C R A 
for it's ofFspring before it attends to it's own wants ; 
and, from the number of fmall fbells it is at times 
feen to examine, it is fuppofed that it depofits it's 
fpawn in them, v/here it remains in fecurity till the 
rime of exclufion. But, however this may be, the 
Soldier is by no means unmindful of itfelf, for, 
having outgrown it's old fhell, a part of it's naked 
body is perceptible; and therefore a fliell muft be 
found big enough to cover the whole, and yet not 
fo very large as to be unmanageable and unwieldy. 
Thefe purpofes are by no means effefted by a flight 
furvey ; for the little animal is feen bufily peram- 
bulating the fnore, along that line of pebbles and 
fnells which is formed by the fartheft wave; ftill, 
however, dragging it's old incommodious habita- 
tion at it's tail, and feemingly unwilling to relin- 
quilh it till it has difcovered one more preferable. 
It accordingly flops at one fnell, turns it, and paffes 
by; goes on to another, which it furveys, and then 
difengages it's tail from it's old habitation, in or- 
der to make trial of the new; but fhould this alfo 
prove incommodious, it then quickly returns to 
k's oldiliell again: and in this m.anner it continues 
changini.y, till at lad it fuits itfelf with one light, 
roomiy, and comniodious, to which it adheres, 
though it may fometimes be fo very large as to 
conceal every part of it's body. 
Thefe animals, however, do not accomplifli their 
refpeftive ends vv'ithout much difficulty, and fome- 
times a fevere combat ; for, when two of them hap- 
pen to fix on a (liell at the fame time v/hich feems 
fuitable to each of them, they both endeavour to 
take poffefTion of it ; ftriking with their claws, and 
pinching each other, till the weakeft is obliged to 
yield up the objefl of difpute. On this the vi6lor 
imm.ediately enters, and parades in his nev/ acqui- 
fition backwards and forwards on the ftrand, in the 
view of his difcomfited antagonift. 
The Soldier Crab, when laid hold of, fends forth 
a feeble cry, and endeavours tofeize it's invader v/ith 
it's nippers; which being effefled, it will fooner 
die than quit it's grafp. The wound thereby in- 
flicted is very painful and difficult of cure; for 
which reafon, and as it's flefh is not much efteemed, 
it is generally permitted to return to it's old retreat 
in the mountains without moleilation. 
Crab, White. This is likewife a land Crab, 
and a native of the Caribbees. It has nearly the 
fame properties as the violet Crab, but grows to 
fuch a fupcrior fize, that one of them is reckoned 
worth thi-ee of the violet. 
Crab, Indian Land. The body of this ani- 
mal is of a round ifli figure, a little compreffed, and 
about the fize of an orange. It has eight legs, each 
five inches long, v/ith four joints, the lower parts 
being covered with long hairs; the mouth is large, 
and hairy on it's fides, as well as the reft of the 
■ body. Of the great legs or clav/s, the right is 
large, and the left confiderably lefs ; the right be- 
ing eight inches long and two broad, while the left 
is fcarcely fo long by one-third. The eyes are ei- 
ther extremely prominent, or funk, according to 
tlie pleafure of the animal ; and near the mouth 
there are two fiiort feelers, which the creature pof- 
. feffes the faculty of extending or concealing. 
All Crabs of this fort have the following pro- 
perty ; namely, that if they feize any diing v/ith 
their nippers, they fooner quit their limbs than 
■ their hold : however, as obferved in the defcription 
of the Violet-Crab, this lofs is foon repaired by a 
refboration of the part. 
Crab, Sea, East Indian, Thisfpecies is about 
a fpan long, and of a very fingular colour, the fhell 
being in general fpeckled with yellow fpots, ex- 
cept where three purple ones appear inclofed in a 
circle of white. The claws next the body are yel- 
lowifh, white in the middle, and of a deep purple 
at the extremities; and the eyes projeft almoft an 
inch from the head. 
Crab, South American. The natives call 
this fpecies Guaia Apara. It is beautifully varie- 
gated, one end of the body being terminated with 
a circle, and the other Avith a right line; and it 
grows to about three inches in breadth, and two 
and a half in length. The fore-part of the fhell 
is of a dark brown colour, variegated with v/hitifh 
fpots ; and the hinder part is of a whitifii yellow, 
adorned with brown flreaks running in a longitu- 
dinal diredtion. It has eight roundifh feet or 
claws, with four joints, of a whitifh yellov/ colour; 
and alfo two great claws or nippers, each two inches 
and a half long, and half an inch broad; their up- 
per parts being armed and dentated like the comb 
of a cock. When fwimming, it caufes a kind of 
bubbling in the water, which refembles the effer- 
vefcence occafioned by fire. 
Crab, Pea. The thorax of this animal is 
fmooth, rounded, and undivided; and the tail is as 
large as the body, which is commonly about the 
fize of a pea. It inhabits the mufl"el; and is un- 
defervedly chara6lerized as being poifonous, for 
the inflation, after feeding on mujlels, is wholly 
conftitutional ; and for one that receives any in- 
jury from eating them, multitudes remain unaf- 
fefted. 
Crab, Long-Horned. This fpecies has a 
fmooth round body, large claws, and very long 
horns. It is a very minute animal, being lefs than 
the Pea-Crab; and is commonly found on the Bri- 
tifh coafls. 
Crab, Common. This clafs has three inden- 
tions on the front, five ferrated teeth on each fide, 
ovated claws, and fubulated liind-feet. It is of a 
diity green colour; and, when boiled, turns red. 
It lurks under fea-weeds, or burrows in tlie find, 
and is found on all the Britilh ffiores. 
Crab, Purifier. The thorax of this animal 
has a quintuple dentation on each fi.de; the front is 
alfo indented; thebodyisflibcordated; the clav/s are 
angulated; and the two laft joints of the hind-legs 
are ovated and ciliated. This fpecies generally 
inhabits the depths of the fea, where it feeds on 
dead animals ; and is thence called the Purifier, as 
occafioning the removal of putrid fubftances. 
Crab, Black-Clawed. The body of this 
fpecies is fmooth ; the thorax is crenated; the hind- 
feet are fubulated; and the cb-ws are fmooth, with 
black tips. It frequents rocky coafts; is reck- 
oned very delicious food; and the tips of the claws 
are ufed in medicine, as an abforbent of acidities in 
the ftomach and bowels. 
Crab, Velvet. The thorax of this clafs is 
quinquedentated ; the body is overfpread with a 
fhort brown velvet-like down; the claws are co- 
vered with minute tubercles; and the hind-legs are 
broadly ovated. It is found on the coafts of the 
ifle of Anglefea. 
Crab, Bristly. This fpecies has a hairy tho- 
rax, and on each fide a flight quintuple dentation; 
the clav/s are ovated, fbmiewhat echinated, and 
hairy; and the feet are briftly and fubulated. It 
is a fmall animal of a reddifir colour, and lurks un- 
der flones on the fea-fhore. 
Crab, Larce-Clawed- The front of this 
creature 
