156 SOLDIER-CRABS. 



was two days before, when I had routed him out of 

 his burrow to show him to a visitor. 



THE COMMON SOLDIER-CRAB. 



The Soldiers (as indeed becomes their profession) 

 are well known to be pugnacious and impudent ; yet 

 watchful and cautious. Indeed, their manners and 

 disposition, no less than their appearance, bear the 

 strongest resemblance to those of Spiders, a resem- 

 blance not peculiar to this genus, but more or less 

 characteristic of all the Crabs. Two of them can 

 scarcely approach each other without manifestations 

 of hostility ; each warily stretches out his long feet 

 and feels the other, just as spiders do, and strives to 

 find an opportunity of seizing his opponent in some 

 tender part with his own strong claws. Generally 

 they are satisfied with the proofs afforded of mutual 

 prowess, and each, finding the other armed at all 

 points, retires ; but, not unseldom, a regular passage 

 of arms ensues, the claws are rapidly thrown about, 

 widely gaping and threatening, and the combatants 

 roll over and over in the tussle. 



Sometimes, however, the aggressive spirit is more 

 decided, more ferocious, more obstinate. One in the 

 Aquarium of the Zoological Gardens was seen to 

 approach another, who tenanted a shell somewhat 

 larger than his own, and, suddenly seizing his victim's 

 front with his powerful claw, drag him like lightning 

 from his house, into which the aggressor as swiftly 

 inserted his own body, leaving the miserable sufferer 

 struggling in the agonies of death. 



