THE LAND CRAB, (Gecarcinus ruricola.)
Land Crabs do not, like most other crustaceous animals, live near salt water, but take up their abode for the greatest part of the year in holes in the ground, hollow trunks of trees, and other places of the same description, and inhabit the mountainous districts of the islands, many miles from the sea-shore; but, although they make these places their usual haunt, it is necessary for them, once a year, to repair to the sea, for the purpose of depositing their spawn. They prepare for their annual migration about the month of April or May, and, having mustered in immense numbers, the procession sets forward, with all the regularity of an army, under the guidance of an experienced commander.
Their destination being the sea, they instinctively move in a direct line to the nearest coast; no obstacle which they can possibly surmount will induce them to turn from their course; for if even a house stands in their way, they endeavour to scale its walls, in which they sometimes succeed; and should a window remain open, they are not unlikely to direct their march over the bed of some heedless sleeper. If, however, a large river crosses their track, they continue to follow its course without attempting to cross it.
It is said, that they are commonly divided into three battalions, of which the first consists of the strongest and boldest males, who, like pioneers, march forward to clear the route. They are often obliged to halt for want of rain, and go into the most convenient encampment till the weather changes. The main body consists of females, who never leave the mountains till the rain has set in for some time; they then descend in regular order, formed into columns of the breadth of fifty paces, and three miles in length, and so close that they almost cover the ground. Three or four days after this, the rear-guard follows, a straggling undisciplined tribe, consisting of males and females, but neither so robust nor vigorous as the former parties. The night is their chief time of proceeding. When terrified, they march back in a confused manner, holding up their nippers and clattering them loudly, to intimidate their enemies. Their general food consists of vegetables; but if any of their companions should become maimed, and unable to proceed, they are greedily devoured by the rest.
After a march of two, and sometimes three months, in this manner, they arrive at their destined spot on the sea-coast; they immediately enter the water, and after the waves have washed over them several times, retire to holes in the rocks, and other hiding-places, where they remain until the period of spawning. They then once more seek the water, and, shaking off their eggs, leave them to the chance of being hatched, or devoured by tribes of hungry fish, who have already repaired to the spot in countless shoals, in expectation of their annual treat. The eggs that escape are hatched under the sand; and, soon after, millions at a time of the little Crabs are seen quitting the shore, and slowly travelling up to the mountains. The old ones, however, are not so active to return: they have become so feeble and lean, that they can hardly crawl about. Most of them, therefore, are obliged to continue in the flat parts of the country till they recover; making holes in the earth, into which they creep, and cover themselves up with leaves and dirt; here they throw off their old shells, and continue almost without motion for about six days, during which time they become so fat, as to be considered delicious food. In about six weeks, the new shell has become tolerably hard, and the creatures may be seen slowly returning to their mountain-haunts. In some of the sugar-islands, it is said they form no inconsiderable portion of the food of the negroes, who are extremely dexterous in their mode of seizing them, so as to avoid their nippers.
The Hermit, or Soldier Crab,
([Pagurus bernhardus].)
This singular species of Crab has obtained its name from its habit of remaining, as it were, secluded, in any empty shell, or hole of a rock, it may fancy.