246 The Natural Historg 



of Fevers, Consumptions, Hecticks, Asthmas, the Stone in 

 the Keins and Bladder, pains and Stopage of Urine, and 

 many other disorders. 



The smaller or flat Crab, in North Carolina is one of the 

 sweetest and best relished of any of that species I ever met 

 with in any part of Europe, when they are boyled their flesh 

 is very red and preferable in goodness to any Lobster, they 

 are as large as a Man's Hand, or rather larger. These are 

 innumerable, lying in great quantities all over the Salts; I 

 have known the little Boys take Bushels full of them in a few 

 Hours. They are taken, not only to be eaten, but are one of 

 the best Baits for all manner of Fish that take the Hook. 

 They are very mischievous to those that set Night Hooks to 

 catch Fish, for they generally take away all the Bait; both 

 these sorts cast their Shells every Year, at which time they 

 make Holes in the Sand, and cover themselves, or those with 

 hard Shells lye on them 'till their Shells harden, otherwise 

 they would be destroyed by other Fish. These sort have the 

 same Virtues with the former. 



The Fiddlers^ are a sort of small Crab that lie in Holes in 

 low, wet, and marshy Ground. The Racoons are very fond 

 of them, hunt for them in those places, and eat them. I 

 never knew any of them eat by the Christians, so cannot 

 inform you whether they are good or no. 



The Runners or Spirits, so called, because they are apt to 

 pinch and bite Peoples Legs in the Night, as they walk near 

 the Shoar, and likewise from their running so fast. They 

 are a kind of a whitish Crab, and though they are so small, 

 they will run as fast as a Man; and are good for nothing buv. 

 to look at. They live chiefly on the Sand Breaches, where 

 they have their Holes. But will frequently run into the Sea 



when 



