312 A. E. Vcrrill Decapod Crustacea of Benninln. 



Locality 



Old Providence 



f Digits of chela- slender and gaping. 



s Dibits broad. 



|| Digits broad and only slightly gaping. 



Digits nut very slender, compressed, gaping. 



Nos. 7.~>:'>: > >'f. ?">ot. and 7.")">1 had liairy legs. (S. I. Smith.) 



( 'iirac.-Ki 



I'.erniuda 



Itcrinnda 



llennuda 

 I>oniinica 



to Mr. A. II. Vcrrill, \vlio t'liiiiid it very alniml.-inl in 

 many localities in San Doinin^u, in I'.lOT, especially at Saniana and 

 San T>orci)/o, it construe!- its lnrro\vs there almost evcM-ywhere in 

 open ^ra^-v land or savannas, or even in yards and gardens, but only 

 \\lieie the iv is clay soil beneatli the surface. It brings up the soil in 

 the form of hard pellets or ovoid balls, and deposits them around the 

 mouth of the burrows. Some of the balls arc id'ten over an inch in 

 diameter. The holes are sometimes 6 to 8 inches in diameter. They 

 abound both on dry land and near the water, sometimes burrowing 

 iti the banks of streams. He did not find them particularly pugna- 

 cious and the natives handle them freely. They are slow and rather 

 sluggish in their motions. About February they retire into their 

 holes and close them up with small piles of earth made of pellets, 

 remaining there for some time. During this time they are said to be 

 fat and are esteemed as food, especially about Easier, by the natives. 

 At that season they are sold in the markets. Later in the season, in 

 summer and fall, they freely leave their burrows and run about, both 

 at night and in sunlight. At such times they are "lean " and are not 



