The Washington herald., 1911-06-11

HU win. but fiddler with eight legs,
u one big claw, which he holds much
as a human fiddler carries his fid-
die and bow. 1t is thus he gets his sobriqret.
had occasion lately TO await the incoming
Of the tide beside river, with nothing to
amuse me but iddlers. cross the blue dis
tance there came at intervals the cry of the
field bank. A marsh-hen' stepped medita-
lively forth from the canebrake which bor-
dered the stream, and tree frog uttered o
plaintive croak. But these are both elusive
creatures. from whom no serious companion
ship may be expected.
The river l speak Of is short, hardy more
than an arm of the sea, and its waters are
often salt, which fact accounts for the multi
tudes of fiddlers which honeycomb the muddy
banks.
These little animals vary in size from 4
large beetle to a small crab, and l should
Judge them to be nearly related to the latter,
from the strong family likeness which exists
between them.
b / was sitting on log, with my skirts gath:
cred well about me, pol1ng the point OF
my parasol idly into the black ooze about my
feet, when l observed a little white elbow
joint, as it seemed, cautiously emeFge from
This aroused me to the fact that from about
a hundred other little holes similar number
of little elbow joints were thrust forth IN q
like cautious manner.
/ became interested and kept quite still.
Then out came great claw, followed by 9
tiny animal which scuddcd in a frightened
way down toward the waters edge.
One after another they crept out and ran M
for dear life, some holding that big claw dir,
ectly forward, some trailing it behind and
some holding in proudly alott.
When quite a large number had thus run
away from home, i rose, and, leaning over
the river-bank, saw below me a sort OF Hat
beach, smooth and hard enough in appear
ance but in reality only ooze and presently
tn be covered by the incoming tide:
The slight rustic, l nade caused terrible
ners," a multitude Of 'fddlers oublequicked
across the miniature beach, with claws aloft
The sight was so funny that laughed aloud
though there was none to share my mirth.
But 6ddlsrs are are knowing cFeaturss & .rs. and 1
} meant them no harm, 80, with restored con
fdence, they betook themselves TO the busi
ness Of the day, which was evidently lunch
con or even dinner, for it was high noon.
, just in front of me q little fellow sat him
: self down TO eat. He was shaped exactly hk
] a crab, with four slender legs, slightly hairy
3 on each side. He had no big claw, all dii
1 proportioned to his size, however, but tw
fectly.
: Having seated himself, he protruded hi
two eyes on the end of two branching thing
v like the antennae of q butterfy-"the bette
saw this--and L really believe he was watel
: ing me all the time he ate.
' With his pretty little claws he literall
shoyeled up that horrid, putty-like mud b
;, quick, alternate movements into the Queerez
. mouth in the worid-a wide, fat opening juf
4 under those ridiculous eyes.
Not far away another fiddler was busil
I eating. This one had an enormous claw archl
curved before his face. One might fancy
was blushing behind fan, 50 eoquettish wa
: the effect Of this great pinlish-white claw
behind which the small creature was boltin
his food, with the aid of a little claw, whic
might have been q fairy copy Of the othei
But my private opinion in that he held tina
|. big claw before his wide mouth only TO bid
!, somewhat bis dreadful gluttony.
y watched many more at their midday mea
y and was struck with the individuality po
sessed by creatures which, seen en- mass
had appeared exactly alike
a One had bis overgrown claw on the righ
lt another had his on the left, and yet thir
had no overgrown claw ut all but wa
e shaped with symmetry like a miniature cral
e One carried his elbow in advance of hin
4 another turned his to defend his rear, viii
d many Of them carried them eloft, as / hay
a said, like ensigns as they scudded about
IS frequent panics, for which could pereei,
no adequate cause.
So interested did / become that forp,
that formerly had had sort of squeamis