purpose of depositing their spawn. They march in a direct line towards
their destination, and seldom turn out of their way, even should they
encounter a wall or a house, but boldly attempt to scale it. If,
however, they arrive at a river, they wind along the course of the
stream, and thus reach the sea.

"In their procession they are as regular as an army under the command of
an experienced general, and are usually divided into three battalions.
The first body consists of the strongest males, which march forward to
clear the route and face the greatest dangers. The main body is composed
of females, which are formed into columns, sometimes extending fifty or
sixty yards in breadth and three miles in depth. Three or four days
after these follows the third division or rear guard, a straggling
undisciplined tribe, consisting both of males and females, but neither
so robust nor so vigorous as the former.

"Though easily drowned, a certain proportion of moisture seems necessary
to the existence of these animals, and the advanced guard is often
obliged to halt from the want of rain. The females, indeed, never leave
the mountains till the rainy season has fairly set in. They march
chiefly during the night, but if it happens to rain during the day,
they always profit by it. When the sun is hot they halt till evening.
They march very slowly, and are sometimes three months in gaining the
shore. When alarmed they run in a confused and disorderly manner,
holding up and clattering their nippers with a threatening attitude, and
if suffered to take hold of the hand they bite severely. If in their
journey any of them should be so maimed as to be unable to proceed, the
others fall upon it and devour it.

"Arrived at the coast, they prepare to cast their spawn. They go to the