The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1885-09-02
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APES FISHING FOR CRABS.
4 Jaya Species That Sacrifices its Com
fort TO its Palate.

=" They have on the coast of Java pc.
caliar long-tailed ape, and sand crab that
erowsto extraordinary size and possesses great
strength in its claws" said gentleman
who lived in Java years ago. "The apes
are particularly fond of the crabs, which
are very shy and wonderfully quick in their
movements. They live in the sand, but
spend much of their time on the outside of
their holes, where they. run and hop about.
They range in size from that of q silver dol
lar to that of our edible crabs. Their claws
are not large, but have grip that Is wise
like. The apes make daily raids on the
haunts of the crabs, and occasionally sue
coed, by creeping stealthily to within few
feet of group of them, in springing upon
them and capturing one before they have
scampered to their holes. Usually, how
ever, the crabs are so wary that while the
ape is still in the air during his spring
toward them, they have separated and dis
appeared into the ground. The ape, find.
himself too slow to make capture, then re.
sorts to bit of strategy to secure dinner.
His mode of final capture inflicts upon him
pang of physical suffering which is fire..
quently more than he can bear, but his
love for the crab as q morsel of food is SO
strong that he never hesitates to accept the
personal discomfort which its capture in
wolves, and usually bears it with n stoicism
which might inspire admiration if it were
not for its comical side. E
g" When the ape finds that he is foiled in
his effort to capture crab by springing at
agroup, he backs himself up to hole into
which one has disappeared. Sitting down,
ne thrusts his long tail into the hole The
crab, to punish such unwonted intrusion,
seizes the end of the tail in its strong claws
the moment itapproaches near enough. Any
one who may have been SO fortunate as to
hide himself in the bushes unobserved by
the ape making the raid, will have a hard
time to restrain his laughter when the criti-
col moment of contact between the crabs
claw and the apes tail is reached There is
q look OF comical suspense on the apes face
As he thrusts his tail down into tho hole.
When the crab closes on the tail the express
sion of suspense departs. The ape gives an
involuntary start, and then settles bach on
his launches, while he closes his teeth to.
gether with determined mir, and eventual.
ly, springing forward, out comes the tail
from the hole with the crab dangling to it.
Instantly the ape swishes his tail forward
and brings the crab to the ground with a
force that stuns it and causes it to drop its
grip. With q stone the ape smashes the
shell of the crab, and is soon picking out
the meat and proceeding with his meal.
"One day was watching large ape
fishing in this way for crabs. The apes are
as shy as the creatures they hunt so persis-
t,ntly, and tho least sound from the brush
will send them scampering away. The ape
was watching made dismal failure of his
attempt to spring on crab, aud at once
proceeded TO fish one out of hole. He
selected hole into which had seen q very
large crab disappear, and anticipated fun.
The apes tail had gone its full length into
the hole before his face indicated that the
crab had made the connection. Suddenly
bo BoNo +" oehhe huu u yen. l1B Delt Ills
body nearly double, and slapped his hands
on his knees and wagged his head, with his
teeth closed tight and his lips drawn down,
while on his face was look of agony and
despair doubly intensified. He made sew.
eral attempts to withdraw his taE. but fell
back each time md howled US the crab
drew 1t taut. Tears actually ran down the
ludicrous face of the suffering ape, and
when he clapped both hands to his fore
bead and swayed his body to and fro like
little old man tortured by tho toothache,
bowling dismally all the while. l could nc
longer restrain myself, and yelled with
laughter. This frightened tho ape, and he
gave quick spring forward. Out came
the crab and away went tho ape. The crab
hung TO the tail, and as far as could see
maintained its hold, in spite of the way it
was dashed and trailed as the ape few over
the ground, yelling at every jump. He
disappeared in the thick brush, but how
he Invested himself of the crab / never
knew"