Homes Without Hands: Being a Description of the Habitations of Animals, Classed According to Their Principle of Construction

In his very interesting work on the natural history of Jamaica, Mr. Gosse gives a curious account of a burrow made by the YELLOW SNAKE (Chilabothrus inornatus). This snake is very plentiful in Jamaica, and is perfectly harmless to man, being destitute of poison-fangs, and not reaching a size which would render it formidable to human beings. Its average length, when full-grown, is eight feet. So far, indeed, from being obnoxious to man, it may rank among his best friends, as being a determined foe to rats, feeding largely upon them, and even entering houses in search of its prey. Like the weasel, indeed, of our own country, which feeds mostly on mice and other destructive animals, but occasionally makes a raid upon the fowl-house, the Yellow Snake enters the farm-yard, and, instead of eating rats as it ought to do, proceeds to the hen-roosts, and robs them. No less than seven eggs have been found inside a single Yellow Snake, and not a single egg was broken.

There is now (1863) a good specimen in the Reptile-room of the Zoological Gardens of London.

One of these snakes was seen to crawl out of a hole in the side of a yam-hill—i. e., a bank of mould prepared for the purpose of growing yams—and when the earth was carefully removed, a large chamber was discovered in the middle of the hill, nicely lined with strips of half-dried plantain leaves, technically called “trash,” and containing six eggs, all fastened together. Just outside the hole was a heap of loose mould, which had evidently been thrown out when the excavation was made.

The Yellow Snake generally makes its home in the deep spaces between the spurs of the fig or the buttresses of the cotton-tree, and always lines it with “trash;” but that the creature should be able to excavate a burrow, and throw out the earth, seems almost incredible. How did the snake remove the earth? As the reptile was not seen in the act of excavating, this question could not be precisely answered. Mr. Hill, however, to whom the subject was referred, gave as his opinion that the snake loosened the earth with its snout, and then worked the loose soil out of the hollow by successive contractions of the segments of the abdomen, which would thus “deliver” the soil after the manner of the Archimedean screw.

The eggs which were found in the chamber were removed, and from one of them, which was opened, was taken a young snake, about seven inches in length.

CHAPTER IV.

BURROWING INVERTEBRATES.

CRUSTACEA.

• The LAND CRABS and their Habits.—The Violet Land Crab.—Its Burrows, its Combativeness, and its pedestrian Powers.—The Fighting Crab, why so called.
• The Racer Crab of Ceylon.—Its Burrows, and Mode of carrying off the Soil.
• The Robber Crab.—Its Form and general Habits.—Food of the Robber Crab.
• A soft Bed and well-stocked Larder.—The CHELURA, and its Ravages among Timber.—The GRIBBLE and its Kin.

THE reader will doubtless perceive that among such a multitude of mammals and birds, each of which has some habitation, it is impossible to give more than a selection of some of the more remarkable examples. Although, therefore, there are many other burrowing and semi-burrowing vertebrates, we must leave the furred, feathered, and scaled tribes, and pass to those which occupy a lower place in the animal kingdom.

Among the Crustacea, there are very many species which form burrows, and which conceal themselves under the sand or mud. As, however, these creatures can not be said to form their habitations, and the burrows are mostly obliterated by the return of the water, they can scarcely be reckoned among those which make “homes without hands.” Some, however, there are which are as fully entitled to be ranked among the true burrowers as any creature which we have mentioned, digging a regular burrow in the earth, residing in their subterranean home, issuing forth to procure food, and retiring to it when alarmed. These are the creatures so widely famous as LAND CRABS (Gecarcinus), respecting which so many wonderful tales are told, some true, some false, and many exaggerated. The Land Crabs are found in various parts of the world, and are notable for very similar habits. They all burrow in the ground, run with very great speed, bite with marvelous severity, and associate in considerable numbers. As a general fact, they are considered as great dainties, and when properly prepared, may be ranked among the standing luxuries of their country.

As the Violet Land Crab of Jamaica (Gecarcinus ruricola) is the most familiar of these creatures, we will take it as our first example of the burrowing crustacea.

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This species, which is sometimes called the Black Crab, and sometimes the Toulourou, is exceedingly variable in its coloring, sometimes black, sometimes blue, and sometimes spotted. Whatever may be the color, some tinge of blue is always to be found, so that the name of Violet Crab is the most appropriate of the three. Wherever the Land Crab makes its home, the ground is filled with its burrows, which are as thickly sown as those of a rabbit warren, and within these habitations the crabs remain for the greater part of the day, coming out at night to feed, but being always ready to scuttle back at the least alarm.

Should, however, their retreat be intercepted, they are as ready to fight as to run, and have a curious habit of seizing the foe with one of the large claws, and then shaking off the limb at its junction with the body. As the muscles of the claw retain their tension for some little time after the connection with the body has been severed, the enemy feels as much pain as if the crab were still living; and in the momentary confusion caused by the bite, the crab takes the opportunity to conceal itself in some crevice. As is the case with all crustaceans, it suffers but a temporary loss, a new limb soon sprouting out, and taking the place of the discarded member.

