CRUSTACEA. 133 



to be the first who studied this remarkable crab, 

 and to his accounts we are referred by Rumphius, 

 Seba, Linnaeus, and Cuvier. The Indians say that 

 these robber crabs can live upon cocoa-nuts, and 

 that they make their excursions during the night. 

 Quoy and Gaimard have fed them for months upon 

 cocoa-nuts alone. They climb principally a species 

 of palm-tree (Pandanus odoratissimus) , and devour 

 the small palm-nut that grows thereon. They are 

 a favourite article of food among the natives. 

 Darwin observed the Birgus latro in the Keeling or 

 Cocos Islands, situated in the Indian Ocean, about 

 six hundred miles from the coast of Sumatra. He 

 assures us this crab grows to a monstrous size. 

 M. Liesk tells us he has seen the Birgus latro open 

 cocoa-nuts, which they perform, according to Dar- 

 win, by tearing off the exterior fibres or husk, and 

 then striking them repeatedly upon the " eye- 

 holes," with their heavy claws. 



The young are hatched and live for some time 

 on the shore. The adult Birgus proceed at times to 

 the sea to moisten their gills ; the journey is made at 

 night. They make their beds of cocoa-nut husks. 

 These crabs are not only very good to eat, but 

 under the abdomen of the larger ones is lodged a 

 mass of fat, which, when melted, yields as much as 

 a quart of oil; so that a native having such an 

 animal at his disposal can make his supper of the 



