HABITS OF LAND-CRABS 223 



after we left the island, when we discovered that 

 they had been breeding freely in a can of water 

 containing a growing ti plant. 



Everjrwhere along the sea-shore and about the 

 villages the ground was honeycombed with the 

 burrows of land-crabs, and in some places the 

 whole surface appeared to be moving with these 

 creatures. At the least alarm they popped into 

 their holes, from which they never strayed far 

 during the day. When chased, a crab would often 

 hurry into the wrong burrow, and be ejected im- 

 mediately by the rightful owner, but the inhospi- 

 tahty did not help one to catch them, owing to 

 the speed with which they vanished ultimately 

 imderground. If one stood quite still they would 

 reappear at the mouth of the burrow, waving 

 their stalk-eyes in all directions on the look-out 

 for danger. I caught one by cutting it off from 

 its burrow and driving it against a fallen tree, 

 where it turned at bay, rolling its eyes and waving 

 its claws in a formidable manner. 



Some of the smaller species of land-crabs 

 on these islands have yellow, others bright blue, 

 claws, and one gains a striking impression of 

 colour when some hundreds of these crabs wave 

 their bright claws as they run over the dried mud 

 close to the sea. 



During our stay at Tautira our friends arranged 

 a native concert. This consisted of the singing of 

 " himinees." About one hundred natives sat in 



