371 
edible crab of this part of the world, is known simply as the crab. 
It seems to be found all over the island and grows to a considerable. 
size, an old male being sometimes as much as 6 inches across and 
having its larger claw no less than 14 inches in length from its 
junction with the body to the end of its “ jaws,” while these become 
so bowed that when they are shut a space as much as 2 inches 
across and 4 inches in length may be enclosed, little more than the 
actual points meeting. 
The female has claws much smaller than those of the male, more 
even in size, and apparently more destructive. She seems to be 
just.as terrestrial when she is carrying her minute eggs, which may 
number two millions or more, as she is at other times, though she 1s 
said to go into the sea to wash them off when they are about to hatch. 
These crabs are generally clay coloured varying to fairly bright 
orange or to grey, while some are brilliantly blue. 
seldom appearing while the sun is shining or when the weather is 
dry, and are as omnivorous as anything that lives—cannibals too 
and wholesale devourers of the smaller species. 
In places where they abound nothing is safe from them. y 
will take into their holes things for which they cannot conceivably 
find a use—a knife for instance or a pocket compass. ey will eat 
the eggs from under a sitting hen, if not the hen herself, as readily 
as the leaves of seedling cocoanut trees, and of these from 6 to 
10 per cent. have to be replaced if they are planted in newly cleared 
gone. During the drier months of the early part of the year, they 
much used breeding and hiding places for mosquitoes, while if they 
are at all deep the salt mud which is perpetually being brought up 
from them ruims what would otherwise be excellent soil for some 
distance around their entrances. Fresh water seems to be rapidly 
In uncleared “ bush ” there are perhaps 200 or 300 of them to the 
acre, and at first they are so fearless of man that while clearing is 
being done they will come up to feed on leaves and shoots as these 
to the ground; but they learn quickly and become active 
enough in getting away to make shooting them with an air gun or 
small rifle decidedly better sport than might be supposed. And, 
provided that they come from places where they are not likely te 
have had access to garbage, they make excellent food. 
