, 1916-04-01

size so rapidly that in the course of q few
hours it is often nearly half as big again as
it was before. Then d new shell begins to
form, and q couple OF days later the animal
is able to leave it's retreat, with its nlppers
once more available as weapons. aud its body
clothed in mail, to grow no more, perhaps,
until another year bas pissed away.
Quite a number of different kinds OF crabs
may be found on any rocky part of the shore.
the Velvet Fiddler. for example, is always ve'y
common. This is one of the Swimming
Grabs, and M " often be seen padding it's
way through the water in the rock pools by
means of it's fattened hiud legs, the move
ments of which are curiously suggestive of
those of a man playing the violin. Hence
its popular title.
Spider Crabs, with very smal bodies and
legs almost as long and slender in proportion
as those of a daddy-loug-legs, are by no
means uncom non, aud Pea Crabs, which are
literally no larger than peas, may be found
lurking inside the shells of living mdssels,
with which, strange to say, they appear to he
on terms of the most perfect friendship.
But odder than any of these is the Thorn
buck Grab. 1t often grows to a large sizn. In-
deed, with the exception OF the gigantic
Edible Crab, it is perhaps the largest OF our
British species. Yet in soma ways it is a
nervous and even timid creature, and never
feels altogether at its ease unless it is wear
ing a disguise, which consists Of a clothing
of either sponges or sea-weeds, in harmony
with the character of that part of the sea-
bed on which it happens to be lying.
And these ~adornments, strange to sly, are
actually planted upon it's own back by tue
crab itself! Many II time, in captivity, the
operation has been witnessed. First the
crab turns one OF it's loug nippars over It's
carapace. Then it scratches away at the
she'll till it has rOughened the surface. Aud
then, pulling up y spray of sponge or sea-
weed, as the case may be, it carefully plants
it in the prepared spot, pressing down its
r~ootlets till they are firmly held in position
by the strong little hooked hairs with
which the shell is covered. 1T then plants
another sprig in the same way, and then
another, and then another, and so on until
it's whole upper surface is entirely concealed.
More than this, if a Thornback Crab which
is clothed with sea- weeds is captured and
placed in II tank, the bottom of which is COW
cred with spouges, it will very quickly dis
cover that something is wrong, and that its
disguise is not 80 effectual rs could be wish
ell. And after a short time for reflection it
Will actually strip off the sea-weeds from It's
back, and plant q crop OF sponges IN their
place.
Very curious, too, is the quaint little Her
NIT Crab, whose tail is free like that of
the lobster, Instead of being firmly
cemented to the lower surface of the
the body. And this tail, instead of being
protected by armour, is merely clothed with
soft skin. The result is amusing. The little
crab, anxious to protect itself against the
attacks of its many enemies, tucks It's tail
into the empty shell Of a whelk, and never
withdraws it again for n single moment.
Most curious of all, however, is the Rob
Der Crab, which lives in the islands of the
Indian Ocean. and feeds principally upon
cocoa-nuts! These it opens by tearing off
tie ibres which cover the three eye holes,
and hammeriug at the softest Of these with
its claws until the shell is pierced. 1t then
insinuates the long and slender hind claws
through the aperture thus made, and picks
out the soft flesh of the nut with their pincer-
like tips.-1he Kingdom.