CRAB. 
537 
waves to pass two or three times over their bodies. . 
Immediately after this necessary ablution is per- 
formed, they retire to seek a lodging upon land, and 
the spawn rapidly increases in size till it is ex- 
cluded from within the body, and may be seen 
sticking under the tail, where it is collected into a 
bunch as big as a hen’s egg. In this state of preg- 
nancy they again seek the shore, and shaking off 
the spawn into the water, leave it to be hatched by 
the heat of the sun. The fish take advantage of 
this annual supply, and devour vast quantities of the 
eggs ; but millions still remain to be brought to 
maturity in the sand, and in due time the shore is 
covered with little crabs, which soon quit the place 
of their nativity, and slowly move towards the 
mountains. 
The long march, and the difficulties they have 
had to overcome, together with the fatigue of 
spawning, reduce the old crabs so much that they 
can hardly creep along, and most of them are 
obliged to remain in the flat parts of the country 
till they recover. To accomplish this desirable end 
they dig for themselves holes in the earth, where 
they live concealed, having carefully stopped the 
mouth of their caves with leaves and dirt to prevent 
the access of the air. In these retreats they cast 
their shells, and continue quite naked and in an ap- 
parently torpid state during about six days, when 
they are said to become so fat as to be delicious food. 
Soon after this they are seen slowly travelling up to 
the mountains. 
