66 



LIVING CREATURES. 



of ludicrous members, but the drollest of all is the 

 hermit crab. It is really more of a lobster than a 

 crab, for it has quite a long abdomen, while the crab 

 has scarcely any. This hermit wears a good shell on 

 the main part of his body ; but unfortunately the 

 hinder part is naked and tender, and is exposed to 

 attack. 



Now he will surely die if he can not inclose his del- 

 icate part in the shell of some mollusk. To find such 



Common Edible Crab. 



a covering it is necessary for him to be a thief and 

 a robber. Having found a convenient shell of sufficient 

 size, and having dragged the innocent occupant out, 

 the hermit pokes in his tail-part and hooks it fast to 

 the inside of the shell by two small feet, which grow 

 out from the end of .the tail, seemingly for this very 

 purpose. 



When the lobster grows too big for his shell he 



