MIGRATION OF ANIMALS. 



shore, than they approach to the margin of the sea and allovr 

 the waves to pass several times over their bodies. They im- 

 mediately retire to the land ; the eggs, in the mean time, come 

 nearer to maturity, and the animals once more go into the 

 water, deposit their eggs, and leave the event to nature. The 

 bunches of spawn are sometimes as large as a hen's egg ; and 

 it is not incurious to remark that, at this very period, numbers 

 of fishes of different kinds are anxiously waiting for this an- 

 nual supply of food. Whether the painful migration of the 

 land-crabs, or the wonderful instinct of the fishes which await 

 their arrival, in order to devour their spawn, is the most as- 

 tonishing fact, we shall leave to the consideration of philoso- 

 phers. The eggs which escape these voracious fishes are 

 hatched under the sand. Soon after, millions of minute crabs 

 are seen leaving the shore, and migrating slowly toward the 

 mountains. Most of the old ones, however, remain in the flat 

 parts of the country till they regain their strength. They dig 

 holes in the earth, the mouths of which they cover with leaves 

 and mud. Here they throw off their old shells, remain quite 

 naked, and almost without motion for six days, when they be- 

 come so fat that they are esteemed delicious food. When 

 the new shell has hardened, the animals, by an instinctive im- 

 pulse, march back to those mountains which they had formerly 

 deserted. In Jamaica, where they are numerous, the land- 

 crabs are regarded as great delicacies ; and they are so 

 abundant, that the slaves are often entirely fed upon them. 



The migrating principle is not confined to men, quadru- 

 peds, birds, and reptiles; it extends to many of the insect 

 tribes. Numberless inhabitants of the air pass the first stages 

 of their existence in the water. There they remain for longer 

 or shorter periods, according to the species. Previous to 

 their transformation into chrysal'ds, they quit the water, and 

 come upon dry ground, where they undergo their amazing 

 change. Instead of being active water-worms, they dig or 

 find holes in the earth, where they are converted into chrysa- 

 lids, or seemingly inanimate beings, and in a short time, mount 

 into the air in the form of winged insects. Similar migra- 

 tions are observed among land insects. But migration is 

 not confined to water-worms. Many species of caterpillars 

 which feed upon the leaves of trees, shrubs, and other vege- 

 tables, when about to undergo their transformation, leave 

 their former abodes, descend from the trees, and sonceal them- 

 selves in the earth. The hiving of bees, when numerous col- 

 onies remove in order to establish new settlements, is another 

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