Vol. 6, 1920 
ZOOLOGY: R. P. COWLES 
41 
in an aquarium containing a clean, empty Dolium shell of a larger size than 
the one in use. The hermit began to examine the new shell almost im- 
mediately, put its pinchers and some of its legs inside of the shell and 
remained in this position for a considerable length of time. Occasionally 
the pinchers were moved about and were used apparently to examine 
the outside of the shell. Then, suddenly, the abdomen was inserted into 
the new shell and the hermit without moving away grasped one of the 
large anemones clawing, pinching and pulling it. The anemone instead 
of contracting as it would if disturbed by the observer remained expanded 
even though the mauling it received was really very strenuous and although 
it was frequently jammed up against the newly occupied shell. After 
these movements had continued at least for ten minutes the base of the 
anemone began to loosen in several places. Instead of completing its 
work at once the hermit began to pinch and claw the other large anemone 
which withdrew its tentacles, soon however protruding them again. Then 
suddenly the hermit left the second anemone, picked off the small, white 
one and applied it at the mouth of the new shell almost directly under its 
own head, where it soon became firmly attached. The crab now attacked 
again one of the large anemones, removed it easily, turned it round and 
round between its legs and pinchers and finally pushed the base against 
the side of the new shell. It failed to become attached, slipped down on 
the hermit's legs, stuck to them for a moment, dropped off and finally 
attached itself on the glass bottom of the aquarium. Again the hermit 
crab seemed to lose interest in the anemone on which it was working and 
began tugging, pinching and scratching the only remaining anemone 
attached to its old shell. After a long period of handling and some little 
prying up of the edges of the base of the anemone, during which time the 
tentacles contracted completely, the anemone suddenly slipped off ap- 
parently of its own accord. (Strange as it may appear the crab seems 
never to cause any injury although the base of the anemone is very thin 
and when taken off by man is easily torn.) The hermit now caught the 
anemone which had just slipped off, rolled it around and around for a few 
seconds and then with the aid of the hind legs applied the tentacle-side 
against the shell. Again the anemone slipped off and was disregarded 
for a moment while the hermit picked up the other anemone. Still holding 
the latter it lifted up the one that had just slipped off and rolled them 
both around for some little time. Finally one became attached to the side 
of the shell by one edge of the base and was left to shift for itself. The 
other was passed up to the opposite side of the shell with the aid of the 
posterior legs of the hermit and soon both anemones became firmly at- 
tached with their tentacles beautifully expanded. While the actions of 
this hermit crab were not nearly so accurate as those of some oj:hers I 
have observed, yet like all of them it showed a constant and hurried ac- 
tivity which seemed to indicate that some inherited nervous condition 
