BATTLE OF THE ROCK-POOL. 339 



and small Whelks, who, conscious that a dinner was 

 at hand, all hastened up, evidently for the purpose of 

 participating in the feast. Without any sign of un- 

 certainty or hesitation they moved straight forward 

 toward the anticipated meal, and the worm was soon 

 covered with these predatory mollusks. The fate of 

 the contested prey seemed definitively settled, when 

 a small Shore Crab (Carcinus Manas), issuing from 

 underneath a stone, soon put to flight the shrimps, 

 and, by dragging off the Arenicola, very nearly upset 

 all the Turbos, who forthwith retreated gladly to their 

 sandy haunts. Then, however, a large edible Crab 

 (Cancer Pagurus) appeared upon the scene, and the 

 poor little Manas was obliged in his turn to beat a 

 retreat, in order to escape out of the reach of the 

 formidable pincers of his stronger kinsman. Still he 

 kept a watchful eye over the dainty morsel which he 

 had once tasted, and taking advantage of a moment 

 when the larger crab was withdrawing from the field 

 from some temporary emotion of alarm, he rapidly 

 seized the long-disputed Arenicola and carried it for 

 safety to some distance from the water's edge, where 

 he might devour it at his ease upon dry ground, and 

 thus put an end to the combat. 



