360 THE AQUARIAN NATURALIST. 



owners of the tenements. Some of these shells are of 

 small dimensions, others mnch larger, all seeming to 

 be wandering about after their individual pursuits, 

 though not apparently guided by any common impulse. 

 If the progress of these peripatetic shells be inter- 

 rupted, they at once stand still, and then each of 

 them is found upon examination to be the residence 

 of a Hermit Crab. 



To comprehend the shape of this animal, it is neces- 

 sary to deprive it of its habitation. It is then seen to 

 be formed of two distinct portions, the head and a 

 good portion of the body being covered with shell, 

 like the fore part of a lobster ; whilst the hinder, or 

 tail portion, is bare, soft, and devoid of any solid pro- 

 tection ; so that, in order to defend its nether regions, 

 the creature is obliged to have recourse to the strange 

 expedient of making an extempore sentry-box of any 

 shells that, from their size and shape, may be adapted 

 to such a purpose, and which the occupants are com- 

 pelled to drag about with them on all occasions. 



It is still a question undecided whether the Hermit 

 Crab always selects for its habitation a shell already 

 empty, or whether it does not sometimes actually 

 kill and devour the original inhabitant before taking 

 possession of its outraged abode, and thus add murder 

 to piracy. 



The fishermen on the coast state its proceedings 

 for securing the ejection of the lawful tenant to be 

 summary enough : the aggressor seizes his victim 

 the whelk for instance immediately behind the head, 



v 



and, after thus killing or disabling it, at once pro- 

 ceeds to eat it out of house and home, and then to 



