154 



THE SEA SHORE 



that the animal had been disturbed and removed from its favourite 

 spot, or that circumstances had recently rendered a change of 

 lodgings necessary or desirable. Further, the shell selected by this 

 anemone is almost always one that is inhabited by a hermit crab ; 

 and this is so generally the case that the occasional exceptions to 

 the rule probably point to instances in which the occupant of the 

 shell had been roughly ejected during the dredging operations. 



The peculiar habit of the anemone just referred to makes it an 

 interesting pet for the aquarium, for if removed from its natural 

 home, and placed in the aquarium with a hermit crab, it will, sooner 



FIG. 103. THE CLOAK ANEMONE (Adamsia palliata) ON A WHELK 

 SHELL, WITH HEKMTT CRAB 



or later, as the opportunity occurs, glide from its hole on the stone 

 or rock, and transfer itself to its favourite moving home. 



It may be difficult at first to see what advantage can accrue to 

 the anemone by the selection of such a situation ; and, moreover, 

 it becomes an interesting question as to whether the advantage 

 is a mutual one. Close observations may, and already have, thrown 

 some light on this matter, though it is probable that there still 

 remains something to be learnt concerning the relations which 

 exist between the inside and outside occupants of the portable 

 house. 



It may be noticed that the anemone almost invariably takes 



