102 ALL KINDS OF CRABS. 



See that crab on the beach ! Do you wish to know whether or 

 not he is a " regular fighter ?" Don't try to find out by sticking 

 your finger between his claws. Try him first with a stick. If he 

 bites hard at the stick you may (if you please) tempt him with your 

 finger. 



A crab will bite at almost anything; but a toe or a finger is 

 what he likes best to get hold of. You don't need a hook to catch 

 him with when he is in the water. A piece of meat or fish tied to 

 the end of a string will do. This crab doesn't know enough to let 

 go, when he once takes hold. He will allow himself to be pulled 

 out of the water first. 



Perhaps the best of the crab family is the one that is good to eat. 

 This is called the soft-shell crab. He is juicy and tender only 

 when he has shed his hard covering, and before another shell is 

 formed. 



If you will go with me to the West Indies I will show you the 

 land crabs. They live in holes in the mountains. Every year 

 they travel down to the sea. They take this long journey in order 

 to lay their eggs. The eggs can be hatched only on the sea-shore. 



Thousands of land crabs travel together. They are like the sea 

 ci-ab. In the Spice Islands we may find a crab that climbs trees. 

 It is said that he does this to get the fruit of the cocoanut-trees. 



Crabs are at home everywhere near salt water. They eat any- 

 thing good to eat that comes in their way. They have' very small 

 mouths, but they take a great deal of food. They fight fiercely 

 .over a dead fish. They clash their great claws and wriggle their 

 feelers, while their bead-like eyes stick out with anger. At last 

 one of them gets the fish. Then he crawls into a dark nook in the 

 sea-weed, under the waves, and eats it. He doesn't know that he 

 is getting himself ready for the market. The fatter he is, the 

 better price will he bring. In the picture the boy with the net has 

 an eye to business. He wjill sell the crabs, at a good price, by the 

 dozen. 



