NATURAL HISTORY. 



Sub-order II. DECAPODA-AXOMOURA. (Gr. "Avo/zof, unaccustomed; ovpd, 



a tail.) 

 Family III. . Paguridse. (Gr. Ujj-ywpi, to fix; ovpd a tail.) 



Bernliardus (Lat. proper name), the Hermit Crab. 



The HERMIT CRAB is not so well protected as most of his 

 relations, for his tail has no shelly armour. He is therefore 

 forced to protect his undefended tail by putting it into an 

 empty shell, usually that of a whelk, and then walks about, 

 dragging his curious house after him. Sometimes, two hermit 

 crabs wish to obtain possession of the same shell, and then 

 there is a battle royal. When the crab grows larger, he only 

 has to change his old shell for a new one, and it is very amus- 

 ing to see them slipping their tails, first into one shell, and 

 then into another, until they have pleased themselves with a 

 good fit. 



The Land Crabs make annual excursions to the sea in large 

 armies. They go straight forward, and nothing except a house 

 or such insurmountable barrier can stop them. Those of 

 Jamaica are particularly celebrated. 



