ON THF. COCOA-NUT CUAU. 145 



trees, however, as has been charged against it, since it 

 feeds only on fruits that have fallen". Darwin however 

 states: »I very much doubt the possibility of this; but 

 with the Pandanus the task would be very much easier". 

 Semou also doubtfully asserts: »this statement, appearing 

 highly improbable, has met with much contradiction, and 

 has never yet been corroborated by the obser- 

 vation of a white man". Now let us see, what Dr. 

 Sluiter writes about the animal: »Birgus latro is a true 

 land-crab; in sea-water it will soon die, as already stated 

 by Rumphius. In my laboratory at Batavia I had a cage 

 for it, and the whole day over it remained quietly in 

 the darkest corner of it. At night it became lively, came 

 out of its cage and crawled around at its ease, but especially 

 it was fond of climbing against the legs of the table, 

 pillars etc. Often when I sat working at my table his 

 lordship appeared with its claws upon the table-board, but 

 it could not succeed in passing the border. The large pen- 

 doppo, which I used as a laboratory, was supported by 

 iron pillars and had a height of about 5 M. It much 

 liked to climb to the top of these pillars, which were 7 a 

 8 cm. in diameter, clinging to them with its legs, as well 

 as along the narrow board to which were affixed the glass- 

 tubes, destined for aerating my aquariums. By day-time I 

 never saw it eat, at night however it ate cocoa-nuts 

 eagerly. I gave it pieces without shell, from which it 

 picked the white flesh. Whether it can open old nuts, 

 I don't know. When I gave it old cocoa-nuts it fumbled 

 and pulled at the bark, but I never saw it open one. 

 Quite young ones however it could open easily. It took 

 also stale bread, but animal food it despised absolutely. So 

 much about its behavior in confinement. On the » Duizend 

 eilanden" and at the coast of Bantam I often saw it. 

 By day-time it sits among and under the roots of Man- 

 grove-trees, but its favoured place is under dry coral-blocks, 

 laying on the shore, often rather far from the sea. At night it 

 comes out of its hiding-place and rather late generally, 



Notes from the Leyden ]VI«seu.m, Vol. XXIII. 



10 



