your friend's kindness? 2. I have not abused his kindness, I have abused his patience. 3. Does not your conduct displease your parents? 4. My conduct does not please them. 5. Why have you not obeyed your father ? 6. I have obeyed him (lui). 7. Have you not laughed at my mistakes? 8. I have not laughed at your mistakes. 9. Has the young man laughed at the painter's mistakes? 10. He has not laughed at his mistakes. 11. Has your saddler laughed at your cousin's misfortunes? 12. He has not laughed at his misfortunes. 13. Do you ever laugh at the misfortunes of others? 14. We never laugh at our neighbour's misfortunes. 15. Do you remember the lesson which you learnt yesterday? 16. I do not remember it (en). 17. Does that young lady resemble her mother? 18. She does not resemble her mother. 19. Have you thanked your friend for his kindness? have thanked him for it. 21. Has your mother forbidden you to read that book? 22. She has forbidden it (me l'a). 23. Why do you not forgive your enemies? 24. I forgive them with all my heart. 25. Do you not think of your duties?

20. I

SECTION LXXVIII.-REGIMEN OF ADJECTIVES (§ 87). 1. The regimen or complement of an adjective is generally a noun or a verb completing its signification. This regimen is usually connected with the adjective by means of a preposition. 2. That preposition is often different in French from that connecting the corresponding English adjective with its regi

men.

3. When an adjective follows the verb être used unipersonally, the preposition de connects that adjective with its regimen :

Il est nécessaire de travailler pour It is necessary to labour in order to vivre. live.

4. The following adjectives reach their regimen through Saffirer de, to grieve for Louer de, to praise | Remercier de, to thank prepositions different in French and English:

Feliciter de, to congra for.
Se passer de, to do

tulata.

Gémir de, to grieve for.

S'informer de, to inquire about.

without.

for.

Rire de, to laugh at.

Rougir de, to blush

at.

Penser à, to think of.
Profiter de, to profit by. Songer à, to think of.
RÉSUMÉ OF EXAMPLES.

N'avez-vous pas abusé de notre Have you not abused our patience?

patience?

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your father well this morning? 6. He is much better. 7. Is it fine weather to-day? 8. It is very beautiful weather; are you not going to take a walk ? 9. We have neither horse nor carriage. 10. Can you not walk ? 11. I am too weary to walk. 12. Do you not take a ride every morning? 13. I take a walk every morning. 14. How do you go? 15. Sometimes on foot, and sometimes in a carriage. 16. To whom do you apply when you want money? 17. I apply to my 18. Will you not sit down? 19. We are much obliged to you. 20. Does that cloth sell very well? 21. It sells very dear. 22. Are you not to go into the country if it is fine weather? 23. Is your brother to leave town to-day? 24. He is to leave to-morrow

banker.

Je l'en ai remplie. Il est très-facile de blâmer les It is very easy to blame the actions morning. of others.

actions d'autrui.

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1. Ce héros n'était-il pas amoureux de la liberté et de la gloire? 2. Il en était amoureux. 3. Ce roi n'était-il pas chéri de son peuple? 4. Il en était chéri. 5. Ces négociants ne sont-ils pas contents de leur achat? 6. Ils n'en sont pas contents. 7. N'êtes-vous pas chagriné de ne pouvoir nous accompagner? 8. J'en suis désolé. 9. Savez-vous de quoi l'aubergiste a rempli ce tonneau? 10. Il l'a rempli de vin. 11. De quoi ferez-vous remplir cette bouteille, quand vous l'aurez fait nettoyer? 12. Elle est déjà remplie d'encre. 13. N'êtesvous pas bien fâché d'avoir fait abattre vos pommiers ? 14. J'en suis bien content, car ils n'étaient bons à rien. 15. N'estil pas nécessaire de faire arracher ces pruniers? 16. Il n'est pas nécessaire de les faire arracher. 17. Est-il possible de fendre ce morceau de bois ? 18. Il est possible de le fendre. 19. Êtes-vous exact à nettoyer vos habits? 20. J'y suis trèsexact. 21. De quoi avez-vous rempli votre bourse ? 22. Je l'ai remplie d'argent. 23. Est-il nécessaire de faire scier votre bois à brûler? 24. Il est nécessaire de le faire scier. 25. N'êtes-vous pas reconnaissant des services qu'on vous rend? 26. J'en suis très-reconnaissant.

EXERCISE 152.

2.

1. Are you not grieved with having lost your money? I am vexed that I have lost my purse. 3. With what will you fill that bottle ? 4. I will have it filled with ink. 5. Is it not necessary to have our wood sawed? 6. It is necessary to have our fire-wood sawed. 7. Your garden is too small, is it not necessary to have some plum-trees pulled up? 8. It is necessary to have some plum-trees cut down. 9. Have you filled your friend's purse with silver? 10. I have filled it with gold. 11. Are all your bottles filled with wine ? 12. They are all filled with ink. 13. Are you sorry to have filled your bottles with ink? 14. I am glad to have filled them with ink, for I want ink. 15. Are you pleased with this book? 16. I am pleased with it. 17. Is that land good for anything? 18. It is good for nothing. 19. Is that lady beloved by her children ? 20. She is beloved by her friends and by her children. 21. Are you grateful for those services? 22. I am grateful for them. 23. Is it not possible to split that piece of wood? 24. It is not possible to split it. 25. Is it agreeable to travel in winter? 26. It is not so agreeable to travel in winter as in summer. 27. It is easy to blame others. 28. Is it not glorious to die for one's country? 29. It is glorious to live and to die for one's country. 30. Have you filled the inkstand (encrier) with it? 31. I have filled it with it. 32. Would it not be necessary to pull up all those trees? 33. It would not be necessary to pull them all up, for my garden is very large. 34. Henry the Fourth (quatre) was beloved by his people.

