a§4 THE CRAB-EATER. 



* it climbs frdeV he temai'ks, ♦ with great 



* dexterity, and continues oftener upon therfi 



* than on the ground, efpecially during the day. 



* It has liae teeth, and defends itfelf againft the 



* dogs. Crabs are its principal rtourifhmenf, and 



* it is always fat. When unabld to draw the 



* 6fabs from their holes with its foot, it intro* 



* duces the tail, which it ufes as a hook. The 



* crab fometimes lays hold of the tail, and makes 



* the animal cry. This cry has fome refem:-' 



* blance to that of a fttan, and is heard at a great 



* diftaftce. Bm its ordinary voice is a kind ot 



* grunting like a pig. The female produces 



* four or five young at a litter, and depofits 

 ' them in the hollo"ws of old trees. The na- 



* tives of the country eat its flefh, which refem- 

 ' bles that of a hare. Thefe animals are eafily 



* tamed, and they are fed in the houfes, like dogs 



* and cats, with all kinds of vidiials. Hence 



* their tafte for crabs is by no means exclufive.* 



It is alledged, thut there are two fpecies of 

 erab-eaters in Cayenne. The firft is the animal 

 we have already defcribed : The other is not: 

 0nly a different fpecies, but belongs to a difterent 

 genus. Its tail is totally covered with liaif, and 

 it feizes crabs with its paws only. Thefe two 

 animals refemble each <nhcr in the head alone ; 

 and they differ in the figure and proportions of 

 the body, as well as in the ftrudure of the feet 

 and claws. 



ANOisYMOUS 



