. An introduction to the study of zoology. Zoology. 192 AN INTRODUCTION TO ZOOLOGY. (fig. 54). The hermit-crab {Pagurus) belongs to the Macrura, and has a soft tail; hence it has to live in: the empty shell of a univalve. These crabs are very- amusing. If two are put in the same basin of sea- water they instantly go for one another; the stronger will turn the other out of his shell, and try it on; but as the stronger is usually the bigger, he mostly leaves it for his own, and lets the original owner go back to it. Indeed, the fight seems to arise according to the principle enunciated by Sir Ar
. An introduction to the study of zoology. Zoology. 192 AN INTRODUCTION TO ZOOLOGY. (fig. 54). The hermit-crab {Pagurus) belongs to the Macrura, and has a soft tail; hence it has to live in: the empty shell of a univalve. These crabs are very- amusing. If two are put in the same basin of sea- water they instantly go for one another; the stronger will turn the other out of his shell, and try it on; but as the stronger is usually the bigger, he mostly leaves it for his own, and lets the original owner go back to it. Indeed, the fight seems to arise according to the principle enunciated by Sir Arthur Helps, that "Every. Pig. 54.—Zoea or larval stage of tlie common Shore Crab, Carcinus Mcenas. man thinks every other man's bread-and-butter is nicer than his own," every hermit-crab thinks every other hermit-crab's shell is nicer than his own, until he has an opportunity to try it, and convince himself of the contrary. The fact is, that since a new shell is very necessary as the crab grows, and is not always immediately to be found, a new shell is the summum bonum of hermit-crab existence, and the belief that his own shell is too tight is a fixed Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Lindsay, B. London, S. Sonnenschein
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectzoology, bookyear1895
