264 SEASIDE DIVINITY. 



His closing cells the Pinna sudden joins, 

 And 'twixt the pressing sides the prey confines : 

 Thus fed by mutual aid, the friendly pair 

 Divide their gains, and all the plunder share." 



Modern observation has discovered that there 

 is no ground for the statement thus made by the 

 ancient poet ; and the pea-crab, so far from dis- 

 charging the functions referred to, is understood 

 to enter the shells of the bivalves for self-pro- 

 tection. 



The hermit-crab next claims our notice. There 

 are several in the pool we are examining ; one of 

 these occupies the shell of a whelk, and is of a 

 large size. Others are small, and have taken up 

 their abode in shells not much larger than the 

 common periwinkle. 



The hermit-crab (Pagurus Bernhardus) is an 

 interesting little creature, both in its structure 

 and habits. It seems to constitute a sort of inter- 

 mediate link between the crab and the lobster, 

 and is in consequence of its similarity to the 

 lobster, as regards the length of its body, compre- 

 hended in the order to which the lobster belongs. 

 The very singular peculiarity of the hermit-crab is 

 that, although its tail is prolonged like that of the 

 lobster, it is wholly destitute of the hard, defen- 

 sive covering in which the tail of the lobster is en- 

 cased, and by which the anterior portion of its own 

 body and its claws are enclosed. Surrounded as 

 he is with many and various enemies, and espe- 

 cially by those of his own relations of the crab 

 and lobster families, the naked and exposed con- 



