The Soldier Crab. 545 
most singular in their habits ; they descend in annual 
and regular caravans from the mountains, their natural 
abode, to the sea-shores, in order to deposit their spawn, 
after which they again return to the mountains. These 
Crabs form, in their procession, a body of fifty paces 
broad, and three miles in length. This battalion moves 
slowly, but with regularity and uniformity, either when 
they descend or ascend the hills. They abound in 
Jamaica, w r here they are accounted a great delicacy by 
the natives, and are common in the adjacent islands. 
THE SOLDIER CEAB, OR HERMIT CRAB, 
(Paguru.s bempardus,^) 
Is a curious animal, and ought to be noticed here for its 
singular habits. It is somewhat like a lobster divested 
of its shell ; it is about four inches in length, and has 
no shell on the hinder part, but is covered down to the 
tail with a rough skin ; it is also armed with strong 
hard nippers. This Crab has not been provided by 
nature with a shell, and is obliged to seek for one 
which has been deserted by its legitimate tenant ; but 
as this covering cannot grow of course proportionally 
with him, he is forced out of it by his increasing size, 
and finds himself under the necessity of looking out for 
a new one : it is curious to see him when in want of a 
new house, crawling from one empty shell to another, 
examining and trying his new habitation. Sometimes, 
when two competitors happen to eye the same premises, 
a great contest arises, and of course the strongest gets 
the manor. 
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