6o6 



THE ROBBER-CRAB. 



even contrive to clamber up the branches or the trunks of trees, drawing themselves up 

 by their powerful claws and limbs, and caring little for the heavy burden which they 

 bear on their backs. They have the power of producing a curious noise, something 

 like the croak of a frog alternating with sounds as if of drawing water through the 

 lips. 



They are active and voracious beings, and feed with equal avidity on animal and 

 vegetable substances. They prefer animal food, such as fish, crabs, and, indeed, 

 almost any kind of flesh, but they will greedily eat yams, cocoa-nut, and other fruits. 

 They are timid creatures, croaking when disturbed, and seldom attempting to fight, 

 but draw themselves smartly within their homes as soon as they feel alarmed. They 

 are mostly nocturnal in their habits ; and as they bring a large supply of shells to land, 

 and are very fastidious about their accommodation, a great heap of empty shells is to 

 be seen upon the shore, and there is a continual rattle during the night as the creatures 

 knock the shells about in their movements. 



DIOGENES HERMIT-CRAB - 



Diogenes. 



OAR-FOOT CRAB. Remipes testudlaarius. 



In all these creatures, the larger claw is very much developed ; so that when the 

 crab has withdrawn into the shell, the claw lies over the entrance and closes it like a 

 living door, which has the further advantage of being used as an offensive weapon. The 

 foot stalks on which the eyes are set, are moderately long, stout, and jointed, and enable 

 their possessor to see in all directions. The color of this species is reddish brown, 

 spotted thickly with black. 



CLOSELY allied to the hermit-crabs, we find a very remarkable creature, called, from 

 its habits, the ROBBER-CRAB. It is also known by the name of PURSE-CRAB. The habits 

 of this creature, which will presently be described, are most remarkable, and there are 

 several singular peculiarities of structure. The abdomen, for example, is no longer soft 

 as in the hermits, but is covered above with strong plates, which overlap each other like 

 those of the lobster's tail. The under-surface of the abdomen is soft and membranous. 

 This is one of the Crustacea that can endure a long absence from water, and is fitted with 

 a peculiar addition to the breathing apparatus. There are twenty-eight gills, fourteen at 



