I can see in that little pond of yours, now under my eyes, no less than three distinct varieties of the crab family." "Never!" exclaimed Bob incredulously.

"Why, they all look to me the same queer little green-backed things, with legs all over them that they do not know how to use properly." "While you think, no doubt, that you could teach them better, eh ?" said the Captain chuckling; but, the next moment, raising his hat and a graver expression stealing over his face as he looked upward towards the blue vault overhead, he added earnestly--"Ah, my boy, remember they have a wiser teacher than you or I! However, you're wrong about their being all similar.

The majority of those you've caught are certainly of the ordinary species of green crab and uneatable, if even they had been of any tolerable size; but, that little fellow there is a young `velvet fiddler' or `swimming crab.' If you notice, his hind legs are flattened, so as to serve him for oars, with which he can propel himself at a very good rate through the water if you give him a chance.

Look now!" "I see," cried Bob eagerly.

"He's quite different to this other chap here with the long legs." "Oh that is a `spider crab.' He is of very similar proclivities to his cousin though he lives ashore.