Fiddler- and Hermit- Crabs. 



75 



WARTY HERMIT-CRABS. 

 One at Home, the Other House-Hunting. 



But the matter does not always go on pleasantly. Two 

 house-hunters may find the same tenement. Should they 

 both desire it, then comes the tug of war. Dwell together 

 they neither can nor will. Recourse is had to battle, in 

 which the stronger proves his claim right by the rule of 

 might. In these encounters terrible mutilations quite often 

 occur. 



As. an offset to all this bad feeling and bloodshed, it is a 

 sad sight to see the little Hermit when his time comes to die. 

 However droll his career may have been, he is now very 

 grave, for he knows he must part with life and all its joys 

 and pleasures. Who can explain the strange fact ? The 

 poor little fellow comes out of his house to die. Yes, to die. 

 To us humans home is the only fit place to die in, but to Eu- 

 pagurus it has no attractions at this solemn time. Poor 

 fellow ! With a sad look and a melancholy movement he 

 quits of his own will the house for which he fought so well. 

 Those feelers that often stood out so provokingly, and that 

 were quite as often poked into everybody's business, now 

 lie prone and harmless ; the eyes have lost their pertness, 



