THE ANIMAL LIFE OP THE GROUP. 471 



task to be imdei'taken here. The reader is referred to the accompanying 

 plates for the names of a number of the more common shore species. 



Hermit Crabs. 



Mention should be made of the species of hermit crabs i- that occur in 

 such abundance along our shores. They are especially interesting, since they 

 do not have the long, hard tail of the shrimp or lobster, nor a short one that 

 can be doubled undei'neath as is the case with the ordinary crabs. Instead 

 they have a soft fleshy tail that requires to be covered and protected. Appar- 

 ently aware of this defect in its organization, the hermit crab, be it large or 

 small, old or young, invariably thrusts itself for shelter into some empty sea 

 shell. Once established in its shell house, it is subsequently never quite ready 

 to leave it, except to exchange its abode for a larger one when it finds its 

 quarters too cramped for comfort, owing to its own growth; or, occasionally, 

 for a new home that in weight and design is more closely in accord with its 

 notion of what a domicile should be. For these reasons they may be styled 

 the professional house-hunters along the shore. Once sheltered and protected 

 in the empty shell of some mollusk, they become aggressive and are always 

 on the lookout to better themselves. Occasionally one will forcibly e.ject the 

 living animal or another crab from the shell it chooses. 



This house-hunting process may be easily seen by placing a few lierniit 

 crabs in an aquarium together with a variety of empty shells and a liberal 

 supply of food. With a full stomach the necessity for a larger house is soon 

 felt. But if the process becomes too tedious to watch, the crab may be ejected 

 by force, when, if care is taken not to injure the two or three pairs of rudi- 

 mentary feet, by means of which it retains possession of its borrowed dwelling. 



^~ Sub-order Onomur 



(Description of Plate Continued from Opposite Page.} 



chlorostoina i-ar. G. Tankard Shell (Cantharus sp.). 7. Cantharus sj}. 8. Cantharus 

 sp. 9. Fish-Basket Shell (Nassa hirta). 10. Mitre Shell {Mitra sp.). 11. Uitra sp. 

 12. Mitra sp. 13. Mitra sp. 14. Mitra tabanula. 1.5. Dove shell (Columbella turturiiut). 

 16. Zebra Dove Shell {Colnmiella zebra). 17. Niihau Shell (Columbella varians). 18. 

 Spotted Conch [Pu leholeho] (Strombrts maculatus). 19. Strombus maculatus; var. 20. 

 Madagascar Cowry [Lebo puupuu] (Cyprcsa madaga-seariensis) . 21. Money Cowry (Cyprwa 

 moneta). 22. Isabella Cowry {Cyprcea isabella) . 2.3. Cyprwa semiplota. 24. Snake-head 

 Cowry {Cypraa caput-serpentis). 25. Cyprwa carneola, var. 2(5. Moon Shell (Natica mela- 

 nostoma). 27. Natica marochiensis. 28. Horse-hoof Shell (Hipponyj- aiitiquatus). 29. 

 Hipponyx barbatus. 30. Kipponyx imbricatus. 31. Slipper Shell {Crepidula aculeata). 32. 

 Eulima Shell (Eulima sp.). 33. Eulima major. 34. Pyramid Shell (Pyramidella terebel- 

 Imn). 35. Sun-Dial Shell [Pnpu puhi] (Solarium perspectivum) . 36. Ornament Shell (Tori- 

 nia varieqata). 37. Violet Snail (lanthina frafjilis). 38. lanthina exigua. 39. lanthina 

 t/lobosa. 40. Ladder Shell (Scalaria sp.). 41. Pupu alapii (Scalaria lamellosa). 42. Horn 

 Shell (Cerithium columna). 43. Cerilhium oheliscus. 44. Small Periwinkle (Littorina pinta- 

 do). 45. Mottled Periwinkle [Kolealea] (Littorina scabra). 46. Measure Shell (Modulus 

 tectum). 47. Sea Snail Shell [Kupee] (Nerita polita). 48. A wrist ornament made of 

 Kupee shells; often worn as an emblem of mourning. 49. Little Sea Snail (Neritina neglecta). 

 50. Pipipi (Nerita picea). 51. Neritina cariosa. 52. Neritina vespertina. 53. Wi (Neri- 

 tina granosa) ; a. fresh water species. 54. Top-shell (Trochus sp.). 55. Patella sp. 56. Pa- 

 tella sp. 57. Pupu moo (Ischnoeliiton sp.). 58. Bubble-shell (Hydatina amplustre). 59. 

 Little Emerald Shell (Smaragdinella viridis). 



