BY THE REV. J. E. TENISON- WOODS. 71 



On the rocks of the coast we have abundance of those half land 

 and half sea crabs, called painted crabs (Grapsus strigosus, or 

 variegratus), which are found in all warm parts of the globe. The 

 painted crab is seen on the very margin of the water, advancing with 

 the receding tide or retreating before the water as it advances. 

 Crowds of them may be observed standing on tiptoe on rocks, 

 where the spray is dashing, while their somewhat small claws are 

 incessantly going between the ground and their mouths. I think 

 they live on the slimy Confervse and small algse, which form the 

 green mossy coating or water marks on rocks only partially covered 

 by the tides. They are wary creatures which keep a sharp look- 

 out from their stalked eyes. Make any noise that you will and 

 they go on with their feeding unconcerned ; but make a slight 

 movement and they are off with wonderful swiftness, making 

 jumps and performing inexplicable feats of climbing and dashing 

 in amongst the spray, as though reckless of life or limb. I 

 imagine that it is the self-same species that we have on all the 

 coasts of tropical Australia. It is not eaten anywhere : I know 

 not why. Some crabs are said to be poisonous ; such as the 

 Carpilius and Calappa. 



The fighting-crab or calling-crab, as the Malays have it (Gelasimus 

 vocans, in Malay Ketam-pangil), is found on the mangrove and 

 muddy flats. All who are familiar with eastern tropics must know 

 these creatures. When the tide has receded, the mud flats are 

 >seen to be riddled with their burrows, while the owners speckle 

 the ground with moving variegations. They have one huge 

 yellow claw as big as their whole body, so oddly disproportionate 

 to their size indeed, as to look as if borrowed from some larger 

 species. I believe it has been given for digging purposes alone, 

 and if the crab is watched it will be seen to be a very effective 

 implement. When the animal has strutted about and fed itself, 

 and the tide is returning, it goes to the edge of its burrow, and with 

 one sweep of its great claw puts a goodly heap of mud on the 

 brink, and then quietly subsiding down into the pit draws the 

 heap of mud after it, and its place is known no more. The term 

 calling-crab is probably from a sharp clicking noise they make, very 

 like the cracking of a whip. 



