98 THE HEEMIT IN A FRIGHT. 



finding all his efforts to remove his carriage unavail- 

 ing, he unhooked his tail and scrambled down among 

 the pebbles. My purpose was thereby gained, for 

 the next moment he was resting in the palm of one 

 of my juvenile friends, who seemed quite delighted 

 with his prize. Twice afterwards, being in a mis- 

 chievous mood, I gave the crab a fright in the way 

 just mentioned; but it was quite evident, that what 

 might be sport to me was death to him, for he was 

 both annoyed and alarmed at my procedure. Even 

 when guiltless of any intention of touching the 

 creature, if I merely showed him the cane he 

 immediately hobbled away at the utmost rate of 

 speed he could muster. On several occasions I fol- 

 lowed after and brought him back to the edge of the 

 tank, although such conduct met with his strongest 

 disapproval, and caused him for some time to sulk 

 beneath an arch-way of rock work, away from the 

 reach of vulgar eyes. 



Upon the side and near the base of my tank a fine 

 specimen of the Limpet was at one time attached. 

 From the centre of its shell a forest of sea-grass 

 waved gracefully, shadowing- a large colony of Bar- 

 nacles thickly clustered beneath. Soon the Patella 

 decided upon taking its usual morning stroll in 

 search of food, a task of little difficulty, standing as 

 the animal already did upon the margin of a broad 

 meadow, richly coated with a verdant growth, com- 

 posed of the infant spores of the Ulva. Slowly 



