74 HISTORY OP BRITISH CRUSTACEA. 



go and retreat; but sometimes the latter made good his 

 foray, and enjoyed his plunder in secret." Mr. Gosse in- 

 forms us that at Weymouth this worm is specially prized by 

 the fishermen as bait; and so well aware are they of its 

 habits, that they commonly break all whelks containing the 

 Crabs, in order to extract the Nereis which they know to be 

 within. 



Mr. Gosse has observed the Soldier Crab changing his 

 residence for a more roomy one. For an amusing descrip- 

 tion of the "flitting" we refer our readers to the pages of 

 the f Aquarium' (pp. 167-171). 



Pagurus Bernhardus, Linn. sp. Soldier or Hermit 

 Crab. (Plate Y. fig. 3.) — Second and third pairs of legs 

 spiny and tubercular on their upper edge ; their last joint 

 slightly twisted, somewhat widened towards the end. Hands 

 strongly tuberculated. 



Common everywhere on our coast, inhabiting different 

 shells according to its age and size. Sometimes, as at Peg- 

 well Bay, the creature selects one of the land-shells which 

 suits its purpose, such as that of the large common Snail 

 {Helix aspersa). The Hermit Crabs are used for bait; the 

 young, Mr. Gordon observes, are often called by the igno- 

 rant " the spawn of the Lobster." 



