HERMIT-CKAB. 115 



It was rather a peculiar shell, being nearly full of 

 various sized holes. * 



Into this object the large Crab quickly entered and 

 took up his abode. The little fellow being left in 

 his elevated position, soon deserted it, and roamed 

 about in search of food. I took this opportunity of 

 lifting out the original shell, put a little sea- weed in 

 the cup, and left the brothers for the night. 



Next day on looking in, I was astonished to find 

 the small Crab in two pieces its body being broken 

 off at the waist (if I may so term it). The two large 

 claws of the other Crab were wrenched off his body 

 and lying at the bottom of the cup, two of his an- 

 terior legs were protruding through holes in the 

 shell, and the poor Pagurus himself was quite dead. 

 How this tragic affair happened I am at a loss to 

 conceive. 



I could relate many other anecdotes of the Hermit- 

 crabs, did not my limited space forbid me. I may, 

 however, mention that scarcely a day passes in which 

 the strange habits and quaint comicalities of these 

 singular animals do not afford food for the note-book 

 of the student. 



In conclusion, I may inform the reader, that there 

 are seven species of Hermit-crabs, but of these, one 

 only (Pagurus lernardhus) can be called common. 



Walking one afternoon on the Musselburgh Sands, 

 I was not a little surprised to find at every footstep 



* The shell is before me as I write; it is one inch in length, 

 and contains fifty perforations. 



