400 INVEKTEBRATIB. 



The Hermit Crab is not so well protected as most of his 

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

 to protect his undefended tail hy 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 amusing 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. 



The Kiver Cray-fish is common in most of the rivers and 

 brooks of England. It resides in holes in the bank, sometimes 

 excavated by itself, but more often the deserted habitations of 

 water-rats. In rocky situations it lives under and among the 

 stones. The excellence and delicacy of its flesh causes it to be 

 much sought after. The usual method of catching these animals 

 is by lowering a net to the bottom of the water, baited with a 

 piece of meat. The cray-fish soon discover this, and come in 

 numbers to the bait, when the net is suddenly hauled up, and 

 most of the cray-fish secured. Some, however, escape by darting 

 off backwards, a movement produced by the violent bending of 

 their tails. It is a favorite amusement with boys to search for 

 them in their holes, and drag them from their concealment. 



The -Common Lobster is found in great abundance on our 

 coasts, usually in the clear rocky waters. The fishermen take 

 great numbers of lobsters in baskets made on the same principle 

 as those used for the capture of the crab. The powerful tail of 

 the lobsters enables them to spring through a great distance if 

 alarmed, and tfiey have been seen to pass nearly thirty feet. They 

 direct their course with wonderful accuracy, and can throw them- 

 selves through apertures hardly larger than the size of their bodice 

 Of course they spring tail foremost. 



