THE CRAB. 335 



about ten fathoms deep : the bait attracts the animal's 

 attention ; and the basket is drawn up by the assistance 

 of a line. The river craw-fish differ but little from the 

 lobster : the one exists in fresh water only ; and th« 

 other never thrives but when in the sea. 



THE CRAB. 



The crab is an animal found upon land as well as 

 water, and will exist in rivers with as much vigour'as in 

 the sea ; and, though in shape it differs much from the 

 lobster, yet its manners and conformation are exactly 

 the same. 



The tail of the crab is not so apparent as that of the 

 lobster, but is merely a broad flap under the belly, 

 which defends the spawn ; and the number of legs and 

 claws are the same as in that fish. Like the lobster, it 

 is a bold and voracious animal, and seems to bear a 

 peculiar degree of enmity to the whole of its kind ; for 

 those who are in the habit of carrying them to market 

 are obliged to tie their claws together to prevent them 

 from destroying each other by the way. 



The land-crab is found in some of the warmer re- 

 gions of Europe ; and in great abundance in all the 

 tropical climes : some are allowed to be both delicious 

 and nourishing ; whilst others are unpalatable and poi- 

 sonous in their effects. Some are at least a foot in 

 breadth, whilst others do not measure more than an 

 inch. Some are of a dirty brown, and others beauti- 

 fully mottled ; but the violet crab, so much noted in 

 the Caribbee Islands, has obtained pre-eminence over 

 the whole tribe. 



The violet-crab somewhat resembles two hands cut 

 through the middle and joined together ; for each side 

 looks like four fingers, and the two claws have the ap* 



3 



