92 L. A. BORRADAILE. 



other Decapods in being practically omnivorous' — belonging, in fact, to the class of 

 scavengers. They pick up various dead sea-animals along the beach, and get other refuse 

 elsewhere. On occasion, even cannibalism is not beyond them, when one of their number 

 is wounded or killed. They are able to find their food in the dark, and there can be 

 little doubt that this is due to a sense of smell, by which, rather than by sight, they are 

 most likely guided iu their search. Substances with a strong odour such as roasted coconut 

 or the fi-uit of the Pandanus (which has a distinct and characteristic smell) are par- 

 ticularly attractive to them. It is interesting to watch the way in which a Goenobita will 

 pause in its walk, unfold its long antennules^ (see p. 70) and seem to explore the air 

 with them, waving their flagella gently to and fro over its head. The same limbs are 

 advanced and held over the food during feeding. They find the fruit of the Pandanus on 

 the ground, but will also climb the bushes to reach it. On one occasion an individual 

 was found in a Hernandea peltata about twenty feet from the ground, but its object in 

 going there is hard to surmise. The curved end-joints of the legs can clasp tightly quite 

 small twigs, and the sharp claws with which they are provided are, no doubt, of use in 

 climbing. The food is often dragged for some distance, and in the case of fruits this is, 

 no doubt, a method of distributing the seeds, which should be taken account of in 

 considering the extension of vegetation over the land surface of a coral island. 



In the matter of habitations, the choice is as varied as in that of food. Every avail- 

 able kind of land or sea gastropod shell is used, provided that it be of the right size and 

 not so encumbered with spines as to be awkward in use. Weight seems to be of little 

 account, the heavy Turbo-shells being especial favourites with C. dypeatiis, although only 

 comparatively small individuals can use them. One small specimen of C. rugosus in Ceylon 

 was carrying the empty tube of a Serpulid worm. C spinosus is known to use the nutshell 

 of Galophyllum iiiophyllum^, and G. clypeatus, when it has grown too large for gastropod 

 shells, takes the half of a coconut^. A case even occuiTed in which a broken glass tube was 

 made use of. 



Ortmann"^ has pointed out the existence in G. rugosus (traces of the same structure 

 are found in most C. perlatus) of an apparatus, which he regarded as adapted for pro- 

 ducing a sound. This consists of a row of small ridges on the outside of the great (left) 

 chela and a longitudinal ridge on the underside of the second walking leg of the same 

 side. It is interesting to know that a number of these creatures shut up in a large tin 



1 Oitmaun [Bronn's Thierrcich, i. 2, p. 1234] seems to shell, and at the same time the 4th and 5th thoracic limbs 

 be of the opinion that Coenobitu is purely vegetarian in its make use of the similar patches on their propodites. Kven 

 feeding, and quotes Dahl and Streets iu support. But so the hold on the shell is but a feeble one (see p. 72). 

 Catesby [Nat. Hist. Carolinas, ii. p. 33] long ago observed ' A similar case is mentioned by Brock [quoted by Ort- 

 that C. diogenes will occasionally take animal food. mann, Bronn's Thierrficii, v. 2, p. 1216]. The interest of 



- These appendages are, of course, those in which a sense this observation lies in its bearing on the question of the 



resembling that of smell has been found to be located in other means by which the animal recognises an object as being 



crustaceans. Lack of time unfortunately prevented me from suitable for its "house." Iu this case it seems far more 



making any experiments on this point, which I am sure likely that the sense of touch was employed than that of 



would repay investigation in Coenobita. sight. On the other hand, an individual removed from its 



2 Borradaile, P. Z. S., 1898, p. 459. Gastropod shells shell, will make for another shell placed at some distance in 

 are probably scarce where this is done. a manner which seems to indicate that this is seen. 



■* In such cases as this, the means by which the creature ^ Ortmann, Bronn's Thierreich, v. 2, p. 1249. Hilgeudorf 



retains its house are of interest. The abdomen is doubled is said to have first called attention to the existence of this 



forwards under the thorax, so as to present the roughened arrangement, 

 surfaces on the 6th abdominal limbs to the inside of the 



