[ 7 2 1 
Mr. Benjamin Cook , at Newport In the IJle of 
Wight y a worthy Member of this Society , told me of 
this marvellous Property in the Great Crab 5 but I 
could not comprehend it, until I faw the Experiment 
tried on two Crabs 5 then I was foon convinced of 
the Truth of the Fad 5 for, in a few Minutes, the 
Legs all dropp'd off one after another. 
This the Crab will do in any Pofition ; but the 
eafieft Method is to lay it on its Back, and then take 
a Pair of ftrong iron Pincers, and break the Shell, and 
bruife the Flefh of the third or fourth Joint of its 
fmall Leg : After it has received the Hurt, it bleeds, 
and gives Sign of Pain, by moving its Leg from Side 
to Side , but afterwards holds it quite ft ill, in a dired 
and natural Pofition, without touching any Part of 
its Body, or its other Legs, with it. Then, on a fud- 
den, with a gentle Crack, the wounded Part of the 
Leg drops off at the fecond Joint, or Internodium , 
from its Body 5 juft as one fees the Neck of a Retort 
feparate, where it has been heated by a red-hot iron 
Ring, on the Application of cold Water. The great 
Legs are call off in the fame manner, but are not fo 
eafily laid hold on as the fmall ones. 
Thofe that have notfeen this wonderful Operation 
may reafonably conclude, that the Leg is caft out of 
its Joint or Socket 5 but it is quite otherwife ; for 
it cracks and breaks off in the fmootheft Part of the 
Joint, and the Rim of the Body-Shell is no-ways 
affiftant to it. 
To try what Effed Increafe of Pain would have in 
this Work, a fmall Hole was pierced in the great 
Legs, and then a pointed Iron was put in to lacerate 
the inclofed Mufcle : The Confequence was anfwcr- 
able 
