Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-11-15
THE OYSTERS GUARDIAN.


is not eaten b. those who like oysters,
while in this country it is we'll known,
rs We often see it floating upon the
surface OF an oyster stew. 1t IS common
on our Goa is not only In oysters, but
also in m ssels and scallops.
The name Washington crab has
been sugge ted by sumo for the oyster
crab, as it was considered great
deicaoy by our first President.
The crab has been known to natural
lists from thu earliest times OF history,
and the lively inaginations Of writer's
on natural history have woven Curl
GUS network OF stories about tho life
and home Of this modest little animal.
Aristotle, the Greek, and Pliny, the
Roman, naturalists, believed that q
deiinited relation or understanding ex-
listed between the she'll fish and its
little lodger, and even went SO far as to
say that death would be the result If
| the crab should desert its host. The
watchful crab, living within the home
of the dull and stupid oyster, on seeing
small fish approach, would wait until
one more bold than the rest OF his
companions ventured within tine open
shell, then gently nippine the oyster,
the doors would DO closed and the fish
held prisoner. Thereuron the two,
the host and his guest, would feed at
leisure upon the body of the venture
some fish.
A very beautiful arrangement be.
tween these two-the blind and tie
lame-and a very pretty con,pact-hut
the cold eye of science saw that BIZ
valves do not feed upon fish, but upon
microscopic animals and plants, which
| live md Hoat in th.. ha
the little crab, whose limbs are 60 soft
and yielding, could have neither the
ST. engtb nor the power to pinch off
morsels of food from an ordinary fish.
Another story, which held it's own
until late in the last century, was that
this little crab played the part of the
"King's Jackal," who hunted by night
for his majesty, the lion. 1t would
sally forth to hunt and bring food to
the helpless musseI or oyster, and ON re-
turning from the hunt, should 1t find
the house closed, would give cry,
which was recognized by its host, the
door instantly opened, aud il was al.
lowed to enter. Study has shown that
the crab never leaves its home, and
cannot cry, but as with the lion, who,
in fact, often gets the food for the
jHckal, SO it Is that the little crat
feeds upon the substances which are
swept in by the current Of water made
by the bivslve, in order to bring in
its own food aud to freshen the water
tor lite respiration.
Again the crab was said to warn III
protecting host from danger by timel,
pinch, that the doors cGuld be closec
against some crafty octopus or insidious
star fish, and for which service the crat
was rewarded by board and lodging.
This relation between the orah ant
the bivalve was used by the ancients t.
illustrate how helpless is man without
a friend Even Cicero is snid to hav,
used this simile, and we find the SAINT
idea expressed by the Egyptians il
their hieroglyphic writings.
J The oyster crab, 1t Is true, may ac
in such manner that it warns th,
, oyster of the approach of danger, blu
1 we scarcely believe that it is anything
| but personal motive on its part. W,
l nineteenth century folks do not believ
that any intelligent understanding
a exists between the two. We have al
/ seen how crab will hurry back ant
r forth on the approach of danger, viii
4 dart into the first c9evice TO escap
. its foe, and when in safety brandish it
formidable claws with the creates
show Of bravery. So the little Primo
there's may, with the same instinct
run back and forth within the sensitiv
mantle of the oyster, and retreatin
push against its soft body, which will
!. indicate to the slothful intelligence Q
its host that something is wrong out
1t side, when it will discreetly close il
n shell, as the better part of valor.
II The oyster crab is about the size q
Il large pea, the body is globular, tn
d legs small and weak, and it differ
n from nearly every other crab in havin
'r perfectly soft ielding skin. In fact
p it was always ''soft shelled crab.
The Pinnotheres are found all over th
world, wherever we find oysters, mus
sells, or scallops, from the Antsrcti
Ocean to the frozen North; but it seem
" that they are only used as table del
IF cacy by the American people. In tb
m West indies there ia an oyster yhic
n mangrovs trees. When Columbus fir
W saw them be was greatly astonished 1
1, find among tho many wonders of til
~ Western World yster- bearing trees an
:. having read that pearls were forme
- in oysters by drops Of dew falling int
:. their oren mouths, reported to I'll
~ credulous Europ cans that the mangro,
% oyster must yield an abundant harves
for the dew was so heavy in thes
tropical islands. Dr. Patrick Brown,
however, tells Us. in 1756, that I'll
oyster crab is very common in the mai
lit grove oyster, and such las eat them q
m not think them a bit the worse Il
m being accompanied with some of the.
w crabs, which they swallow with ii
en- (shelll fish,"
ed These crabs are quite common IN IL
" true pearl oyster of the Indian ar
he Pacific Oceans, and there is specime
n OF one of thtsa shells in which ma
" is imprisoned in the substance of Il
shell and covered over with layer
mother of pearl. The little fello
probably entered the oyster in eearc
an of his mate, and, not finding her, wal
OF deted about and finally passed betwe,
er. the mantle of the oyster and the shel
all where he was finally enshrouded
mother of pearl.
. There are about rs kinds OF cral
= belonging to the oyster crab family, a
more or less related. vi of them a
small and of a retiring disposition
Some do not live within the shells
!. protecting bivalve, cut remain on II
n sea lotion under stones, and hidd
within small holes. Naturalists ca
by the study of these animals, ira
the different steps from the free era
hiding in holes and crevices to tho
= which enter the open mouths
oysters, where, being protected fro
the attacks of enemies and having
srt food brought to it by the exertons
ed its host, IL srends its entire life.
X, But perbaps the most curious hab
found in any crab ia that of a ne