It is rather amusing to get one of these crabs out on to the open sand, and then to stand just in front of him. He will at once raise both his great claws and hold them in readiness to strike at you if you attempt to seize him. Then if you walk slowly round and round him he will turn round and round too, so as to keep facing you, over and over and over again. And if you put your hand anywhere near him he will snap at it so quickly that it is really not at all easy to avoid his stroke.
Edible crabs often have their shells covered with barnacles and the tubes of some of the sea-worms. Old crabs, indeed, which no longer change their coats of mail every year, are often so covered with these creatures that one can hardly see their shells at all.
PLATE XXII
THE SHORE CRAB (1)
This is sometimes known as the Green Crab, because it is generally more or less green in colour. But you may often find examples, which are deep brown all over, while others are bright yellow, with black markings upon their backs. It does not grow to nearly such a great size as the edible crab, and although its flesh is quite good to eat there is so little of it that the animal is hardly ever used for food. But it is wonderfully strong, and if you find a green crab hiding beneath a big stone or behind a mass of sea-weed, you must be very careful not to get a nip from its claws.
The green crab spends a great part of its life out of the water, for its gills are made in such a manner that they will keep moist for a very long time. And as long as its gills are damp a crab can breathe quite as easily on land as if it were in the sea. It is very active, and if you go down near the water’s edge while the tide is coming in you may often see it hunting sandhoppers and even flies, creeping up to them very carefully until it is only a few inches away, and then pouncing upon them so suddenly that they have no time to escape. And it is often very troublesome to fishermen, for it will seize their bait with its strong nippers, and pull it off the hooks before a fish is able to take it.
This crab is very easily kept in confinement, and will soon become quite tame, so that it will even come and take food from your fingers just like a dog. But you must be careful to pile up a few stones in the water in which you keep it, so that it may sit upon them and take an airing whenever it feels inclined. And it will even enjoy an occasional run about the room.
1. THE SHORE OR GREEN CRAB.2. THE FIDDLER CRAB.