South Beach. 45 



they do not always leave the big claw outermost, but 

 sometimes go in with that claw first. They feed themselves 

 with the little claw, often picking the mud, etc., from off 

 the big one and putting it into their mandibles. Those 

 with small claws only, feed themselves with both, first with 

 one and then with the other, and seem to get on much 

 faster than the others. At some seasons there is no quar- 

 reling among them, though they will lock their large claws 

 occasionally, but do not pinch. Again, in the Spring, I 

 have seen the males quite belligerent, many of them with 

 their large claws interlocked, and so enraged that I have 

 picked them up without their loosening their hold. Often, 

 too, have I put several individuals into one hole and had 

 them retire, nor do they speedily show themselves again, 

 though so strangely situated. It is comical to see them 

 bring their long, stalked eyes to bear upon you. " We are 

 looking at you," they seem to say. 



It is best when you come to a wet place in the meadow 

 to run through it as fast as you can to jump with judg- 

 ment, but rapidly for "if you stop to look after each step 

 the water soaks into your shoes. The meadow-grass hides 

 a deal of moisture, and you slump into a depression or a min- 

 iature creek before you are aware. Thus do I remember fall- 

 ing in to a ditch, for being preoccupied, looking at the Hele- 

 nium flowers, I did not observe what the rank vegetation 

 concealed until I was knee-deep in water. How surprised 

 we are at getting suddenly soused ; one would think that 

 water was a new element to us. 



With an old piece of bamboo from the shore, or a tree- 

 branch from the upland, to serve as a jumping-pole, you 



