94 



SEA-SHORE LIFE 



Our hermit cral)s cany their eggs about attached to the hairs 

 of the hiwer side of the sibdonieii. The larva?, which swim freely 



Fig. 62 : Hermit Cial) leinoved from 

 shell. Cape Ann, Mass. 



fig. 6^; Little Hermit Ci-ali re- 

 moved from shell. Cape Ann, Mass. 



through the water, have a long spine fully twice as long as the body 

 itself, iirojecting straight forward above the eyes. A forked spine 

 also projects backAvard, so that the body of the crab a]3pears as if 

 attacheti to a long, forked stick. After a few moults its form 

 changes, and it seeics the shelter of a small shell. 



Tbi-ee species of hermit crabs are found in sliallow water along 

 our coast; 



Eiijiriijiiriin her)iJi<irdiis, Fi</s. 60-02, is common north of Cape 

 Cod, and is liairy and Ijriglit red in color. In Europe it is used 

 as bait liy iishermen. It extends from shallow water to a depth 

 of at least .iCM I feet. 



EiijKKjuriin pollic(iri--i ranges from Ca]ie Cod to Floritht, and is 

 aljundaiit upon oyster beds and rijcky Ijottoms of Long Island 

 Sound. It is pale red in color and the claws are granulated rather 

 than hairy. It iiihalhts the largest shells, such as those of the 

 whelk, but appears not to be very fastidious, for the writer found 

 one occupying the bowl of an old clay pipe. 



Eiipagui'iis longicarpiis, Fig. do, is the most abundant and 

 smallest of our hermit crabs, and occurs in very shallow water. 

 It may be recognized by its dull yellowish-white legs streaked 

 with dull slatey-gray or blue. 



The Sand Bug, fllippa talpoida, Fig. 64). This curious little 

 creature is related to the hermit crabs, but no one wtinld suppose 

 this to be the case without careful study, for its appearance is 



