The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1884-02-02
NUMBER IS.

large part Of the food OF star-fish, sea-
| urchins. mollusks, and many kinds of
fish and birds, consequently great GUAM
titles of them are killed before reaching
their full size. To protect the race
| from destruction by this loss Of life, all
crustaoeans produce immense quantities
Of eggs.
Young crabs arc so unlike the full
grown ones that naturalis.s formerly
thought they belonged to ditfcrenx
| class OF animals. As soon as they arc
born they rise 10 the surface Of tho
water. and swim about freely. After
passing through several changes the
body becomes large and heavy toward
the head. and the young crabs, losing
the power of swimming, sink to tho
bottom. where shey hide Tor awhile. Az
they gain in size and strength, and are
ready to begin their new manner Of
living, they creep toward the shore,
| and most Of them pass the rest Of their
days in shallow water among the sea-
weed. In the tropics some species live
in the frcsh-water Of brooks and rivers.
Others live in the shades of damp for
ests; still. when breeding-tiIne arrives,
they visit the sea-shcrc to deposit their
eggs.
The land-crabs OF Jamaica even live
on the mountain-tops, yet every year
they yield to longing for their
old home, and come down to
the shores Of the Caribbean Sea
to lay their eggs. Tais duty performed,
they return again to the mountains.
The hermit-crab is always an object
OF interest. Unlike other crustaceans,
It has no she'll to protect the soft body,
and a tempting morsel Is thus exposed.
The hermit, conscious of its weak point,
seeks shelter by taking possession oil
some spiral she'll In which to place its
soft abdomen. The hard claws and the
first two pairs Of feet generally hang out
over the edge OF the shell, which hence
forth moves about upon the crab shack as
II the two belonged together. The shorter
hind-feet are roughencd, enabling tho
crab TO hold on the inside of the she'll,
and 1t clings so tightly that 1t will some
times allow itself to be torn in pieces
rather than quit its hold.
As the hermit grows IL needs to hunt
mp larger home, and 1t may be seen
creeping along the shore, examining
and turning over shells to select one.
often trying on several before it is
suited much as q boy might try ON
several pairs Of boots before he is fitted
oxnctly. Should hermit fancy the
shell Of some living snail, It would not
hesitate, | am sorry to say, to kill and
eat the owner. and then coolly take
possession of the she'll. Two hermits
are sometimes found fighting for the
same shell.
Fiddler-crabs have one claw much
larger than the other, and as they walk
sideways they hold up the large claw in
u threatening manner. They dig holes in
the mud to live in, and they enter these
homes with extreme caution. Running
quickly to the entrance, they pause
awhile. turn their stalkcd eyes in every
direction, and then dart suddenly in.
They are not easily caught, for they
dart into their holes quickly when
alarmed.
The iiddler-crab Is striking ilustra-
ton Of the effect OF use upon any one
organ. The large claw SO peculiar to
this group belongs only to the males,
who are great fighters. They use the
large claw In their combats, which fact
accounts for its increased size, and also
for the absence Of a large claw in the
more peaceable females.
Many Of You have seen the little round
crabs that live in oyster shells. These
pca-crabs or oyster-crabs, as they are
called, are cons dcrcd great delicacy,
and they are sometimes collected and
sold by the dozen. Having no hard
covering. they always take up their
abode within the shell Of the oyster or
some other biyalve. They are not
prisoners within the shell, as they
venture out into the water sometimes,
and return again when they wish to.
They are said not to annoy the oyster
In the least, or to deprive It Of
any Of its food, since they eat certain
small animals which float into the shell,
but which the oyster never feeds upon.
Strange to say, It is only the femaleth that
shuts herself up within an oyster shell.
The male is much smaller and frolics
about on the surface of the sea. - Sarah
Cooper, in Hayp.r's Young People.