Morning journal and courier., 1885-08-12
APES FISHING FOR CRABS.

Java Species That saertnce. Its
 Comfort te Hts Palate-An Able-bod-
 jed Crab.
 "They have on the coast of Java peculiar long, tailed ape, and a sand crab that grows to extraordinary size and possesses great strength in it's 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 deep holes in the sand, but spend much time on the outside of their holes, where they run and hop about. They range in size from that of silver dol lar to that of our edible crabs. Their claws are not large, but have 8 grip that is vise- like. The apes make daily raids on the haunts of the crabs, and occasionally suc- ceed, by creeping steafthily to within few feet of a 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 to- wards them, they have separated and disap peared into the ground. The ape, finding himself too slow to make capture, then sorts to bit of strategy to secure dinner. His mode of final capture infiicts upon him 8 pang of physical suffering which is frequent ly more than he can bear, but his love for the crab as 8 morsel of food is so strong that he never hesitates to accept the personal dis
 
 ally bears it with a stoicism which might in spire admiration if it were not for it's comieal side.
 "When the ape finds that he is foiled in his effort to capture crab by springing at a group, he backs himself up to hole into which one has disappeared. Sitting down, he thrusts his long tail into the hole. The crab, to punish such unwonted intrusion, seizes the end of the tail in it's strong claws the moment it approaches 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 hard time to restrain his laughter when the critical moment Of contact between the crabs claw and the apes tail is reached. There is look of comical suspense on the apes face as he thrusts his tail down into the hole. When | the crab closes on the tail the expression of l suspense departs. The ape gives an involun : l tary start, and tben settles back on his | launches, while he closes his teeth together l with determined air, and eventually, l springing forward. out comes the tail from | the hole with the crab dangling after it. In- stantly the ape swishes his tail forward and brings the crab to the ground with a force | that stuns it and causes it to drop it's grip. l With stone the ape smashes the shell of the crab, and is soon picking out the meat and l proceeding with his meal.
 "One day I was watching large ape fish | ing in this way for crabs. The apes are as 1 shy as the creatures they hunt so persistent ly, and the least sound from the brush will send them scampering away. The ape was l watching made dismal failure of his at tempt to spring crab, and at once pro- l ceeded to fish one out of hole. He selected a hole into which I had seen very large crab disappear, and I anticipated fun. The | apes tail had gone it's full length into the hole before his face indicated that the crah had made the connection. Suddenly he gave a start and yell. He bent his 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 several attempts te draw his tail, but fell back each time and | howled as the crab drew it taut. Tears act ually ran down the ludicrous face of the sui fering ape, and when he slapped both hands to his forehead and swayed his body to and | fro like little old man tortured by the toothache, bowling dismally the while, I could no longer retain myself, and yelled with laughter. This frightened the ape, and he gave a quick spring forward. Out came | the crab and away vent the ape. The crab hung to the tail, and as far as could see maintained it's hold, in spite of the way it was lashed and trailed as the ape flew over the ground, yelling at every jump. He dis | appeared in the thick brush, but how he divested himself of the crab I never knew. J