I900.] CuNNiNGTON. — Sea-shore Crabs. 127 



That empty ones are sometimes used I think there can be 

 no doubt ; but at the same time it is quite likely that, under 

 certain circumstances, the Soldier Crab is true to his name, 

 and makes a murderous attack upon some inoffensive snail. 

 A curious habit of companionship, or to give it its more 

 proper name, commensalism, has been noticed in Prideaux's 

 hermit crab, Eiipagums Prideauxii^ which is also common 

 enough on our shores. This creature is seldom found without 

 a sea-anemone-- y4^rtw«<2 by name — living on its shell. Of 

 the mutual advantages to be gained by this association we 

 can at least suggest one or two. The anemone, in course of 

 time, tends to absorb the heav}^ shell of the crab, which would 

 be some advantage, and again, while certain fish are very fond 

 of hermits, which they swallow shell and all, few of them 

 would be much inclined to tackle the sea-anemone. The 

 latter, however, on the other hand, gets its share of advantage, 

 from the crab's moving powers, which take it about from place 

 to place in search of food. 



And now to return to the practical side of the question. 

 How are crabs to be found, or where are we to look for them ? 

 A crab hunt is neither a difficult nor a very exacting occupation. 

 Go at low water, or when the tide is some wa}- out, to any 

 rocky piece of shore, and search in the rock-pools, and 

 beneath the masses of sea-weed. Turn back the growing 

 patches of bladder-wrack, and look beneath stones, and before 

 long you may be sure to find some little fellows, snugly 

 hidden away. 



Royal College of Science, Dublin. 



PROCKKDINGS OF IRISH SOCIETIKS. 



RoYAi. Z001.0GICA1. Society. 



Recent gifts include eight Peruvian Cavies from Miss Fennell-White, 

 a Monkey from Mr. E). Marshall, three Bramblings from Mr. E. Williams, 

 a Bear cub and a vSilver Fox from Mr. N. H. P. Vickers a White Pheasant 

 from Ivord F. Fitzgerald, and a Royal Python and a lizard from the Hon. 

 P, C. Smyly. A pair of Racoons, a pair of Hairy Armadilloes, eighteen 

 monkeys, and seven Rose Cockatoos have been bought. 



6,963 persons visited the Gardens in March, 



