A NATURALIST. 89 



the most direct line towards the destined point. So ob- 

 stinately do they pursue this route, that they will not turn 

 out of it for any obstacle that can possibly be surmounted. 

 During the day time they skulk and He hid as closely as 

 possible, but thousands upon thousands of them are taken 

 for the use of the table by whites and blacks, as on their 

 seaward march they are very fat and of fine flavour. On 

 the homeward journey, those that have escaped capture 

 are weak, exhausted, and unfit for use. Before dismiss- 

 ing the crabs, I must mention one which was a source of 

 much annoyance to me at first, and of considerable interest 

 afterwards, from the observation of its habits. At that 

 time I resided in a house delightfully situated about two 

 hundred yards from the sea, fronting the setting sun, 

 having in clear weather the lofty mountains of Porto 

 Rico, distant about eighty miles, in view. Like most of 

 the houses in the island, ours had seen better days, as 

 was evident from various breaks in the floors, angles 

 rotted off the doors, sunken sills, and other indications of 

 decay. Our sleeping room, which was on the lower floor, 

 was especially in this condition ; but as the weather was 

 delightfully warm, a few cracks and openings, though 

 rather large, did not threaten much inconvenience. Our 

 bed was provided with that indispensable accompaniment, 

 a musquito bar or curtain, to which we were indebted for 

 escape from various annoyances. Scarcely had we ex- 

 tinguished the light, and composed ourselres to rest, than 

 we heard, in various parts of the room, the most startling 

 8* 



