Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-05-27
THE KING OF CRABS.
A Sea Spider from Japan-The HOming
Instinct-Crabs as Pigs in the Spice
Islands.
From the Ns,0 York Sun.


Instinct-Crabs as Pigs in the Spice
Islands.
From, the Ns1o York Sun.
speaking of crabs,' said the skipper
Of trim bark whose figurehead reached
| over toward Water street, as if it con-
templated stepping down and out, ''cOme
down into the cabin, and II show you
something that tops the whole crab busi-
ness.V
The visitors followed the skipper down
below, and found themselves in a large,
rOomy cabin, as tastefully fitted up as a
shore parlor. That the Captain was a
lover Of nature was evident, as the walls
were well covered with the results of his
collecting expeditions. Hanging from
the ceiling was large swinging aquarium,
in which were several fishes brought
from Japan. A huge dried PhysalIa stood
out like an enormous purple soap bubble
| against the wall, while groups of swords,
sawtish shouts, shark jaws, stuffed por-
cupine fishes, and others completed the
decoration of the floating museum.
There's my pet" said the skipper,
pointing to an object that looked like a
huge spider hung against the wall. 81
that is, as feel now. Yes, it's crab.
Stand up alongside"
One of the visitors placed himself along
side Of the animal. The biting claws was
seen to be about ten feet in length, and
when they were stretched out, as they
often are at full length when the animal
is feeding, the distance between the tips
would have been about twenty-five feet
In appearance the creature, whose name
in tho IaOnI1aon NJ ocipnpa WAS T1nc bme
HdliRferi, although recent works give it
even another, was terrific; it looked like
a gigantic spider. The body was nearly
round, and might have passed for moss
covered rock or a gigantic edition of the
Coney Island lady crab. 1t was covered
with rough spines, and near the eyes pro-
iected two sharp, satanic horns. In size
the body was about twice the size of a
mans hat, and from it branched'the ten
long spider arms, the first pair being the
| length given, and the others gradually
growing shorter and shorter, until finally
the last pair were about third the size
of the first.
''Well, what do you think ofit?' asked
the Captain.
''Isn't it made of paper, and didn't it
come from some dime museum? asked a
visitor, who was armed with Fiji spear
taken from a rack.
the skipper, taking down the crab. ''Look
it over well. and if you don't believe it's a
crab, 90 to the Harvard Museum. They
have pretty good sized one there. The
Central Park Museum has the body of one
that will make a good hat, and Prof.
Ward, the geolOgist, of Rochester, has
perfect one, with legs complete. You
can buy them from MIN at, say, twelve
hundred dollars adOzen-thatis, if he will
sell. picked this one up all by accident.
/ was going through fishing town and
saw some of these claws leaning up
against a hOuse, and, not thinking what
they were. picked one up, and then real
lied that it was the claw of crab. 1t
would have made a very good club in a
free fight. / found that they were caught
off shore, and left an order for the biggest
one they could get, and this is the result.
Whether they grow any larger or not i
don't know, but ii | was a diver and
should meet one | think / should give up
or GIT as they say. But they are I'M
doubleday inOfensiYe creatures, very slow
of movement, and are easily caught.
have heard that they come ashore at
night, and are caught in that way.
"They have a curious crab in the Spice
Islands," continued the skipper. rehang-
ing the sea spider. "They call it the palm
crab; the scientific name is BirgdS lGtrO.
| was visiting a friend there, and one
night he asked me if / wouldn't like to
take a look at his pigs that were being
fattened for the table. ! said certainly, and
out we went to a sort Of pen made of
bamboo, and what do you suppose he hadY
Grabs? Yes, these palm crabs. They
were Spice Island pigs, and / reckon
some OF them weighed q matter of twelve
pounds, others five and six. They were
curious things, and looked like half .spi-
der and half crab. If you have ever seen
a hermit crab out Of its shell, try TO
imagine one with its tail covered with
hard plates and about five times as large
as anything you ever saw. Give 10 great
red claws. throw in a lot Of short hairs,
bristles and feelers, and you have the
palm crab. When first saw one it re-
minded me Of those fantastic figures that
mop out Of boxes when you raise the lid.
The palm crabs are found in various
countries of the East, and always IN holes
at the foot OF palm trees, and 10 give you
an idea Of the amount OF nuts they eat,
the Maays make a regular business Of
collecting the husks which they find in
the nests and making them into mats and
arious articles OF domestic use. You
might wonder how the crabs get at the
nuts; they climb the trees and twist them
of with their big claws, and If you have
ever tried TO do the same with your hands
you will appreciate the strength Of the
crab. Sometimes the nut is brought
down, but often dropped, the crab follow
ing IL down. 10 then tears of the husk
with its big claws, always commencing
at the end at which the two holes are
placed and when they come into view IL
brings one Of its small rear claws into
play and runs II In and picks out the
meat. Sometimes they break the she'll by
hammering it on a rock.
"lhis friend of mine told me some cu-
rious yarns about the crab. Once, when
a lot Of natives were or on q crab hunt,
one Of them nearly bad his ears torn Of.
They went for them az highland as one Of
the men took hold Of a limb, or branch. OF
a cocOanut to give II a shake, big crab
that happened TO be clnging 10 10 grabbed
him by the car and nearly lifted him OF
the ground, and would nave torn hie ears
of II some one had not killed the brute
with n club. They are very fine eating,
and are fattened on rice aud various kinds
Of food and oOld lust "a we sell onfokona