IN NEW SOUTH WALES. 215 



I have heard of a person who was accustomed to feed one of these 

 insects ; after feeding, it would enter the habitation, and shut down 

 the lid, by drawing it close with one of its claws. It is nearly 

 impossible to discover their habitations when the lid is closed, from 

 its being so accurately fitted to the aperture. — Vol. I. p. 328. 



There is a passage relative to the King-crab, which we 

 do not exactly understand. We understand the King-crab 

 to be the genus Limulus; but if so, surely the author has mis- 

 taken the tail for the head. However, we will transcribe the 

 passage, leaving our more learned readers to decide what 

 animal is intended. 



Observing an antenna of some crustaceous animal projecting 

 from the moist sand left by the receding tide, I pulled it, and drew 

 out two fine King-crabs, jointed together by their under surfaces, 

 and thus united, burrow [? they had burrowed] in the sand. They 

 are called Ecan mimi by the Javanese ; but on this coast [Sumatra] 

 they are named Mot moi. The male is larger than the female. 

 They are eaten by the Javanese ; but on this coast they are not 

 eaten, although the natives observe the Chinese are fond of them. 

 The females lay their eggs in the sand, after carrying them for some 

 time, and in about the second month the young are produced : 

 these animals are perfectly harmless ; they crawl rapidly ; and when 

 touched, draw the upper part of the shell a little inwards ; and as 

 they move, the long antenna bears a resemblance to a tail. When 

 placed on the back, they find much difficulty in regaining their 

 natural position. — Vol. I. p. 400. 



One quotation more, and we have done. The second 

 volume lays temptingly before us, but we resist. We could 

 not open it without meeting with some passage which we 

 should wish to purloin. It abounds in portraits from the 

 life, — sketches from nature. Therefore, gentle reader, we 

 recommend thee to read Bennett's Wanderings ; which, 

 though not penned by a Waterton, though without the perfect 

 finish, the exquisite style, of the Wanderings, are nevertheless 

 truth-breathing, original, and delightful ; and being so, are 

 surely worth the perusal of every naturalist. Every body 

 knows the Hermit-crab, and therefore every body will under- 

 stand the following: — 



A great number of the Paguri, Hermit, or Soldier-crabs, of dif- 

 ferent sizes, were running about the beach : two large specimens 



