popular JBfctumarg of ^mmatctt $atttrc. 155 



or beaches, to bask in the sun, where only 

 an occasional wave dashes over them, and 

 seek refuge in the sea when alarmed ; while 

 some species are completely terrestrial, in- 

 habiting holes upon the highest lulls and 

 mountains of the West Indies. 



Of these LANP CRABS the most remark able 

 is the species formerly so abundant in the 

 highlands of Jamaica (Gecrci ruricola), 

 and still common in iess densely peopled or 

 uninhabited islands. When the season for 



(QECARCJNOS KORICOLA.) 



spawning arrives, vast armies of them set 

 out from the hills, marching in a direct line 

 towards the sea-shore, for the purpose of 

 depositing their eggs in the sand. On this 

 grand expedition nothing is allowed to turn 

 them from their course. With unyielding 

 perseverance they surmount every obstacle 

 which may intervene, whether a house, rock, 

 or other body, not avoiding the labour of 

 climbing by going round, but ascending 

 and passing over it in a straight line. Having 

 reached the destined limit of their journey, 

 they deposit their eggs in the sand, and re- 

 commence their toilsome march towards 

 their upland retreats. They set out after 

 nightfall, and steadily advance, until the 

 approach of daylight warns them to seek 

 concealment in the inequalities of the ground, 

 or among any kind of rubbish, where they 

 lie ensconced until the stars again invite 

 them to pursue their undeviating course. 

 On their seaward journey they are in full 

 vigour and fine condition ; and this is the 

 time when they are caught in great numbers 

 for the table. Their flesh, which is of the 

 purest whiteness, is highly esteemed, but, 

 like that of all crustaceous animals, is rather 

 difficult of digestion. Returning from the 

 coast, they are exhausted, poor, and no 

 longer fit for use. They then retire to their 

 burrows, where they slough or shed their 

 shells ; a short time after which operation, 

 and while in their soft state, they are con- 

 sidered by epicures as most delicious, and 

 are consequently sought for with avidity. 



Those Crabs which take up their abode 

 in the vicinity of sugar-cane fields are very 

 injurious to the planter ; some of the species 

 being particularly fond of the cane, the 

 juice of which they suck and chiefly subsist 

 on. They are of course narrowly watched, 

 and no opportunity of catching them is lost 

 sight off ; but such is the wonderful facility 

 they have in running, or rather darting in 

 any direction, or with any part of their 

 bodies foremost, that they are almost always 

 enabled to elude capture. It is seldom, 

 however, that they go far from their burrows 

 in the day-time ; and their vigilance is such 



that they regain them in a moment, and 

 disappear securely, as soon as a man or dog 

 comes near enough to be seen. 



Many of the habits of these animals have 

 attracted the notice of travellers. Dr. 

 Gardner, in his "Travels in Brazil," says 

 that wliile he was near Rio Sau Francisco, 



(GFI ASTttCS.) 



he amused himself " by watching the opera- 

 tions of a small species, belonging to the 

 genus Gelasimiis, that was either making or 

 enlarging its burrow in the sand. About 

 once in every two minutes it came up to the 

 surface with a quantity of sand enclosed in 

 its left claw, which, by a sudden jerk, it 

 ejected to the distance of about six inches, 

 always taking care to vary the direction in 

 which it was thrown, so as to prevent its 

 accumulation in one place." 



Another species of Land Crab, apparently 

 belonging to the genus Thcli>heusa, which in- 

 habits India, is thus noticed by Bishop Heber, 

 in his Journal: " All the grass through the 

 Deccan generally swarms with a small Land 

 Crab, which burrows in the ground and runs 

 with considerable swiftness, even when en- 

 cumbered with a bundle of food as big as 

 itself : this food is grass, or the green stalks of 

 rice j and it is amusing to see the Crabs, sit- 

 ting, as it were, upright, cut their hay with 

 their sharp pincers, and then waddling off 

 with their sheaf to their holes, as quickly as 

 their sidelong pace will carry them." They 

 have been found on the table-lands, at an 

 elevation of nearly 4000 feet ; but it is be- 

 lieved that they do not perform an annual 

 migration to the sea, for the purpose of de- 

 positing their eggs. 



CRABRO : CRABRONTD^J. A genus 

 and family of Hymenopterous insects, popu- 

 larly known as Wood-wasps. Most of the 

 larger species are marked with yellow rings 5 

 the smaller are generally wholly black. They 

 are extremely active in their movements, and 

 may be seen busily employed, in the hottest 

 sunshine, extracting nectar from the flowers 

 of plants, or running about in search of 

 other insects, on which they prey. They 

 excavate cells in the ground, or in rotten 

 posts, timber, &c., in which they deposit 

 their eggs, together with the flies, &c., which 

 constitute the food of the larvae when 

 hatched. Mi;ny species are found in this 

 country : we refer our readers who may 

 wish further acquaintance with them, to the 

 capital work of Mr. Shuckard on the In- 

 digenous Fossorial Hymenoptera. 



CRACID^J. A family of Gallinaceous 

 birds, peculiar to tropical America, which 



