20 
LETTERS FROM ALABAMA. 
butterflies: a few insignificant moths, a smallTbrown 
Lihellida, an Agrion with blue wings, a large and 
handsome yellow wasp, a large green locust, an 
ichneumon, and some Muscce^ made up the totale of 
the insect population that I met with. I did mot 
see a single coleopterous insect of any species^ 
There were many kinds of birds; among which 
I recognised the red-winged starling [Sturnus pre- 
datorius)j the same in voice and manners as in 
Canada, and the king-bird (Musicapa tyrannus). 
The captain said he saw blue and white cranes, 
(perhaps Ardea candidissima and A, ccerulea)^ and 
the willet [Scolopax semipalmata), I thought once 
or twice that I heard the humming-bird, which 
was not improbable, though I did not see it. 
On the beach were many kinds of shells, such as 
Pyrula^ Leistus^ Aviciila^ Tdlina^ Venus ^ &c., but 
none of much pretension to beauty of form or colour. 
A species of TrocJius was most numerous, very many 
of which were inhabited by hermit crabs [Pagiirus)^ 
which were thrusting their red claws and antennge 
out, and crawling about as briskly as bees. 
The economy of these creatures is very singular. 
Unlike the rest of the crab family, the body is soft 
and unprotected, the head and claws alone being 
armed with a crustaceous shell ; hence our hermit 
is compelled to have recourse to his wits to supply 
the deficiency of nature. He resorts to this curious 
expedient : he seeks along the shore to find an 
univalve shell, the inhabitant of which is dead, of 
sufficient capacity to hold his vulnerable body in 
its recesses, and to afford room to draw his head 
and claws within the edge upon occasion. It is 
said he is not easily satisfied ; that he turns over, 
and tries and examines a good many before he 
