The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-11-12
CURIOUS CREATURES
5 Some |';| Facts Facts and a Good Story About the
u SIiS Flllef Grab.
TIER VERY INTERESTING HABITS.
sThcir Principal Uses Are as Fish Rni.
Rnd 10 HIVE Enn With-tEow q
S Enrrciiml Got Loose on Staten
Island and Justice Garrett Was
Eooied Thought Al hnd Jim.Jnms

j Fid6lers nre rs cnnts quart This may
Jsbo "a startling announcement for musi-
clans, but the fiddlers wo are dealing with
do not play In orchestrns. In other words,
I soldier crabs nro 20 cents quart. Soldier
ora6s arc bust known to tho boatmcn and
tho fishermen. They arc among the small
est species of crab and nro used rs bait for
nhcepshesd and blackflsh. If thcy hnvo
any other utility, nobody 80 fur has found
1t out. They swarm In tho s;rnmpy places
on tho coasts of Long Island and Staten
D Island. In tho sand 1t is easy enough to
cntch them. Two boards plncod In tho
shape Of constitute tho apparatus for
q tho capture OF fddlers. Whom the boards
+ are SGT, tho sportsman or Inarkctinan, ms
the case may DO, simply drives tho fiddlcrs
before him, and all that run inside tho
swo boards arc grabbed by hantlfuls and
tossed into a pail or barrol. The unfortu-
3 nato creatures will live in captivity for
week or two. In muddy places it Is dill
cult TO catch fltillers, for the simple reason
that on tho approach Of danger they disap-
+ pear in the holes which they mike In tho
mud.
" 6iddlers are queor looking little things
and their habits nre interesting. Each ono
knows his own homo and guards II jcal-
ously. In tho little holes in the mud the
lnnrried lddlcrs-and they nre nearly NIL
married-live happily with their wives
and families, and when an intruder at
tempts to climb down tho chimney and
establish himself in tho abode Of another
fiddler the liyeliost kind of fight is sure
to follow.
The invader does not 60 down farm
TACT he appears to hollor Mt tho fiddler
down below and challenge him out to
light, for as sure rs he presents himself at
tho top the follow below comos up. A
rough and tumble fight is then inaugural
ed. 1t Is suro to ond with tho loss Of
Climb. Whom tho fiddler leses his claw in
the battle, he simply gives up tho struggle
and sncaks nway, and his enemy, hoing
chivalrous, never attempts to injure
worlded fou. Unlike other soldiers. tho
soldier crabs, or fddlers, never havo to
wear, artificial limbs, for whom QUO is takon
off In u fight all he has to do Is to retire
to some secluded spot and wait for another
limb to grow.
There arc two kinds of fiddlors---tho
ohinabacks aud the nisecrs. Some anglers
prefer tho forme md others insist thnt
the niger fiddle with tho yellow claws
make tho best bait.
Orc finc October morning several years
ego two well remembered fshcrmen-Cap-
tains Van Pclt and Hodges-startcd out
In u cathaat from Stapleton, N Y, bound
for COMFY Island to got hnlf u barrel OF
dddlers. In n short tilno thoy captured
moro fddlcrs than they could possibly use
during tho remaining trips of tho season
to tho Roiner fishing grounds They re-
turned ia good spirits, lnalo their boat
fast and snug md Carried tho barrel Of I'D
oilers ashore. Hodges intended to keen
them In his garden, so that no thicring
anglers might steal thotn from tho bont
On tho way homo they stopped ut lager
beer saloon, where thoy refreshed them
nelres and met some friends. Late in tho
evening Hodges concluded that It was
about time for him to go home Van Pelt
oKcred to accompany him to help carry
tho barrel of fiddiers, but Hodges insisted
that he was able to manage tho flddcrs
alone. So off he started, promising to
meet his friend Van Pclt at z OF clock sharp
( on the following morning to 20 down to
the Romer and slaughter sheepshcad and
Blacklist.
Next morning at the appointed hour
Van Paft was in the saloon equipped with
everything that is necessary to catch fish
except, of course, the bait. After waiting
for nearly an hour Hodges staggered into
the saloon.
VOL, you're fine fellow" said Van
pelt Where did you catch it all so early,
~ ASAo VIC wy Ia tilc uuuiCrSf
4 Fiddlers-they're everywhere. -
4 What do you meant
"Fsllors put EN- into other fcllcrs' beds.
and the girls Is sweeping 'em out o. tn
halls. Fiddlers ey'rywhoro!"
Mhat'n the world are you gottin at9"
Well, I'll tell you, jake. When left
here last night, 1t was dead beat to
wind 'ard home, but on one tack failed
to clear Mike Oats pump, and me and all
the hddiers was capsized. got UP and
I tried to catch some Of ON, but thoy was
too fresh, and away they went hotter
skelter down the street, into stores and all
round everywhere. wasn't lively enough
;for 'em, and tho whole barrelful got away.
In the saloons and stores some Of the boys
got 'en, and the fellers who don't want
leo ash with 'em are havin fne fun with
Fem. y
{, Seated at a table in the Same saloon,
with his big stovcpipe hat, in which he
Kept his bandanna handkerchief, In front
of him, was the we'll remembered and far
famed Justice Garrett. His honor was.fast
asleep. Before Jake finished his lamenta-
lions over tho loss of the flddlers two
young men entered tho saloon. Seoine
that tho judge was asleep ono Of them
4 vent over. lifted up tho bandanna, and
j pulling from his pocket fistful of fildlers
she put thcm into tho judicial hat and COW
4 tIed them carefully with tho bandanna.
Then Tho woke up the judge and invited
/; him TO TAKE drink. His honor was will