72 Dzvellcrs of the Sea and Shore 



organisms and affix them to the hairy hooks on their 

 backs, ostensibly for the purpose of conceahnent. Their 

 show of intelHgence in choosing only those materials 

 that will bear transplanting and with reference to their 

 colors has long occupied the curiosity of the lay person 

 and the serious attention of the naturalist. 



The spider crabs being vegetarian in their habits, it 

 Is quite evident that their presence among the mussels 

 is a peaceable one; they frequent the beds to feed on a 

 variety of small seaweed that grows on the shells. But 

 the mussels are, nevertheless, the victims of nocturnal 

 raiders not far removed in kind from the spider crabs. 

 These are the sand crabs {Cancer irroratiis) who with 

 their powerful claws crumble away the margins of the 

 valves, thus gaining an entrance to the occupants 

 within. In these marauding exploits they are well 

 attended by a tribe of smaller fry, the hermit crabs, 

 which warily await just out of reach of the dangerous 

 forceps until the owners have finished eating, when 

 they at once pounce upon the fragments which the saml 

 crabs have disdained to consume. Sometimes it hap- 

 pens that a hungry hermit crab in its eagerness or 

 impatience approaches too near the formidable diner. 

 Instantly it is seized and in spite of its attempt to 

 retract as far as possible into its borrowed shell, this 

 Is broken away and the unfortunate Inmate is plucked 

 out piecemeal and leisurely devoured. 



It must not be assumed, however, that the shocking 

 exhibitions of ruthlessness are the sole reward for one's 

 pains to visit the beach in the night; there are other 

 compensations that go far to eliminate the unpleasant- 

 ness of these contacts. Outstanding among these, with- 



