HIS EEflDENCE. 161 



forgotten, or, at least, lie did not recognise the shell : 

 for he immediately began to turn it ahout, rolling it 

 over and over with his sharp feet, twisting the Actinia 

 most awry. He carefully examined the interior, feeling- 

 it aU over with both claws, and trying every spot as 

 far as he could reach ; this examination he continued 

 for perhaps five minutes, and then, as if satisfied, drew 

 out his feet, and made an essay to quit his own shell. 

 It was apparent that the exposure of his soft person 

 was considered somewhat dangerous, for he first felt 

 with his antennae in all directions around, vibrating 

 them up and down, and partly coming out and retreat- 

 ing several times before he ventured. At length, 

 however, out he popped, and into the new house as 

 quickly, where he tm'ned and settled himself com- 

 fortably. There was not much difference in dimen- 

 sions between the shells, but, as I have said, what 

 there was, was in favour of his original dwelling. 



He remained in his new quarters for ten minutes or 

 more, moving about a little, but never for an instant 

 letting go his old house, on which he pertinaciously 

 kept his feet, occasionally putting in his pincers to 

 feel the interior. At length he decided that, incon- 

 venient as it was, it was better than the new one ; and 

 therefore he returned to it, as he had done the previous 

 day, and relinquished the attempt. 



The day following he repeated the same process of 

 temporary exchange, walking about for a considerable 

 time with his new abode, and yet at length resuming 

 the old one. 



On a subsequent occasion I saw another individual 

 of the same species, reduced to the condition of a 



M 



