CHAPTER XXIII 

 CRABS, LOBSTERS, ETC. 



ONE does not look for a very high order of intelligence 

 amongst the crustaceans, as the crabs, lobsters, shrimps, 

 barnacles and woodlice are called. To make a confession, 

 they seem a singularly dull lot, yet we must not omit 

 them. Of them all, perhaps the land crabs are the most 

 ingenious. Maybe it is because their habitat is one not 

 usually associated with such creatures they seem to be 

 somewhat out of their element on land. Be that as it may, 

 they contrive to do very well for themselves out of water. 



One of the commonest of these crabs is the violet land 

 crab of Jamaica. They live in warrens after the manner 

 of rabbits, some three miles from the sea. During the 

 day they remain in their burrows, issuing forth at night- 

 fall to feed. They are easily alarmed and then scuttle 

 back to their burrows with all speed not that they are 

 averse to a fight should the need arise. During these 

 combats they exhibit their most extraordinary peculiarity. 

 In our chapter on reptiles we mentioned that many 

 lizards escape from their enemies by shedding their tails. 

 The violet land crab has developed a similar trick. Like 

 the sea crabs, they are armed with powerful nipping claws, 

 and with these they seize their enemies. When a claw 

 has taken a firm grip, the crab sheds the weapon, and it 

 remains still gripping tightly, the while the crab makes 

 good its escape. 



This reckless shedding of limbs seems somewhat drastic 

 to our way of thinking ; as a matter of fact, it causes the 

 crab little inconvenience, for a new limb grows to take 

 the place of the departed member in an incredibly short 

 space of time. During the early summer the crabs make 



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