THE LOBSTER KIND, 243 



ing bulk of body compared to its head, and the length of its inteftines, 

 which have many convolutions. 



The LAND CRAB is found in fome of the warmer regions of Eu- 

 rope, and abundantly in the tropical climates of Africa and America. 

 Various kinds, endued with various properties j fome healthful, delicious, 

 and nouriihing ; others very poifoncus and malignant; fome half an 

 inch, others a foot broad -, fome are of a dirty brown ; others beautifully 

 mottled. 



That called the VIOLET CRAB, of the Caribbee Iflands, is the 

 moft noted for its fhape, its delicacy, and its manners. It fomewhat re- 

 fembles two hands cut through the middle and joined together ; for 

 each fide looks like four fingers, and the two claws the thumbs. The 

 body is covered with a £hell as large as a man's hand, bunched in the 

 middle, on the fore-part of which are two long eyes, the fize of a grain 

 of barley, tranfparent as cryftal, and hard as horn. A little below thefe 

 is the mouth, covered with a fort of barbs, under which are two broad 

 (harp teeth, white as fnowj not placed crofs-ways, but rather like the 

 blades of a pair of fciflars. With thefe teeth they cut leaves, fruits, and 

 rotten wood, which is their ufual food. But their principal inftrument 

 for feizing is their nippers, which hold fo tight, that the animal lofes the 

 limb fconer than its grafp; and is often feen fcampering off", having left 

 its claw ftill holding fall: the enemy, which keeps for above a minute 

 faftened on the finger after the crab is making off". In facl, it lofes 

 no great matter by leaving a leg or an arm, for they foon grow again. 

 They live in a kind of fociety in the mountains ; but regularly once a 

 year march down to the fea-fide, in a body of fome millions. They 

 chufe April or May for their expedition ; fallying out by thoufands from 

 hollow trees, the clefts of rocks, and holes which they dig under the 

 earth. The proceffion fets forward from the mountains, with the regula- 

 rity of an army under the guidance of an experienced commander. The 

 firft divifion confifts of the ftrongeft and boldell males. Thefe are often 

 obliged to halt for want of rain. The main body is compofed of females 

 (which never leave the mountains till the rain is let in) forming columns 

 of fifty paces broad, and three miles deep, almoft covering the ground. 

 Three or four days after this the rear guard foUov.s ; a draggling tribe 

 of males and females, neither fo robuft nor fo numerous as the former. 

 The night is their chief time of proceeding ; but if it rains by day, they 

 profit by ir, and move forward in their How uniform manner. When 

 the fun ihines hot, they halt, and wait till the cool of the evening. When 



terrified J 



