Seaside and Wayside, Book One  by Julia McNair Wright

The Uses of Crabs

H OW often does Mr. Crab need a new coat? His coat does not wear out, but it becomes too small. Then he changes it for a larger one. He cannot stretch it or piece it.

The baby grows fast. You can almost see it grow. You grow fast. They say it is hard to keep you in clothes. You cannot wear the coat you had last year.

Your papa can wear his coat for many years. He will tell you that he has stopped growing.

It is so with the crab. When he is young, he grows fast. He needs a new shell very often. When he is older, he grows more slowly. Then he gets a new coat every spring.

At last he does not grow any more. He keeps the same shell, year after year. It gets very hard and thick, and loses its bright color.

Very often it is nearly covered with limpets. They fasten their flat or pointed shells to the crab's back, and stay there.

I cannot tell you just how long a crab lives. Some of them look very old.

Of what use is a crab? Have all things a use? Yes. God made all things; and all things are of use. Sometimes we cannot find out the use.

Crabs are good for food. Some kinds are eaten by men, as fish and oysters are eaten. Birds eat a great many crabs. Some birds almost live on them. Fish eat many crabs. There are many kinds of crabs so small that you could hardly see them. Fish feed on them. Crabs help to keep the sea and the seashore clean. That makes it pleasant and healthful.

Crabs are greedy. They eat nearly all kinds of dead things that would spoil and make a bad smell if left on the sand.

They eat dead fish, dead animals that are thrown into the sea, and grubs, flies, and worms. Do you ever see men going about to clean the streets? Crabs in their way do such work as these men.

Mr. Crab has a picnic.

The crabs help to keep clean the sea as well as the shore. There are so many crabs, and they eat so much, and so fast, that they can clean away much of the dead stuff that lies on the shore, or near it at low tide.