Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-08-20
APES FISHING FOR CRABS.
A Java Species that Sacrifices Its
Comfort to Hts PaIate--An Able
bodied Crab.
N Y Sun


Comfort to Hts PaIate--An Able
bodied Crab.
n. Y. Sun.
''Thev have on the coass Of Java a
peculiar long tailed ape, and sand
crab that grows to an extraordinary
size and possesses great strength III
claws" said a gentleman who lived IN
Java years ago. The apes are par
ticularly fond of the crabs, which are
very shy and wonderful quick In their
movements. They live IN deep holes
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 silver dol
lar to that of our edible crabs. Their
claws are not large, but have a grip
that is vice-llke. The apes make daily
raids on the haunts of the crabs, and
occasionally succeed, by creeping
stealthily to within a few feet of a
group of them, in springlng upon them
and capturing one before they have
scampered to their holes. Usually,
however, the crabs are so wary that
while the ape is still in the air during
his spring toward them they have
separated and disappeared into the
ground. The ape, finding himself too
slow to make capture, and then re-
sorts to bit of strategy to secure a
dinner. His mode of final capture
inficts upon him pang of physical
suffering which is frequently more
than be can bear, but his love for the
crab as morsel of food is SO strong
that he never hesitates to accept the
personal discomfort which it's capture
involves, and usually bears 1t with
stoicism which might inspire admir~
alton if it were not for it's comical
side.
"When the ape finds that he is foil
ed in his effort to capture crab by
springing at a group, he backs himself
up to a hole into which one has dis
appeared. Sitting down, he thrusts
his long tail into the hole. The crab,
to punish such unwonted intrusion,
seizes the end of the tail ia its 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 a 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 coHical
suspense on the apes face as he thrusts
his tail down into the hole. When
the crab closes or the tail the EXPIRE S
sion of suspense departs. The ape
gives an involuntary start, and then
settles back on his launches, while be
closes his teeth together with a deter
mined air, and eventually springing
forward, out comes the tail from the
hole, with the crab dangling to it.
Instantly the ape swishes his tail for
ward and brings the crab to the ground
with a force that stuBs it and causes
it to drop its grip. With a stone the
ape mashes the shell of the creb, and
soon is picking out the meat and pro-
ceeding with his meal.
Zone day [ was watching large
ape fishing in this way for crabs The
apes are as shy as the creatures they
hunt SO persistently, and the least
sound from the brush will send them
scampering away. The ape l was
watching made dismal failure of his
attempt to spring on a crab, and at
once proceeded to fish one out of a
hole. He selected a hole lnto which
[ had seen very large crab disappear,
and [ anticipated fun. Tee apes tail
had gone its full length into the hole
before his face indicated that the crab
bad made the connection. Suddenly
he gave a start and yell. He bent
bis 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
doabIy intensified. He made several
attempts to withdraw his tail, but fell
back each time and howled as the crab
drew it taut. Tears actually ran
down the ludicrous face of the suffer
ing ape, and when he clapped both
hands to his forehead and swayed his
body to and fro like little old man
tortured by the toothache, bowling
dismally the while. could no longer
restrain myself, and yelled with
laug liter. This frightened the ape.
and he gave a quick spring forward.
Out came the crab and away went the
ape. The crab hung to the tail, and
as far as I could see maintained its
hold, in spite of the way it was lashed
and trailed as the ape flew over the
ground, yelling at every jump. He
disappeared IN the thick brush, but
now he divestea himself of the crab [