THE CANNIBAL HERMIT. 



181 



only two hermits of tolerably equal size are placed 

 in an aquarium, they are not content with appro- 

 priating different portions of the vessel to them- 

 selves, but must needs travel over it and fight 

 whenever they meet. This struggle is constantly 

 renewed, until one of them discovers his infe- 

 riority and makes way whenever the victor comes 

 near. When they fight, they do so in earnest, 

 tumbling over each other, and flinging about 

 their legs and claws with singular energy. 



They are not at all particular about diet, so 

 that it is of an animal substance, and will eat 

 molluscs, raw meat, or even their own species. 

 More than once, when a hermit has died, I have 

 dropped the body into the water so as to bring it 

 within view of another hermit. The little can- 

 nibal caught the descending body in one of his 

 claws very dexterously, and holding it firmly with 

 one claw, he picked it to pieces with the other, 

 and put each morsel into his mouth in a rapid 

 and systematic manner, that was highly amusing. 

 It was literally " tucking in." Only the soft ab- 

 domen was eaten, and the hard legs, claws, and 

 thorax rejected. Some prawns came and tried to 

 eat the rejected portions, but unsuccessfully, 

 although they dragged them about the water for 

 a few minutes. 



