i22 THE SOLDIER-CRAB. 



multiply in astonishing numbers, they choose the month of April 

 or May for commencing their expedition, when they issue by 

 thousands from the trunks of hollow trees, or the clefts of rocks, 

 and pursue their march with all the order and regularity of the 

 best disciplined army. They generally form themselves into 

 three columns, and hold a direct course, without ever allowing 

 any obstacles to impede their journey, except such as are abso- 

 lutely insurmountable ; and it is only when steep precipices or 

 large rivers oppose their progress, that they are obliged to turn 

 out of their way, and regulate their route by the situation of the 

 country. They generally halt during the day, and in the evening 

 resume their march. As soon as they arrive at the coast, the 

 whole body crawls into the sea, where they all remain for some 

 minutes to let the waves pass over their shells. After this, they 

 leave the margin of the ocean, in search of some retired situa- 

 tion on land, where they remain a few days, and again return 

 to the sea-shore, where they deposit their spawn, the greatest 

 part of which is devoured by different fish, while the eggs tha 

 escape are hatched under the sand. 



The strength of the old ones being by this time almost ex- 

 hausted, they make holes in the ground, in which they hide 

 themselves while they casi their shells, remaining for five or six 

 days in a state of torpidity. During that period they grow very 

 fat, and are then in the highest perfection. In some countries, 

 the slaves are entirely fed with them ; and by many people, 

 they are considered as delicious food. The whole time of per- 

 forming their expedition, from the moment of their outset to that 

 of their return to their inland retreats, is sometimes not more 

 than six or seven weeks ; but when great obstacles impede their 

 march, it often requires more than three months. 



THE SOLDIER-CRAB, 



Like the former, makes an annual excursion, from the moun- 

 tains to the sea-coast, for the same purpose. When these ani- 

 mals are taken, they emit a feeble cry, and endeavour to seize 

 their enemies with their claws ; and as they inflict a very painful 

 and even a dangerous wound, they are generally suffered to per- 

 form their journeys unmolested. 



The soldier-crab, like the violet-crab, is a native of the West- 

 India islands, and bears some resemblance to the lobster ; al- 

 though it is not more than four inches in length. It has no 

 shell, and is covered only with a rough skin ; but it artfully con- 

 trives to supply this deficiency of armour, by taking possession 

 of the deserted shell of some other animal, and when its body 

 grows too large for its case, it quits it for one that fits it better. 

 sometimes making successively three or four of these changes. 



