The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1861-01-02
How Apes Catch Crabs.

we find the following amusing account
of the manner in which apes capture
crabs, and sometimes catch Tar
/ tar
At length they reached the bounda-
/ ry of the former settlement dry san
dy soil, and strip of beach, where all
vegetation ceased, and only single
tall pandanus tree, whose roots were
thiclly interlaced with creeping plants
forming as it were, the advanced posts
of the vegetable kingdom. Behind
this they crawled along, and cautious
" raising their heads, they saw sever
al apes at Assistance of two or three
hundred PAGES, who ware partly look
| ing for something as they walked up
and down the beach, while others
stood motionless It was the long
tailed brown variety, and to watch
the movements of these strange beings
4 more closely, when one of them, tge-
mendiously large fellow began to draw
near them Carefully examining the
! ground over which he went on all
tours, he stood at intervals to scratch
| himself, or to snap at some insects that
buzzed around him Hescame up so
close that Frank fancied he would
scent them, and give the alarm to the
other monkeys, when suddenly on
passing over a little eminencc, covered
with reedy withered grass, he discov-
cred party of crabs parading up and
down on the sand. With bound he
was among them3Abut not quite quick
enough to catch single one; for the
crabs, though apparently so clumsy,
darted like lightning into a quantity
Of small holes, or cavities, which made
the ground here look like sieve, and
the ape could not thrust his paw af-
ter them, for the orifces were TOO
narrow
The mandoor nadged Frank gently
to draw his attention, and they saw
the ape after crawling. once or twice
up and down the small strip of land,
and peeping into the various holes,
with his nose close to the ground,
suddenly seated himself very gravely
by one oftthem which be fancied most
suitable.
He then brought round his long tail
! to the front, thrust the end of it into
the cavity until he met with an obsta-
Gle, and suddenly made face which
so amused Frank that he wonld have
laughed loudly, had not the mandoor
raised his finger warningly and di-
rectly after the ape drew out his ex-
traordinary line with ajerk. At the
end, however, hung the desired booty,
a fat crab by one Of its claws and
swinging it round on the ground with
such violence as to make it loose it's
hold, he took it in his left paw, and
picking up.a stone in the other, he
cracked the the shell, and devoured
the savory contents with evident signs
OF satisfaction
Four or FIVE he thus caught in sue
cession, on each occasion. when the
crab nipped him.. making face of he
roic resignation and pain but each
time he was successful and he must
have found in the dainty dish and the
revenge for the nip, abundant salts
faction for the pain he endured-or
else he would not have set to work
again so soon
| Thus the ape quite engaged with
the sport, and without taking his eye
off the ground, had approached to
1 within about twenty PAGES of the par
/ ty concealed behind the pandanus tree
Here again the ground was full Of
holes, and looking at the one he con-
1 jectured to be the best, he threw in
1 his line once more, and probably felt
there was something alive within, for
he awaited the result with signs of the
most eager attention The affair,
however, lasted longer than he had
anticipated, but being already tolera-
4 bly, well filled with his successful hauls,
| he pnlled up his knees, laid his long
arms upon them, bowed his head, and
half closing his eyes, he assumed such
resigned, and yet exquisitely oomi-
! cal face, as only an ape. can put on un-
der such circumstances But his quiz
| ct was destined to be disturbed in q
manner as unexpected as it was cruel.
He must have discovered some inter-
esting object in the clouds, for he was
gazing up there fixedly, when he sud-
| denly uttered aloud yell, left hold Of
| his k.1ees, felt with both hands for his
4 tail, and made a bound instle air as il
| the grou nd under him were beginning
| to grow red hot. At the end Of his
Il tail, however, hung gigantic crab,
| torn with such desperate energy from
his hiding place, that Frank could re-
Train no longer, ySut burst into loud
laugh. The H1andoor at first retained