The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1867-06-15
About Grabs.

Crabs belong to m extensive tribe ofcrus
,aceous beings, and are very peculiar 70,
having their skeleton on the outside of tn,
body instead Of mithin, as is grneraly tn,
case with other creatures. We have stud
led them, and when they have grown large
enough TO fill their shell it would seem as il
'hey could not grow any more. But the
great wise Creator and author Of nature
gives them the power to cast off the entire
she'll for larger one, and thus they increase
IN size, until, shedding or soughing is no
longer necessary, in the meantime at every
change furnishing us with the delightful
soft crabs The operation Of sloughing is
best observed in some quiet and beautiful
creek or bay, whose shores are clean and
sandy, about the first of June. The crabs
come closer and closer to the shore. and to
the sunny spots little beyond low water
mark, where they can have three or four
inches OF water to cover them. The crab
now becomes preiectly quiet, and in few
hours Il sort OF swelling may be noticed
along the edge Of its upper she'll: after
awhile the under becomes disengaged, like
the lid of trunk
Next begins the difficult job of pulling its
great claws ont Of their small joints and
cases. A II this, however, is admirably pro
vided for by the Great Creator. The flesh
undergoing peculiar soitening, the crab
slips out from the slough, apparently with
out an effort. Now it is very HELPLESS
looking creature, and seems incapable of
exertion. But watch him more closely, for
in short time he sinks into the sand from
the sight of careless observers. Find him
twelve hours afterwards, and his skin is a.
hard as fine writing paper, and now he is
sod to be in Cuciram, as he was at first in
paper. Thence his growth is rapid, and in
torty-eight hours he has reached crabhood
(ltalph Waldo Emerson and other transceu
dentalists com words for their purposes
and may not lover of nature?) and he has
again all his functions.
A cloudy, cold spell will retarl this pro.
cess or moulting operation, and such a mo-
ment is the desirable season, the harves,
for crabbers, especially about the waters of
the Chesapeake, where many may be seen
wading along its broad shores from morn.
ing till night. with forked sticks to raise the
paper crabs from their sandy beds. And
they have to work sharply, for in few hours
the chance Of success will be over. at night
they continue their search, aided by blazing
pine. knots in the bows Of their boats As
much as two dollars dozen, early in the
season, are paid for such crabs.
In addition to all this, the crab is a most
extraordinary creature; his skin is stone.
casting it off at pleasure, and much of his
flesh lies in his claws and feet. Where do
you suppose his teeth are2 In his stomach,
and regular grinders too; and, unlike other
animals, his food meets the action of the
teeth as it is passing from the stomach, in.
stead of being chewed before swaIlowing.-
Crabs, too, have a very acute sense ofsight,
hearing and smelling and their power OF
locomotion is most remarkable, as they can
move equally well with any part of the body
foremost, and without turning around.-
These are among the mysteries of an animal
reck oned so low in the scale of
animated nature.