PHOLAS MUSSEL COCKLE. 6 9 



quired. When come upon, the animal, naturally 

 connecting the fate of his house with that of its 

 occupant, will be found to have shrunk into the 

 smallest possible size. The manner of his removal 

 to the Aquarium should depend upon the manner of 

 his extraction from the rock. If connected with any 

 portion of his stony domicile, a cozy crib may be 

 extemporised for him in some soft sea- weed; but if 

 entirely detached, he had better be carried in a bottle. 

 It may not be out of place here to remind the young 

 zoologist of never omitting to carry a specimen 

 bottle to the sea-side. After introducing the Pholas 

 into the Aquarium it is advisable to place him as 

 near as convenient to the edge, in order to have a 

 better opportunity of watching his movements. 



The first Pholas which I succeeded in capturing 

 was quite detached, and lived for a fortnight in the 

 tank, apparently in perfect health being, as far as I 

 could judge, perfectly contented. At the end of the 

 second week of its confinement it came to a sudden 

 and deplorable end. As an illustration of life in 

 the Aquarium, I may relate how the catastrophe 

 occurred. 



One morning, I noticed that a little Fiddler-crab 

 (Velvet Fiddler Portunus puber) was missing from 

 the impatient group that at that hour were daily 

 waiting breakfast. Afraid he might be indisposed, I 

 searched after the little fellow, but on discovering 

 him he retreated in great precipitation to the opposite 

 side of the tank, and there wriggling himself under 



