You can lift him into the air by the rag; still he holds on. Once I saw a blue crab catch a dog’s tail. The crab held on fast. The dog gave yelps, and ran up and down the beach. We had to catch the dog, and pry open the crab’s claw. Let us look at this crab; he has let go the rag, and has gone to dig in his house. Lay this bit of shell on his hole. See it shake! He has run up and hit it with his head. Now he waits. Watch well. There, the shell flies up in the air! He struck it hard as he ran, and made it fly up. I have seen him try twice, and make the shell shake before he found how hard he must hit, to get it out of the way. Some folks think he shuts the door of his house with his big hand. I do not think so. He knows that the tide will wash a lump of sand over his hole, for a door. The tide shuts him in. He watches the waves come near. At the last wave he jumps through his door, for he knows the next wave will close it. He never stays up one wave too long. He gets in in time. He is shut in his house with Mrs. Crab. He knows that the tide will pass, and he has bugs to eat. When Mr. Crab has lost a leg or hand, and a new one grows, it is small at first. Then when he gets a new coat, the new hand or leg becomes half as large as the one he lost. The next new coat, the new hand or leg comes out the full size it should be. When crabs get a new shell we say they molt. LESSON VI. MR. CRAB AND HIS FRIENDS. The crab that has one large claw has many names. Some call him the Fighting Crab, he is so cross. Others name him the Calling Crab, because, when he runs, he holds his big claw high, as if he called, “Come! come!” Most people call him the Fiddler Crab, and say that his big claw is his fiddle. I think that is the best name for him. He can, and does, play a tune on that hand. It is his violin, as well as his hand, his spade, and his sword. Do you see a row of little knobs on the inner edge of his big claw? He rubs those knobs on the edge of the shell that covers his back, and the sound is his tune. He uses that tune to call his mate. Mrs. Crab thinks it fine. Mr. Crab has friends upon the beach, as well as down deep in the sand and in the water. When he walks along the sand, he meets big flies with two wings. He is glad to see them. Why? They put their grubs, or young ones, in the sand, and Mr. Crab knows that he can find them to eat. [Illustration: MR. CRAB AND HIS FRIENDS.] Mr. Crab also meets a great, green tiger beetle. He does not fight him. He knows that he shall find the beetle’s grubs in the sand and eat them. While he is digging down below, he meets a little fat, round crab, with big eyes, and a thin, gray shell. He is glad to see him. If the crab has not food enough to eat while the tide is high, he will creep along in the sand, and catch and kill this small crab for his dinner. Mr. Crab also meets, deep down, long worms, green, red, or brown. They are making houses for themselves.