54 Life Beneath the Waves. 



particularly amusing inmate of an aquarium, 

 and that is, the Hermit, or Soft-tailed crab. 



In shape he is totally different to any of 

 those previously mentioned; in fact, the 

 Hermit bears a greater resemblance to a 

 lobster than a crab, his body being long 

 and thin, instead of flat and broad; and he, 

 moreover, possesses a tail, which, strange 

 to say. is quite soft, and devoid of the pro- 

 tection of shelly armour, which covers the 

 fore part of his body, arms, and legs. 



In consequence of this deficiency of his 

 " latter end," the Hermit takes up his abode 

 in a shell, in which he fixes himself very 

 firmly by means of a pair of pincers at the 

 end of his tail, so firmly indeed, that it is a 

 difficult matter to pull him therefrom with- 

 out injury. As a rule, one of the Hermit's 

 arms is larger than the other; his horns 

 are of a considerable length ; his eyes are 



