THE LAND CRAB. 873 



of the body is covered with a shell as thick as a man's 

 hand, and bunched in the middle, on the fore part of 

 which are two eyes of the form of a grain of barley* 

 transparent as crystal, and' hard as horn. A little be- 

 low is the mouth, which contains two broad and sharp 

 teeth, of an ivory 'whiteness, and placed not, as in 

 other animals, crosswise, but in an opposite direction, 

 resembling a pair of scissars. With these teeth they 

 can easily cut leaves, fruits, and rotten wood, which 

 constitute their usual food. This singular creature 

 takes so firm a hold with its nippers, that it w T ill lose 

 its limb rather than its grasp; and it is often seen 

 .scampering away after leaving its claw still holding 

 fast to its enemy. In fact, the loss of a- leg or an 

 tirm, is a trifling matter to the land crab; for a new 

 one soon grows in its place, and the animal is as per- 

 fect as before. 



This circumstance, however extraordinary it may 

 appear, is not the most wonderful part of the history 

 of these singular creatures. They reside in the 

 mountainous parts of the country, where they live in 

 a kind of regulated society, in .this respect resembling 

 the beaver. From these inland recesses they descend 

 once a year in regular bodies, containing millions at 

 a time, for the purpose of depositing their spawn upon 

 the shore. As they multiply in astonishing numbers, 

 they choose the month of April or May for commenc- 

 ing their expedition, when they issue by thousands 

 from the trunks of hollow trees, or the clefts of rocks., 

 and pursue their march with all the order and regu- 

 larity of the best disciplined army. They generally 

 form themselves into three columns, arid hold a direct 

 course, without ever suffering any obstacles to im- 

 pede their journey, except such as are absolutely in- 

 surmountable; and it is only when steep precipices, 

 or largq rivers, oppose their progress, that they are 

 obliged to turn out of their way, and regulate their 

 ?oute by" the situation of the country. They gene- 

 rally halt in the day, and in the evening resume their 

 march. As soon as they arrive at the coast, th 

 whole body crawls into the sea^, where they all re- 



