New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-22
6be Last of His Race
by HELEN u. sCHooNHOyrN.

..,,,r delights IN. Boy much as our daily
=. IN The cool salt water. Father. Boy and
'xs- 20 the sandy stretch OF the crescent beach
80 awe anc splutter and splasb-ond Boy is learn
ag 70 s"lia'
49,, far from shore. when something bumped
-, nv side ] hastily scrambled TO my feet
- r,ade on for q safe point OF observation.
-ound black, grotesque object padding along
- vrster and called 10 Father and Boy 10 look.
r. &: once exclaimed IN a chorus: a horseshoe
- A horseshoe Crabt'
u.s. was great hnd and we all sQUatted tailor
= IN our We; bathing suits the warm sand
- had a lesson in horseshoe crab. and many
a,rs and Interesting things learned about
= 10 Is p very odd fellow indeed when you get
sospante3 with him.
-, ~ ALI he is not a crab at all. but more
.,,.s,y related 10 the spiders and scorpions. He Is
- NJ a very old family who fourished in what
III the coal age. All his brothers and cousins
- s,ris and uu-les died In the long ago and he
- remains 10 keep mp the family history.
us laid this relic OF an ancient race out on
-. besch We saw 10 our surprise. little way out
= ne water. what was either his friend. relative
= CINNAMON swimming rapidly toward the shore.
,e,s uas rare good luck We got him. laid them
60 Nv side on the yellow sand and took their
.,,r-es We turned them on their backs they
- throw ND their hard. sptkelike tails and wave
So funny leaf.ke legs about.
aE5ow many legs Boy" asked Father.
Seven pair
..rvth,ug queer about the last pair
.yss thsy look like paddles" answered Boy.
-U-er said Father. that's Just what they are
A., N The last pair are feelers The front legs
). uses 10 draw .. his food. This food is chewed
: she oreersst sort ~ way. He has a funny
-o.th. formed ny bristles fastened 10 the bases
:, bts legs 3. rubbing these bristles together he
.rnss up his food and prepares il for his stomach.
g-rfr -.
,,rge lesf.ke folds through which he areathes in
~ water - much for the under side OF Nj.
C-sh Vow. shall We turn him over and see what
a. car md on his outer shell? Wei, Boy. what
Dc you SEE
~Eers are two eyes
sure enough said Father. and right in the
middle OF MS forehead We shall ind Two more little
,-s Do you remember. Boy. in the story II
misses that be met a terrible giant with an eye
n ne middle q his forehead? What was his
nsme'"
"Cyc.ops" saiG Boy promptly.
Yes, bu; what else"
AFTER e moments thought Boy said slowly:
"Polly-sCulettlUE
Yes" SAID Father, ''Polyphernus. Now Poly
rherlus Is this fellows name. And his first name
b IAmulus You can remember this name because
be has 50 many limbs Then you VIII have no
trouble 70 say his real name, Limulus Polyphemus.
"Now. am going 10 tell you about this fellow
wien he first comes into the world His father and
no,her come Up on the beach together and dig a
hoe with their utpperlike claws and the mother
avs her eegs IN this hole. IN a month So little
LnGlus Po'yplemus comes out Al first he does
lot look Ike his father and mother at al, but
Ike his great great-great-g great grandfather and
grlnduother, who lived way back IN the coal age
and whose skeletons we find IN the rocks and call
talobitss.
AS this little fellow grows h- becomes more and
more Ike bis own father and mother and gets q