214 ALONG THE FLORIDA REEF. 



them as articles of food, so the question natu- 

 rally arises in the crab's mind, ' How can I pro- 

 tect myself ? ' Its movements are slow, so it 

 can not run ; its claws are inadequate as a de- 

 fense, and you would think the old fellow in a 

 desperate strait. But somehow it occurs to him 

 that moss-covered rocks are not molested by the 

 fishes, so he evidently says : ; I will become one 

 of these rocks to all appearances.' Nature has 

 helped him, you see, with a rugged exterior, 

 and — but I need only refer you to the crab him- 

 self for a justification of my remarks." 



While he had been talking, the old crab had 

 felt all around its prison and now was proceed- 

 ing to carry out the transformation the doctor 

 had predicted. The long claws, with great de- 

 liberation, picked up a sprig of the weed they 

 had thrown in, and slowly passed the root or 

 severed part to its mouth. 



" He's eating it," exclaimed Tom. 



" Wait a moment," said his father. 



The branch was pressed against its mouth, 

 and then, instead of eating it, the crab raised it 

 over its back and pressed the severed end against 



