740 
THE land-crab. 
and if it is intersected with rivers, they are then observed to wind 
along the course of the stream. The procession sets forward from 
the mountains with the regularity of an army under an able com-' 
mander. They are commonly divided into three battalions ; of which 
the first consists of the strongest and boldest males, that, like pioneers 
inarch forward to clear the route, and face the greatest dangers. 
They are often obliged to halt for want of rain, and to go into the 
most convenient encampment till the weather changes. 
The main body of the army is composed of females, w'hich never 
leave the mountains till the rain is set in for some time ; they then 
descend in regular battalions, being formed into columns of fifty" paces 
broad, and three miles deep, and so close that they almost cover the 
ground. The rear-guard follows, three or four days after, like a 
straggling undisciplined tribe, consisting of males and females, but 
not so vigorous as the former. The night is their chief time of pro- 
ceeding, although, if it rains by day, they do not fail to profit by the 
occasion, but continue to move forward in their slow uniform manner. 
When the sun shines, and is hot upon the surface of the ground, they 
make a universal halt, and wait till the cool of the evening. When 
they are terrified, they march back in a slow disorderly way, holding 
up their nippers, with which they sometimes tear off a piece of the 
skin, and leave the weapon where they inflicted the wound. They 
even try to intimidate their enemies, for they often clatter their 
nippers together, as if to threaten those that disturb them. 
But though they thus strive to be formidable to man, they are 
much more so to each other ; for they are possessed of one most unso- 
cial property, w^hich is, that if any one of them by accident is maimed 
in such a manner as to be incapable of proceeding, the rest fall upon 
it, and devour it on the spot, and then pursue their journey. 
When, after a fatiguing march, and escaping a thousand dangers, 
for they are sometimes three months in getting to the shore, they have 
arrived at their destined port, they prepare to cast their spawn. In 
order to this, the creature has no sooner reached the shore, than it 
goes to the edge of the water, and lets the water wash over its body 
two or three times. This seems only a preparation for bringing the 
spawn to maturity, for, without farther delay, they withdraw, to seek 
a lodging upon land. In the mean time the spawn grows larger, is 
excluded out of the body, and sticks to the barbs which are situated 
under the tail. This bunch is seen as big as a hen’s egg, and 
exactly resembling the roes of herrings. In this state they once 
more seek the shore for the last time ; and shaking off the spawn 
into the water, leave accident to bring it to maturity. 
At this time numerous shoals of hungry fish are at the shores, in 
expectation of this annual supply ; the sea to a great distance seems 
black with them ; and about two-thirds of the crab’s eggs are imme- 
diately devoured by these rapacious invaders. The eggs that escape 
are hatched under the sand ; and, soon after, millions at a time of 
these little crabs are seen quitting the shore, and slowly travelling up 
to the mountains. 
The old ones, how'ever, are not so active to return ; they have 
become so feeble and lean, that they can hardly creep along, and the 
