THE LAND CRAB.. 341 



Curious operation of casting their shells. 



its color. Many of them are obliged to continue 

 in the level parts of the country till they recover, 

 making holes in the earth which they block up 

 with leaves and dirt. In these they cast their 

 old shells, which they leave, as it were, quite 

 whole, the place where they opened on the belly 

 being unseen : at that time they are quite naked, 

 and almost without motion for six days together, 

 when they become so fat as to be delicious food. 

 They have then under their stomachs four large 

 white stones, which gradually decrease in pro- 

 portion as the shell hardens, and, when they 

 come to perfection, are not to be found. It is 

 at that time that the animal is seen slowly 

 making its way back ; and all this is most com- 

 monly performed in the space of six weeks. 



These crabs subsist on vegetables, and, except 

 when impelled by the desire of bringing forth 

 their young, seldom venture from their moun- 

 tainous retreats. At this season the inhabitants 

 of the islands where they are found wait in eager 

 expectation for their descent, and destroy some 

 thousands of them ; they disregard the bodies, 

 and take only the spawn that lies on each side 

 of the stomach within the shell, about the thick- 

 ness of a man's thumb. The animals are, much 

 more valuable for eating on their return, after 

 they have cast their shells. They are taken in 

 the holes ; and also sought for by night, when 

 when on their journey, by flambeaux. The in- 

 stant the crabs perceive themselves attacked, 



