508 THE HERMIT CRAB. 



native but to leave part of the leg behind in token 

 of victory. 



Mr. Collinson was shown an experiment to prove 

 the extremely tenacious disposition of the Crab. A 

 fisherman, by irritation, made a Crab seize one of 

 its own small claws with a large one. The foolish 

 creature did not distinguish that it was itself the 

 aggressor, but exerted its strength, and soon cracked 

 the shell of the small claw. Feeling itself wounded, 

 it cast off the piece in the usual place, but conti- 

 nued to retain the hold with the great claw for a 

 Jong time afterward. 



Fishermen say that the Crab will live confined in 

 a pot or basket for several months, without any 

 other food than what is collected from the sea- 

 water, and that even in this situation it will not 

 decrease in weight*. 



THE HERMIT CRAEf. 



The Hermit Crab is usually about four inches 

 long. It has no shell behind, but is covered down 

 to the tail with a rough skin, terminating in a point. 

 It is armed with two strong hard nippers before, 

 one of which is as thick as a man's thumb, and so 

 strong as to be capable of inflicting a very severe 

 wound. 



Having no shell to any part but its nippers, the 

 Hermit Crab supplies by art what is denied to it 



* Collinson in Phil. Tran. toI. xliv. p. 70.— Vol. xlvii. p. 41. 



+ Cancer Bernhardus. Linn. 



