THE ANIMAL LIFE OF THE GROUP. 471 



task to be undertaken lierc. 'I'lic readei- is i-eferred to the accompanying 

 plates lor the names of a iiiunljer of the more common shore species. 



Hermit Crabs. 



Mention should be made of the species of hermit crabs ^- that occur in 

 such abundance along our shores. They are especially interesting, since they 

 do not have the long, hard tail of the shrimp or lobster, nor a slioi't one tliat 

 can be doubled underneath as is the case with the ordinary crabs. Instead 

 they have a soft fleshy tail that requires to be covered and protected. Appar- 

 ently aware of this defect in its organization, the hermit crab, be it large or 

 small, old or young, invarialily thrusts itself for shelter into some empty sea 

 shell. Once established in its shell house, it is subsequently never quite ready 

 to leave it, except to exchange its abode for a larger one wIkmi it finds its 

 quarters too cramped for comfort, owing to its own growth : or, occasionally, 

 for a new home that in weight and design is more closely in accord with its 

 notion of what a domicile should be. For these reasons they nuiy be styled 

 the professional house-hunters along the shore. Once sheltered and |)r()tected 

 in the empty shell of some mollusk, they become aggressive and are always 

 on the lookout to better themselves. Occasionally one will foi-cilily eject the 

 living animal or another crab from the shell it chooses. 



This house-hunting process may be easily seen by ])]acing a few hermit 

 crabs in an aquarium together with a variety of empty shells and a libci'al 

 supply of food. With a full stomach the necessity for a larger house is soon 

 felt. But if the process becomes too tedious to watch, the crali may he ejected 

 by force, when, if care is taken not to injure the two or three pairs of rudi- 

 mentary feet, by means of which it retains possession of its boi-rowed dAvelling, 



^- Suborder Onomura. 



(Df'xcrii)! ion of Phitc Coiitiiiurd from Opjionite Par/e.) 



chlorostoma var. 6. Tankard Shell (iknilhani.s sp.). 7. Canthants sp. 8. Cantharus 

 sp. 9. Fish-Basket Shell (A'«**« liirta). 10. Mitre Sliell {Mitra sp.). 11. Mitni .sp. 

 12. Mitra sp. 13. Mitra sp. 14. Mitra tabanula. 15. Dove shell (CohnnbeUa tiirturina). 

 16. Zebra Dove Shell (ColiunbeUa zebra). 17. Niihau Shell (ColumbiJhi varians). 18. 

 Spotted Coneh [Pii leholeho] {Strombus maciilatus). 19. Strombus vtaculuius ; var. 20. 

 Madagascar Cowry [Leho puupuii] (Cypro'a madagascariensis). 21. Money ("owry (Ci/pnra 

 moneta). 22. Isabella Cowry {Cyprrra Isabella). 23. Cypra'a semiplota. 2-4. Snake-hoad 

 Cowry {Cyprcea eaput-serpentis). 2.5. Cypra'a carneola, var. 26. ^Moon Shell (Natica viela- 

 nostoma). 27. Natica mtiroeliiensis. 28. Horsedioof Shell {Hipponyx aiititjiuitus). 29. 

 Uipponyx barbatus. 30. Hipponyx imbricatus. 31. Slipper Shell {Crei)i(htla anileala). 32. 

 Eulima Shell (Eiilima sp.). 33. Eulima major. 34. l^yrainid Shell (ryramidella terebel- 

 lum). 35. Sun-Dial Shell [Pnpii piihi] (Solarium perspeetivum). 36. Ornament Shell (Tori- 

 nia variecjata). 37. Violet Snail {lanthina frafiilis). 38. lanthina exiiiua. 39. lanthina 

 (llohdsd. 40. Ladder Sliell (Seahiria sp.). 41. I'npu alajiii (Scalaria lanullosa). 42. Horn 

 Shell {Cerithium coJumna). 43. Cerilhiuni obeliseus. 44. Small reriwiiikle {Littoriita pinta- 

 do). 45. Mottled Periwinkle [Kolealeaj (Littoriim scabra). 4(i. Measure Shell (Mn(iulu.9 

 teetum). 47. Sea Snail Shell [Kupeo] (Xerita polita). 48. A wrist ornament made of 

 Kiipee shells; often worn as an (Mubleiii oi' mourning. 49. Little Sea Snail (Xerilina neiilteta). 

 50. Pipipi (Nerita picea). 51. Neriiina eariosa. 52. Neritina vespertina. .53. Wi (.Vrri- 

 /i/ia ^ra/iosa) ; a fresh water species. 54. Top-shell (Troehus sp.). 55. Patella sp. 56. Pa- 

 tella sp. 57. Pupil moo {Isehnoehiion sp.). 58. Bubble-shell (Hydatina amplu.ftre). 59. 

 Little Emerald Shell (Siiuirandiiif Ihi -iritlis). 



