550 THE LAND CRAB TliE COMMON CRAB. 



THE LAND-CRAB. 



Land -crabs are natives of the Bahamas, and of most of the other 

 islands between the tropics. They live in the 

 clefts of rocks, the hollows of trees, or in holes 

 which they dig for themselves in the mountains 

 About the months of April and May in every year 

 they descend in a body of some millions at a time, 

 to the sea-coast, to deposit their spawn, and at this 

 season the whole ground seems alive with them. 

 They march in a direct line to their place of des- 

 tination, and are said seldom to turn out of their 

 way on account of intervening obstacles. Even if they encounter a 

 lofty wall, or a house, they will attempt to scale it. If they arrive at 

 a river, they wind along the course of the stream. They march very 

 slowly, bein^ sometimes three months or upward in gaining the shore. 

 When arrived at the coast, they prepare to cast their spawn; for 

 this purpose they go to the edge of the water, and suffer the waves to 

 wash twice or thrice over their bodies. They then withdraw, iD 

 order to seek a lodging upon land. In the mean time the spawr. 

 is extruded in a bunch from the body, and adheres to the under parts 

 of the tail. This bunch becomes as large as a hen's egg, and exactly 

 resembles the roe of a Herring. In this state they again, for the last 

 time, seek the shore, and shaking oft' the spawn into the water, leave 

 it to the heat of the sun, to be brought to maturity. About two- 

 thirds of the eggs are devoured by the fish which annually frequent 

 the shores in expectation of this prey. Those that escape are hatched 

 under the sand; and, not long after this, millions of the little Crabj^ 

 may be seen quitting the shore, and slowly travelling towards the 

 mountains. 



The old ones, in their return, are feeble, lean, and so inactive, that 

 they are scarcely able to crawl along; and their flesh at this time 

 changes 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, and continue nearly motionless for six or seven days, when 

 they become so fat as to be delicious food: After this they march 

 slowly back to the mountains. 



THE COMMON, OR BLACK- CLAWED CRAB. 



The most remarkable circunfstance ia the history of these animals, 

 is the changing of their shells and broken claws. The former, is done 

 once a year, and usually between Christmas and Easter. During the 

 operation they retire among the cavities of the rocks and under great 

 stones ; and I)r. Darwin (from the authority of a friend who had been 



