222 
LIFE, IN ITS INTERMEDIATE FORMS. 
forage. Once in the year they are said to come down from 
the mountains in troops, surmounting every obstacle in 
their way to the sea ; after depositing their eggs in tho 
water they return much enfeebled. Of the habits of an 
East Indian species ( Thelphusa cunkularis), Bishop Heber 
thus speaks in his interesting Journal : “ All the grass 
through the Deccan generally swarms with a small Land- 
crab, which burrows in the ground, and runs with con- 
siderable swiftnoss, even when encumbered with a bundle 
of food as big as itself; this food is grass, or the green 
stalks of rice, and it is amusing to see the Crabs sitting, 
as it were, upright to cut their hay with their sharp pin- 
cers, and then waddling off with their sheaf to their holes 
as quickly as their sidelong pace will carry them.” 
And since they are so anxious to get out of our sight, we 
will take tho opportunity to make our bow to them and 
the whole tribe of Crabs and Shrimps together. 
