edge of the water, and suffer the waves to wash twice or thrice over
their bodies, and then withdraw to seek a lodging upon the land. After a
short time the spawn becomes ready for being deposited, when they again
seek the sea-side, and leave the spawn to be brought to maturity by the
heat of the sun. Much of the spawn, which exactly resembles the roe of a
herring, is devoured by the fishes; that which escapes soon arrives at
maturity, and millions of little crabs are then to be seen slowly
travelling towards the mountains.

"The old ones in the mean time seek to return to their old haunts, but
so feeble are they that they seem scarcely able to crawl along. Some of
them, indeed, are obliged to remain in the level parts of the country
till they recover, making holes in the earth, which they block up with
leaves and dirt. In these they cast their old shells, after which they
soon recover, and become so fat as to be delicious food.

"At the season of their descent from the mountains, the natives of the
islands which they inhabit, eagerly wait for them and destroy them in
thousands. On their descent they are only taken for the roe or spawn,
the flesh being then poor and lean: on their return from the sea-side
they are in greatest repute, being then fat and high flavoured.

"The crab-catchers adopt various modes of securing them, but they are
obliged to be very cautious, for when the animals perceive themselves
attacked, they throw themselves on their back, and snap their claws
about, pinching whatever they lay hold of very severely. The
crab-catchers, however, soon learn to seize them by the hind legs, in
such a manner as that the nippers cannot reach them."

"You said, Uncle Thomas, that the fishes watched the descent of the