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EXERCISE 66 (Vol. I., page 333).

1. Malle. votre sœur se promène-t-elle tous les jours ? 2. Elle se promène tous les matins. 3. Elle aime à aller à cheval et en voiture. 4. Comment cette petite fille s'appelle-t-elle ? 5. Ello s'appelle L. 6. Ce Monsieur ne s'appelle-t-il pas L. ? 7. Non, Monsieur, il s'appelle G. et son cousin s'appelle H. 8. Comment se porte M. votre frère ? 9. Mon frère se porte très-bien, mais ma sœur ne se porte pas bien. 10. Comment vos deux filles se portent-elles ? 11. Elles se portent passablement bien aujourd'hui. 12. Messieurs, ne voulez-vous pas vous asseoir? 13. Nous vous sommes bien obligés, Madame, nous n'avons pas le temps. 14. Ce livre se vend-il bien ? 15. Il se vend très-bien. 16. Combien cette soie se vend-elle l'anne? 17. Elle se vend six francs l'aune. 18. Fait-il beau temps aujourd'hui ? 19. Il fait très-beau temps, ne voulez-vous pas vous promener? 20. Je n'ai pas le temps de me promener. 21. À qui M. votre frère s'adresse-t-il ? 22. Il s'adresse à son frère. 23. Son frère est-il à la maison ? 24. Non, Monsieur, il est à Paris. 25. Quand a-t-il l'intention d'aller en France ? 26. Il a l'intention d'aller en France dans un mois. 27. Mdlle. votre sœur, doit-elle partir demain matin? 28. Elle doit partir aujourd'hui, s'il fait beau temps. 29. Que diton de ceci ? 30. On n'en dit rien.

EXERCISE 67 (Vol. I., page 333).

1. Does the hair-dresser cut his thumb? 2. No, Sir, he cuts hig hair. 3. Does not the carpenter cut his hand? 4. He does not cut his hand, he cuts the wood. 5. Do you not remember that lady ? 6. I 7. With what do you remember that lady and those gentlemen. occupy yourselves? 8. We occupy ourselves with our affairs. 9. Do 10. I do not rememyou remember the guns which your father has? ber them at all. 11. Does not that little girl burn herself? 12. She does not burn herself, there is no fire in the stove. 13. Why does not the butcher warm himself? 14. Because he is not cold. 15. Do those children rise earlier than I? 16. They go to bed early, and rise every morning at six o'clock. 17. Will not your partner sit down? 18. He has no time to sit down. 19. Do you remember your promises? 20. I remember them perfectly. 21. Do you not warm yourself when you are cold? 22. I almost never warm myself. 23. Do we not go to bed when we are sleepy? 24. One goes to bed when one is sleepy, and eats when one is hungry.

EXERCISE 68 (Vol. I., page 334).

9. I.e char

1. Vous levez-vous de bonne heure, quand vous vous portez bien? 2. Quand je me porte bien, je me lève tous les matins à cinq heures. 3. Vous rappelez-vous votre cousin L.? 4. Je me le rappelle parfaitement bien? 5. Vous couchez-vous de bonne heure? 6. Nous nous couchons à dix heures. 7. Le tailleur ne se brûle-t-il pas les doigts? 8. Il ne se brûle pas les doigts, son fer n'est pas chaud. pentier se coupe-t-il le pouce ? 10. Il ne se coupe ni le pouce ni la main. 11. Pourquoi ne vous chauffez-vous pas ? 12. Je ne me chauffe pas, parceque je n'ai pas froid. 13. Ne fait-il pas très froid aujourd'hui? 14. Il ne fait pas froid aujourd'hui, il pleut. 15. Votre perruquier se soleil et il se couche au coucher du soleil. lève-t-il au lever du soleil ? 16. Le charpentier se lève au lever du 17. Vous levez-vous do meilleure heure que moi? 18. Nous nous levons tous les matins an point du jour. 19. Vous coupez-vous souvent les cheveux? 20. Je me coupe les cheveux et les ongles tous les mois. 21. Vous rappele vous ce monsieur ? 22. Je me le rappelle très-bien. 23. Je ne me le rappelle pas. 24. Vous coupez-vous les doigts, quand vous taillez ur plume? 25. Je me coupe la main quand je travaille. 26. Vous souvenez-vous de ce que vous apprenez ? 27. Je ne me souviens pas co 28. Savez-vous si M. votre père se porte bien ? 29. Il se porte fort bien aujourd'hui. 30. Mine. votre mère se porte-t-elle pas bien ? 31. Elle ne se porte pas très-bien. EXERCISE 69 (Vol. I., page 334).

tout ce que j'apprends.

1. Do you like to live in the country? 2. I prefer the country to the city. 3. Do you often become weary of remaining in the country? 4. When I become weary of the country, I return to the city. 5. Do they hear from General L. ? 6. Nothing is heard of him. 7. Are you sometimes mistaken? 8. Everybody is mistaken sometimes. 9. Does the banker deceive his clients ? 10. He deceives neither his clients nor his friends, he deceives nobody. 11. Are you not mistaken in this bill? 12. I am not mistaken. 13. Do you amuse yourself in reading or in writing? 14. I amuse myself in learning German and French. 15. Are you wrong to learn languages? 16. I am right to learn

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