<hw>Crab-hole</hw>, <i>n</i>. a hole leading into a pit-like burrow, made originally by a burrowing crayfish, and often afterwards increased in size by the draining into it of water. The burrows are made by crayfish belonging to the genera <i>Engaeus</i> and <i>Astacopsis</i>, which are popularly known as land-crabs.
1848. Letter by Mrs. Perry, given in Canon Goodman's `Church in Victoria, during Episcopate of Bishop Perry,' p. 72:
"Full of crab holes, which are exceedingly dangerous for the horses. There are holes varying in depth from one to three feet, and the smallest of them wide enough to admit the foot of a horse: nothing more likely than that a horse should break its leg in one. . . . These holes are formed by a small land-crab and then gradually enlarged by the water draining into them."
1859. H. Kingsley, `Geoffrey Hamlyn,' p. 368:
"This brute put his foot in a crabhole, and came down, rolling on my leg.''
1875. Wood and Lapham, `Waiting for the Mail,' p. 49:
"Across the creek we went . . . now tripping over tussocks, now falling into crab holes."
<hw>Crab-tree</hw>, <i>n</i>. i.q. <i>Bitter-bark</i> (q.v.).
<hw>Cradle</hw>, <i>n</i>. common in Australia, but of Californian origin. "A trough on rockers in which auriferous earth or sand is shaken in water, in order to separate and collect the gold." (`O.E.D.')
1849. `Illustrated London News,' Nov. 17, p. 325, col. 1 (`O.E.D.'): [This applies to California, and is before the Australian diggings began]: