If he meets with another
Hermit there is a battle, one trying to steal the other's shell. Our
coloured picture, page 35, shows some Hermits at war. Fighting,
house-hunting, and moving house seem to be the Hermit's favourite
pursuits. But, whatever he does, his first care is to protect that soft
tail of his. His right claw is large and strong, so he uses it to close
the door of his stolen home.
Sometimes he has a lodger who lives on the roof. This lodger, as you
will notice in our coloured picture, is the sea anemone. The Hermit and
his lodger seem to be good friends, at least they seem to like each
other's company. There is no doubt that there are good reasons for this.
We shall have more to say about this strange pair in our lesson on the
sea anemones.
[Illustration: HERMIT CRAB IN WHELK'S SHELL.]
Another funny Crab is the Spider Crab. Its back is covered with reddish
bristles, like so many hooks. These catch in the seaweed, and soon the
Spider Crab is decorated with bits of weed. But that is not all. The
artful Crab tears off other pieces of weed with its pincers, and
attaches them to the hooks.
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