Crabs. Lobsters, Shrimps, Barnacles etc. 



71 



article of food, if it were only a little more common. In the Bay of 

 Gaeta it is largely caught under the name of "mazzacuogna". 



We now turn to a curious group intermediate between the long- 

 tailed forms, Lobsters and Shrimps, and the short-tailed Crabs. These 

 are the Hermit - Crabs (Figs. 164 166). 



Fig. 165. Pagurus striatus, */2 nat. size. 





Fig. 164. Pagurus striatus, in a whelk-shell and Fig. 166. Eupagurus Prtdeauxii, in 

 bearing three Anemones, */2 nat. size. a shell and bearing the Anemone 



Adamsia palliata, */2 na t- size. 



A whelk-shell walking about on crab's legs and carrying sea-ane- 

 mones on its back such is the impression made on anyone looking 

 for the first time at a Hermit-crab (tank Nr. 23). This droll figure 

 fascinates us at once and creates in us a desire to know something more 

 about it. The problem is simpler than it seems, and has the following 

 explanation. The Hermit-crabs live in deserted whelk - shells. When 

 they escape from the egg they are just like the young long-tailed prawns ; 

 but very soon their previously straight tail begins to twist itself spirally, 

 and the time has come for the small animal, which is scarcely half an 

 inch long, to look out for a shell. If it finds an empty one suitable 

 for its size, it puts its tail into it; but if it does not, it first eats out 

 the whelk and then takes possession of the shell. In the course of 

 many generations the hind portion of the body has become so accustomed 

 to a borrowed covering, that it is quite soft, and resembles an unjointed 

 sack (Fig. 165) possessing at its extremity a pair of rudimentary legs; 

 with these it holds so fast to the shell that in trying to extricate the 

 animal you may very often tear it to pieces. The shell thus serves as 

 a protection, and is usually so large, that the Hermit-crab can withdraw 



