788 CRUSTACEA— CRAB. 



out of the body, and sticks to the barbs under the flab, or more properly the 

 tail. This bunch is seen as big as a hen's egg, and exactly resembling the 

 roes of herrings. In this state of pregnancy, they once more seek the 

 shore for the last time, and shaking off their spawn into the water, leave 

 accident to bring it to maturity. At this time, whole shoals of hungry fish 

 'are at the shore, and about two thirds of the crabs' eggs are immediately 

 devoured by these rapacious invaders. The eggs that escape are hatched 

 under the sand ; and soon after, millions at a time of these little crabs are 

 seen quilting the shore, and slowly travelling up to the mountains. 



The old ones, however, are not so active to return ; they have become so 

 feeble and lean, that they can hardly creep along, and the flesh at that time 

 changes its color. Most of them, therefore, are obliged to continue in the 

 flat parts of the country till they recover, making holes in the earth, which 

 they cover at the mouth with leaves and dirt, so that no air may enter. 

 There they throw off" their old shells, which they leave as it were quite 

 whole, the place where they are opened on the belly being unseen. At that 

 time they are quite naked, and almost without motion for six days together, 

 Avhen they become so fat as to be delicious food. They have then under their 

 stomachs. four large white stones, which gradually decrease in proportion as 

 the shell hardens, and when they come to perfection are not to be found. It 

 is at that time that the animal is seen slowly making its way back ; and all 

 this is most commonly performed in the space of six weeks. 



The descent of these creatures for such important purposes, deserves our 

 admiration; but there is an animal of the lobster )iind that annually de- 

 scends from its mountains in like manner, and for purposes still more im- 

 portant and various. Its descent is not only to produce an ofl'spring, but to 

 provide itself a covering ; not only to secure a family, but to furnish a 

 house. The animal in question is the Soldier Crab, or Hermit Crab,i which 



has some similitude to the lobster, if divested of its shell. It is usually 

 about four inches long, has no shell behind, but is covered down to the tail 

 with a rough skin, terminating in a point. It is, however, armed with 

 strong, hard nippers before, like the lobster ; and one of them is as thick as 



1 Pagurus Bernhardus. Lin. 



