112 Dzvellers of the Sea and Shore 



as such, is memory- I need go no further than to Illus- 

 trate by example the doubtful possession of this faculty 

 by the hermit crab in order to substantiate the above 

 indictment. The reader has seen that in the natural 

 habitat of the crab, the waters of the seashore, a meet- 

 ing of the males precipitates a brawl. It is the same on 

 their introduction to the large tanks of my laboratory. 

 In their new environment, however, these quarrels are 

 not resumed indefinitely; eventually they resign them- 

 selves to a peaceful toleration, and share their quarters 

 with indifference, if not with genuine amity. Beyond 

 the usual attempts to filch one another's food, it is 

 extremely infrequent that further hostile demonstra- 

 tions occur. But what is more to the point is the fact 

 that two males, when confined in a small half-gallon jar, 

 never, after the first few hours of their acquaintance, 

 renew, or rather exhibit, the slightest animosity toward 

 each other. This circumstance, when considering the 

 natural pugnacious propensity of the crab, is remark- 

 able. What, therefore, does it signify? Does it mean 

 that they have a memory for faces, so to speak? 



Let us see. From a small circular jar in which two 

 males have lived at peace for several months, I remove 

 both and transfer them to one of the same capacity 

 but of a rectangular shape containing a different ar- 

 rangement of seaweeds. Immediately their former 

 friendship is forgotten; a fight ensues; and one or the 

 other generally loses his shell in the encounter. After 

 they have settled their differences, I return them to 

 the first jar; but no sooner do they come into contact 

 than they again fall to, with the same result. 



What could be plainer? The hermit crab either 



