116 SAGAKTIAD^E. 



of the aquarium (quite close to the Sag. parasitica) ; and 

 after a slight survey to see that all was right, he turned his 

 left shoulder forward and ' backed in : ' then he began to 

 whisk his antennas and foot-jaws in a dreadful manner, and 

 looked evidently quite content. I suppose this was a state 

 of things the parasite perched on the rock above had long 

 been waiting for ; for it was not long in moving its disk 

 over the top of the small whelk ; and before the Crab knew 

 where he was, the big Sagartia had pitched his tent on the 

 roof of the Hermit's house. Where the Hermit Crab goes, 

 there goes the Sagartia: a quiet life it led before; a restless 

 one it has to lead now. But doubtless it knows what's 

 best for it." 



The crab who sustains the honourable office of porter to 

 this species is invariably the brawny-limbed Pagurus hern- 

 liar 'dus, as P. Prideauxii is favoured with the support of 

 Adamsia palliata. In the rude and blundering manner in 

 which the bearer performs his office, it cannot be but that 

 the poor Anemone sustains many a hard knock and many 

 a rough squeeze among the rocks and stones over which 

 his servant travels; but he appears to bear these mis- 

 chances with great philosophy : I know of no species which 

 lives so constantly exposed. A rude shock will, indeed, 

 cause it to withdraw its tentacles, and contract its disk into 

 that button-like shape which is common to the tribe ; but 

 this is only for a moment ; it instantly expands again, and 

 remains full blown in spite of all its draggings hither and 

 thither. Its skin is peculiarly tough and leathery ; a 

 provision, doubtless, against the accidents to which its 

 vagrant life exposes it. 



Mr. R. Q. Couch says that the favourite site for this 

 Anemone (in the neighbourhood of Penzance ?) is on the 

 claw of the Corwich Crab (Maia squinado). Mr. Cocks, 

 however, says that in the neighbourhood of Falmouth it is 



