THE CRUSTACEA 147 



evicted tenant as quickly making it a matter of ex- 

 change. 



Then the trouble begins again, the new house does not 

 suit, and there is a fight for a return to the original state 

 of affairs. I have kept these crabs, fifty at a time, and 

 always saw trouble on the way. (With a little care these 

 crabs thrive well in aquaria.) 



Not so common, but still pretty numerous on our coast, 

 is " the Purple Hermit Crab " (Pagmus prideauxii). It is 

 not quite so large as the foregoing, and the shell of a large 

 trochus is usually sufficient accommodation. It frequents 

 deeper water, although pretty constant on the shore. Its 

 claws are not quite so rugose as those of the common species, 

 and the colour is a beautiful pale purple. The anemone 

 that accompanies this one is a different species to that 

 which accompanies the last-named (see " Anemones," 

 Chapter III.). 



The " Woolly Hermit" (Pagurus cuanensis) is far less com- 

 mon than either of the preceding. It is also smaller, about 

 half the size. It is thickly covered with a coating of hairs, 

 which, examined closely, are seen to be club-shaped, and 

 thick end outwards. These hairs, and their form, serve 

 to hold a plentiful supply of mud or ooze, which helps to 

 conceal their owner. It usually occupies the shell of the 

 murex or the dog whelk, and is found in the neighbourhood 

 of rocks on oozy ground. It is rather rare. 



A very small species, not more than half-an-inch long, 

 is sometimes met with on the shore, more often in dredg- 

 ings. This is Pagurus Herdmanii. It is a pretty little 

 thing, with chubby, knob -shaped claws, very smooth, and 

 of ivory whiteness. It is somewhat rare. 



Next to the hermits are the " Scaly Lobsters " or " Squat 

 Lobsters" (the Galatheas Fig. 59). They are, as their 

 popular name implies, somewhat on the outlines of the 

 lobster, but more flattened, and the carapace is ridged 



