116 
ANIMAL CURIOSITIES 
ingly. Another advantage gained by this 
curious companionship arises from the fact 
that the crab is liable to be attacked by a 
parasite that pierces its body and causes its 
death, but if the crustacean be fortunate enough 
to have an anemone as a lodger it can afford 
to ignore the lurking danger, as the latter 
creature delights to feed upon the parasites. 
With the king-crabs or horse-shoe crabs 
we come to a group that are somewhat of 
a puzzle to zoologists, for, notwithstanding 
their name, they are not true crabs but claim 
kinship with the scorpions—although to a 
remote degree. They are found in the waters 
of the Eastern coast of the United States, as 
well as oh the coasts of Japan, China, and 
the Indo-Pacific Islands. The North American 
species is of considerable size, and possesses 
a large flattened carapace above which arise 
four eyes—one pair of small ones and the 
others larger. A long, pointed and whip-like 
tail protrudes from the hindermost portion 
of the shell, this organ being used as an im¬ 
plement for elevating the back part of the 
body while the broad and spade-like front margin 
of the shell is applied to the soft soil of the 
sea bed when the creature is burrowing. The 
tail also serves another purpose, enabling its 
owner to right itself should it turn upside 