Although these warrens are seldom less than a mile from the sea, and are often made at a distance of two or even three miles, the Land Crabs are obliged to travel to the shore for the purpose of depositing their eggs, which are attached to the lower surface of the abdomen, and are washed off by the surf. Large numbers of the crabs may be seen upon their journey, which they prosecute so eagerly that they suffer no opposition to deter them from their purpose. This custom has probably given rise to the greatly exaggerated tales that have been narrated respecting these crabs, and their custom of scaling perpendicular walls rather than turn aside from the direct line of their route.

Twice in the year the Land Crabs become very fat and heavy, and are then in the best condition for the table, their flesh being peculiarly rich and loaded with fat. No one seems to be tired of the Land Crab, and new-comers are apt to indulge in the novel dainty to such an extent that their internal economy is sadly deranged for some little time after the banquet.

About the month of August the Land Crab is obliged to cast its shell, and for that purpose retires to the burrow, which has been well stocked with grass, leaves, and similar materials. It then closes the entrance, and remains hidden until it has thrown off its old shell, and indued its new suit, which is then very soft, being little but a membranous skin, traversed by multitudinous vessels. At this time the crab is thought to be in the best condition for the table. Calcareous matter is rapidly deposited upon the membrane, and in process of time the new shell becomes even harder and stronger than that which has been rejected.

Many species of Land Crab are known, some of which possess rather curious habits. The FIGHTING CRAB (Gelasimus bellator) is a good example of them. This species possesses one very large and one very little claw, so that it looks as if a small man were gifted with one arm of Hercules and the other of Tom Thumb. As it runs along, with the wonderful speed which belongs to all its kin, it holds the large claw in the air, and nods it continually, as beckoning to its pursuer. While so engaged it has so absurd an aspect that it has earned the generic title of Gelasimus, i. e. laughable. As may be conjectured from its popular name, it is a very combative species, holding its fighting claw across its body, just as an accomplished boxer holds his arm, and biting with equal quickness and force. It is also a burrower, and lives in pairs, the female being within, and the male remaining on guard at the mouth of the hole, his great fighting claw across the entrance.

Another Land Crab, which has earned the generic title of Ocypode, or Swift-footed, and is popularly called the RACER, from its astonishing speed, is a native of Ceylon, where it exists in such numbers that it becomes a terrible nuisance to the residents. Having no respect for the improvements of civilization, this crab persists in burrowing into the sandy roads, and is so industrious at its excavations that a staff of laborers is constantly employed in filling up the burrows which these crabs have made. Were not this precaution taken, there would be many accidents to horsemen.

The mode of excavation employed by this creature is rather peculiar. It “burrows in the dry soil, making deep excavations, bringing up literally armfuls of sand, which, with a spring in the air, and employing its other limbs, it jerks far from its burrows, distributing it in a circle to the distance of many feet.”

THERE is a very remarkable burrowing crustacean, called the ROBBER CRAB (Birgus latro). This creature is of a strange, weird-like shape, difficult to explain, but easily to be comprehended by reference to the illustration. The reader can, however, form some notion of its general form by removing a common hermit crab from its residence, and laying it flat before him. The Robber Crab, however, does not live in a shell, and its abdomen is consequently defended by hard plates, instead of being soft and unprotected like that of the hermit crab, to which it is closely allied.

The Robber Crab inhabits the islands of the Indian Ocean, and is one of those crustacea which are able to exist for a long time without visiting the water, the gills being kept moist by means of a reservoir on each side of the cephalothorax, in which the organs of respiration lie. Only once in twenty-four hours does this remarkable crab visit the ocean, and in all probability enters the water for the purpose of receiving the supply which preserves the gills in working order.

It is a quick walker, though not gifted with such marvelous speed as that which is the property of the racer and other land crabs, and is rather awkward in its gait, impeded probably by the enormous claws. While walking, it presents a curious aspect, being lifted nearly a foot above the ground on its two central pairs of legs, and if it be intercepted in its retreat, it brandishes its formidable weapons, clattering them loudly, and always keeping its face toward the enemy. Some writers aver that it is capable of climbing up the stems of the palm-trees, in order to get at the fruit, but this assertion seems to require very strong corroboration before it can be believed.

The food of the Robber Crab is of a very peculiar nature, consisting chiefly, if not entirely, of the cocoa-nut. Most of my readers have seen this enormous fruit as it appears when taken from the tree, surrounded with a thick massy envelope of fibrous substance, which, when stripped from the nut itself, is employed for many useful purposes. How the creature is to feed on the kernel seems quite a mystery; and, primâ facie, for a crab to extract the cocoa-nut from its envelope, to pierce the thick and stubborn shell, and to feed upon the inclosed kernel, seems an utterly impossible task. Indeed, had not the feat been watched by credible witnesses, no one who was acquainted with the habits and powers of the crustacea would have credited such an assertion. Yet Mr. Darwin, Messrs. Tyerman and Bennett, and other observant men, have watched the habits of the creature, and all agree in their accounts.