[To THE EDITOR OF THE "BPZOTATOP.1 Sm,—Your account in the
Spectator of November 21st of the warfare between the inhabitants of the sea reminds me of a curious scene I witnessed some thirty years ago at the Brighton Aquarium. I was watching some young herrings swimming about close to the bottom of the tank, when the claw of a hermit-crab suddenly shot out and caught one, and the owner of the claw proceeded to commence his meal. The capture had, however, been seen by another hermit-crab, who at once claimed a share, and a most amusing chase commenced, the two dodging each other round rooks. Unable alone to achieve his object, No. 2 went off, but presently returned with a friend, with whose help he succeeded in effecting a capture. But the chase had aroused the interest of the hermit-crab colony, and presently at least from fifteen to twenty of them were engaged in an apparently furious battle for possession of the unfortunate baby-herring. Then occurred the most amusing episode of all. Out of the struggling mass there crawled a hermit-crab, dragging along with him the body, somewhat dilapidated by now, of the herring, with which he quietly retired behind a rock out of sight of his companions and proceeded to make his meal, while all the others continued to fight, unconscious, apparently, that the object of their desire was gone. I always have had a hope that the final possessor of the herring was also the original captor.—I am,
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