CHAPTER XII. 



CRUSTACEA AND MOLLUSCA FOR THE MARINE AQUARIUM. 



The Scavengers of tho Marine Aquarium — Aiding them in their Labors — Hermit 

 Crabs — " Hermits " habitations — Pugnacity of " Hermits" — " Hermits " changing 

 their Lodgings— Death of " Hermits "—Fiddler Crab— The American Soldier Crab- 

 Edible Crab — Soft-shell Crabs— The Lupa's mode of burying himself— Sea-spider 

 —King-crab— Effect of feeding Hogs on them— Lobster — Shrimp— Buccinum obsole- 

 tum— Natica duplicata— 1'yrula canaliculata— Fusus cinereus— Crepidulte— Oysters 

 — Anomia— Mussels— Clams— Scallops— The blue "eyes." 



In the mariue, as iu the fresh-water Aquarium, we must 

 have scavengers to remove decaying vegetable and animal 

 matter, as well as to graze on the conferva; and keep the 

 glass sides of our tank clear and bright. However, it will 

 be found that the marine molluscs do not perform that por- 

 tion of their duty in as satisfactory a manner as those of 

 the fresh-water tank. Iu consequence of this, I have been 

 in the habit, once or twice a month, of aiding them in their 

 useful labors and in cleaning the glass with a sponge, 

 attached to the end of a small rod of wood. 



We shall, first, take into consideration the crustaceous 

 animals that may be introduced with advantage into the 

 marine Aquarium ; and in beginning, I should state my 

 belief that most, if not all, of the family of Crustacea can, 

 with a little extra care and attention, be made to livo and 



