The Washington herald., 1909-03-21

the most marked peculisrities Of these
animals. They are generally found in the
vicinity OF the codhshes, IN which they
frequently live as internal parasites for
a portion Of their life. They attach
themselves 10 the outside Of the body and
scrape away the flesh with their teeth
until finally a hole is made through the
wall OF the body. and then they creep
into the abdominal cavity This fish has
the power Of secreting slime IN almost
incredible quantities. Kept in confinement
for short time in a small jar Of water.
il VIII secrete so much OF the mucus as
TO convert the whole into a mass Of jelly.
''On the Grand Banks halibut are some
times taken by the fishermen with pug
nose eels burrowed IN their flesh. In the
Andean region Of South America are
found small catfishes which live IN the
gill cavities of larger catfishes. They are
not parasites seeming to enter these csyi-
ties for protection merely. very rare
fish, TetragonuTus cuVeTi has been OBJ
served TO live. when young. in the respira-
tory cavity OF large Salpae. while an
other species takes up its residence In a
starfish.
The little oyster crab. found in the
common oyster OF our coast. is well
known 10 all. although it is not generally
who thus keeps house. the male living
a life of freedom and being rarely seen.
One member Of the family. when young.
enters the water lungs OF the sea cucum-
Der and there spends its life the crab
IN time, owing 70 disuse. losing its eye
sight Others make their home In sea
urchins and in the tubes Of certain ma
rine worms Others establish homes In
branching coral Settling down between
two twigs the crab stays here until by
the growth Of the coral. he IS rendered a
prisoner for life. too small holes only re-
naming through one OF which he draws
the water necessary for his existence.
the other serving as an exit for the
water which has served his purpose. the
current OF water serving 10 keep the cav
ity open as long as the crab lives. Still
another member Of the family prefers TO
make his home in the more solid cOraIs.
where the young crab. settling down ia
the center Of a young poIyp. kills II. while
the surrounding pOlyps. continuing 20
grow, soon build a tubular dwelling FOR
the crab.
In the West Indies Is found a large
species Of crab which IS invariably COW
cred with dense mass OF sponge. The
sponge grows in such a manner as 10
NJ every prominence and cavity Of the
crab, exactly as II a plastic material had
oeen nodded on Il. yet Il is not adher-
mt 10 II, but is merely held IN position
by The hindmost pair Of feet. which IN this
genus OF crabs are turned upward and
apparently serve no ether purpose. than
that OF hooks 10 hold on to the sponge.
The use Of the discarded shells OF
moliusks as homes by the hermit crabs
IS iemiiiar 90 all visitors 10 the seashore.
In indian seas Is found. however a her
mt crab which frequently makes its
home IN hollow twigs Of bamboo s75
nangrove which have drifted cut 10 sea
and have sunk 10 the bottom when water
logged. It's body fits the tube Of the cbos-
en- tWig as a glove FITS a finger, and fts
great claws are modified so as 10 form
"nen pressed together a tight fitting
stopper TO the mouth Of the tube. there
being only one chink left, which the ami
nal uses as a peephole.
Hermit Crab a Hoat.
Another hermit crab which Is found
in deep water on the New England
coast. IS the host OF sea anemone. The
latter. by budding gradually covers the
entire shell Of the crab. and not only
this. but 1t possesses the power OF dis
solving the crabs shell 50 that no trace
OF It can be found. As this polvp in
creases in size with the growth OF the
crab. there Is no need OF a change OF
house on the latter's part-his home
grows as he does. Even more remark
able stil IS the case of a Chinese hermit
crab which always bears upon the out
side or the large claw a small anemone.
which, when the hermit retreats into his
shell. closes the aperture
The hermit crab Of our coast is near
ly always associated with the cloak
anemone. ard these two animals exhibit
sympathies almost inexpIlcable. The
anenone attaches itself almost always
20 the shell, which serves as the dwelling
of the crab. and Il may be looked r,nor
as certain that where the hermit is there
VIII the anemone be found These two
animals seem 10 have a mutual affection
Tor each other. When the crab outgrov-s
ms temporary home he necessarily rnusr
seek a more commodiOUs one. and after
such has been found he detaches IN a
most deliberate fashion his conDanio1
the anemone. from the Old shell. trans
ports It with every care and precautio1.
and places Il comfortably upon the new
she'll home. and then with It's large min
GERS gives II many little taps in order 70
attach II the more firmly. Sometimes
1hO oueiiLoue OOeS not Ike the new home
and then there is a hurry and scurrv. on
the part Of the crab &c obtain a sheU
which viii satisfy It's companion.
Voluntarily Immures himself.
For years occasional specimens OF the
beautiful sponge called Venus flower
basket which contained A curious little
shrimp, were received from the Philip-
pines and Japan. and it was at first SUD-
posed that these small crustaceans had
been inserted in the sponge and the open
ing then closed by the ingenious and
crafty people OF the East. Other. and
later observers believed that the sponge
was a wonderful siliceous habitation con
structed by the shrimp itself As no one
has yet been able 10 discover the open-
ings which would be necessary vyers
man to insert the shrimp into the sponge
while every specimen thus imprisoned
belongs 10 the same speeies-a fact which
would hardly be- probable were we in
debted to man for the arrangement-scr-
entists are now agreed that the in,mur-
nent OF ths shrimp IS voluntary on It's
part
Among the mollusca the genus Rhiz-
ochilus is noticeable from the fact that
the young OF one species has a well form
A DEMOCRATIC BOLTER