148 LAND-CRABS OF THE BAHAMAS. 



and feeds upon vegetables. These animals not only 

 live in a kind of orderly society in their retreats in 

 the mountains, but march regularly about April or 

 May to the sea-side, in a body of some millions at a 

 time. At the proper season, they sally out from the 

 stumps of hollow trees, the clefts of rocks, and the 

 holes which they dig for themselves under the surface 

 of the earth. When they are on their march, the 

 ground is covered with them, so that a step can 

 scarcely be taken without treading on them. The sea 

 is their place of destination, and to that they advance 

 without any deviation. No geometrician could send 

 them to their appointed station by a shorter course : 

 they neither turn to the right nor to the left, whatever 

 obstacle intervenes ; even if a house stand in the way, 

 they will attempt to scale the walls. Natural impe- 

 diments are not so easily overcome ; they are obliged 

 to conform to the face of the country : if it is inter- 

 sected with rivers, they are then seen to wind along 

 the course of the stream. The procession from the 

 mountains is generally foi*med into three divisions. 

 The first consists of the strongest and boldest males, 

 that, like pioneers, clear the way, and face the great- 

 est dangers. These are often obliged to halt for want 

 of rain, and seek the most convenient retirement, till 

 a change of weather enables them to go forward. 

 The main body is composed of females, which never 



