Mil. SALTERNS OBSERVATIONS. 163 



favoured me with tlie following particulars, wliicli, 

 while tliey agree with my own observations in essential 

 points, superadd some interesting details. 



^^ I have many times found Hermit-crabs out of 

 their shells, in the mingled mass of a dredge-haul, 

 and on three occasions have watched the method in 

 which the houseless creature domiciliates himself. 

 These were the only occasions on which I endeavoured 

 to observe the opera.tion : they always seem willing 

 enough to exhibit their housing performance. 



'^ My plan of observation was simply this : — I put 

 a naked Crab into a large glass jar of sea- water, with 

 one shell, the latter of size about proportioned to the 

 former ; and then I contemplated. In each case the 

 Crab proceeded in the same way. 



" Appearing to see the shell in the distance, the ani- 

 mal crawled up to it for the purpose of seeing if the 

 house were to let ; and this circumstance he discovered 

 not by sight, but toucJi, Upon reaching the shell he 

 hooked two of his legs into its open mouth, and thrust- 

 ing them as far down into its cavity as possible, com- 

 menced scrambling round the edge : he was evidently 

 probing to discover if there were already an inhabitant. 

 In each case the Crab pursued this probing operation 

 in the same direction — commencing on the projecting 

 side of the shell, and ending on the receding side. 

 Having performed this process once round, he in- 

 stantly, in the twinkling of an eye, erected straight his 

 tail, and whisked himself over the smootli lip of the shell 

 into its tube, with a rapid adroitness that was perfectly 

 marvellous. And then in his new contrasted position 

 he looked so funny — such at-homeishness there was in 



M 2 



