frHB HERMIT fcilAS. 



Entertaining manners. 



itself wounded, it cast off the piece in the usual 

 place, but continued to retain the hold with the 

 great claw for a long time afterward. 



It is asserted by fishermen that the crab will 

 live confined in a pot or basket for several 

 months, without any other food than what is 

 collected from the sea water, and that even in 

 this situation it will not decrease in weight* 



The hermit> or soldier crab, another species, is 

 Usually about four inches long* It has no shell 

 behind, but is covered down to the tail with a 

 rough skin, terminating in a point* It is armed 

 with two strong hard nippers before, one of 

 which is as thick as a man's thumb, and so 

 strong as to be capable of inflicting a very severe 

 wound. Having no shell to any part but its nip- 

 pers, this animal supplies by art what is denied 

 to it by nature; for, taking possession of the de- 

 serted shell of some other animal, it occupies 

 that till, by becoming too large for its habitation, 

 it is under the necessity of changing it, 



It is highly entertaining to observe this ani- 

 mal in some countries busily parading the sea 

 shore, along that line of pebbles and shells which 

 is formed by the farthest wave ; still, however, 

 dragging its old incommodious habitation at its 

 tail, unwilling to part with one shell, even though 

 a troublesome appendage, till it can meet whk 

 another more convenient. It stops first at one 

 shell, turns it, passes by; then goes to another, 

 contemplates that for a while, and, slipping its 



VOL. v. NO. 37. 2 x 



