238 HARMONIOUS CRABS. CHAP. IX. 



sharp look-out for the light-coloured fly, on which it feeds. 

 Should the fly alight at too great a distance for even a 

 second leap, the blenny moves slowly towards it like a 

 cat to its prey, or like a jumping spider ; and, as soon as it 

 gets within two or three inches of the insect, by a sudden 

 spring contrives to pop its underset mouth directly over 

 the unlucky victim. He is, moreover, a pugnacious little 

 fellow; and rather prolonged fights may be observed 

 between him and his brethren. One, in fleeing from an 

 apparent danger, jumped into a pool a foot square, which 

 the other evidently regarded as his by right of prior 

 discovery; in a twinkling the owner, with eyes flashing 

 fury, and with dorsal fin bristling up in rage, dashed at 

 the intruding foe. The fight waxed furious, no tempest in 

 a teapot ever equalled the storm of that miniature sea. 

 The warriors were now in the water, and anon out of it, 

 for the battle raged on sea and shore. They struck hard, 

 they bit each other; until, becoming exhausted, they 

 seized each other by the jaws like two bull-dogs, then 

 paused for breath, and at it again as fiercely as before, 

 until the combat ended by the precipitate retreat of the 

 invader. 



The muddy ground under the mangrove-trees is covered 

 with soldier-crabs, which quickly slink into their holes on 

 any symptom of danger. When the ebbing tide retires, 

 myriads of minute crabs emerge from their underground 

 quarters, and begin to work like so many busy bees. 

 Soon many miles of the smooth sand become rough with 

 the results of their labour. They are toiling for their 

 daily bread : a round bit of moist sand appears at the 

 little labourer's mouth, and is quickly brushed off by one 

 of the claws ; a second bit follows the first ; and another, 

 and still another come as fast as they can be laid aside. 

 As these pellets accumulate, the crab moves sideways, and 

 the work continues. The first impression one receives is, 



