Cancer terrestris, Cuniculos Sub terra agens: The Land Crab.
The Bahama-Islands as well as most Lands between the Tropicks,
abound with these Animals, in some Places the Ground being almost
covered with them, so thick they are, when out of their Holes that
the Earth seems to move as they crawl about. If any one has a Stick
in their Hand, they will not suffer themselves to be approached
so near as without it, and if walking regardless amongst them without
any Thing in Hand, they will approach you with menacing Gestures,
and with one of their Claws raised threaten to attack you. They
make their Holes like Rabbits in Candy Lands, in some of the mountainous
Islands; they in breeding Time annually descend the Hills in vast
Numbers to lay their Eggs near the Sea, whatever they meet with
in their Passage they go over, never going aside let Houses, Churches
or what will stand in their Way; They have been known to enter in
at a Window, and on a Bed, where People who never before had seen
any, were not a little surprized. They are of various Sizes, the
largest about six Inches wide; they walk Side-ways like the Sea-Crab,
and are shaped like them, some are black, some yellow, some red
and others variegated with red, white, and yellow mixed. Some of
these as well as the Fish of this Country are poisonous, of which
several People have died, particularly of the black kind. The light-coloured
are reckoned best, and when full in Flesh are very well tasted.
In some of the Sugar Islands they are eat without Danger, and are
no small help to the Negro Slaves, who on many of the Islands would
fare very hard without them. They feed on Vegitables.
Tapia trifolia fructu majore oblongo.
This usually grows but to a small Tree of about 20 Feet high, and
the Body about eight or ten Inches Diameter; the Leaves are trifoliate,
hanging opposite to each other on long Stalks, the Fruit likewise
hang on very long Stalks, and are of the Size and Shape of Spanish
Olives, and of a yellow Colour, enclosing a Stone like that of a
Plum. Of these Fruit amongst many others these Crabs feed.