Crustacea. 7659 



retiring deeper and deeper as the big one got in ; but of course there 

 must be an end to this ; there was a point at which the little crab could 

 go no further. When it got to the end of the shell it stopped ; but still 

 the big crab, perfectly unconscious of its neighbour, prepared finally 

 to occupy the shell. It had scarcely got into the entire depth of the 

 shell, when it came in contact with the small crab within, which 

 immediately gave its soft tail a pinch. I shall never forget the hurry 

 with which the larger one bounced out again — tear away; it could 

 not get out fast enough, with a strong expression on its countenance 

 of unmitigated disgust and astonishment. 



No doubt but many may think that to speak of the countenance of 

 a crab is merely a figure of speech. Not so. The shepherd sees in 

 the face of his sheep an expression peculiar to every one of his flock, 

 and knows each by his features, with more certainty than a less 

 observing man will recognize men in a crowd. So it is among the 

 lower animals : the attentive observer will perceive an expression, in 

 almost every one in a species, that marks its individuality; and there 

 can be little doubt but that there is as great diversity of appearance 

 and character, though in a less striking degree, among the lower 

 forms, as there is among the highest. 



Both crabs looked out for a new abode, feeling assured that the 

 old one was not " canny." It not unfrequently happens that one will 

 remain for a considerable time in the same shell, but it is in con- 

 sequence of a sponge fixing itself upon the shell and growing over it: 

 the sponge grows on and covers the shell, the presence of the crab 

 alone preventing it from closing the mouth also. Through this orifice 

 the crab passes in and out and runs about with its house, which looks 

 like a moving mass of sponge. 



Some of the Macroura (or long-tailed Crustacea) take up their 

 abode deep in the mud or sand beneath the sea, into which they bur- 

 row for themselves galleries of very great length. There are among 

 the amphipods some that have similar habits. The Corophium lon- 

 gicorne excavates its own way into hard clay or mud; this, probably, 

 is as much in search of food as to live in. They seek and hunt the 

 worms that live there, waging a perpetual war against the whole 

 tribe. A battle of serpents— a fight between man and beast— would 

 not form half so terrific a Laocoon as a conflict between a Corophium 

 and a fine neried worm, if you could only magnify their forms. 

 The serpent is smooth, and can only bite ; the man or tiger has 

 only claws and a mouth ; but the worm is armed with sharp daggers 

 that dart out from its side the whole length of its structure; and as for 



