786 CRUSTACEA — CRAB. 



THE LAND CRAB 



Is found in some of the warmer regions of Europe, and in great abundance 

 in all the tropical climates in Africa and America. They are of various 

 kinds, and endued with various properties ; some being healthful, delicious, 

 and nourishing food ; others poisonous or malignant to the last degree ; some 

 are not above half an inch broad, others are found a foot over; some are of 

 a dirty brown, and others beautifully mottled. 



THE VIOLET CRAB, 



Of the Caribee Islands, is the most noted, both for its shape, the delicacy of 

 its flesh, and the singularity of its manners. It somewhat resembles two 

 hands cut through the middle and joined together; for each side looks like 

 four fingers, and the two nippers or claws resemble the thumbs. All the rest 

 of the body is covered with a shell as large as a man's hand, and 

 bunched in the middle, on the fore part of which there are two long eyes of 

 the size of a grain of barley, as transparent as crystal, and as hard as 

 horn. A little below these is the mouth, covered with a sort of barbs, under 

 which there are two broad, sharp teeth, as white as snow. They are not 

 placed, as in other animals, crosswise, but in the opposite direction, not 

 much unlike the blade of a pair of scissors. With these teeth they can 

 easily cut leaves, fruits, and rotten wood, which is their usual food. But 

 their principal instrument for cutting and seizing their food is their nippers, 

 which catch such a hold, that the animal loses the limb sooner than its 

 grasp, and is often seen scampering off, having left its claw still holding fast 

 upon the enemy. The faithful claw seems to perform its duty, and keeps 

 for above a minute fastened upon the finger, Avhile the crab is making off. 

 In fact, it loses no great matter by leaving a leg or an arm, for they soon 

 grow again, and the animal is found as perfect as before. 



This, however, is the least surprising part of this creature's history; and 

 what we are going to relate, were it not as Avell known and as confidently 

 confirmed as any other circumstance in natural history, might well stagger 

 our belief. These animals live not only in a kind of society in their retreats 

 in the mountains, but regularly once a year march down to the seaside in a 

 body of some millions at a time. As they multiply in great numbers, they 

 choose the months of April or May, to begin their expedition ; and then sally 

 out by thousands froin the stumps of hollow trees, from the clifts of rocks 

 and from the holes which they dig for themselves under the surface of the 

 earth. At that time, the whole ground is covered Avith this band of adven- 

 turers ; there is no setting down one's foot without treading upon them. 



