398 BULLETIN 97, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Gelasimvs vocaior Kingsley, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, ISSO, 



p. 147 (part). 

 Uca vocaior Ortmann, Zool. Jahrb., Syst., vol. 10, 1S97, p. 312 (part). 

 Uca pitgnax rapax Rathbun, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm., for 1900, vol. 2, 1901, 



p. 7. 



Diagnosis. — Oblique ridge inside hand terminating at carpal cav- 

 ity. Inner surface of hand finely granulate. Eyebrow visible in 

 dorsal view. 



Description. — Differs from typical U. pugnax in having the sur- 

 face of the ej'ebrow more oblique and visible in a dorsal view, and 

 in the inner surface of the palm almost smooth to the naked eye, 

 finely granulate under the lens. 



The carapace is often narrow posteriorly, and the lateral margins 

 more sinuous, but these characters are not invariable. 



Measurements. — Male (18551), length of carapace 15.5, width of 

 same 25.5 mm. 



Habits. — Frequents salt marshes and mangrove swamps. 



Mr. P. W. Jarvis, Kingston, Jamaica, has written of this species 

 that it occurs in large numbers near the coasts on the sides of ditches 

 and sometimes in thousands on the edges of swamps. When alarmed 

 the male opens the large claw which it holds erect in readiness for 

 the attack and at the same time rapidly scuttles away to its burrow 

 in the mud, down which it quickly descends. The female leaves her 

 burrow in search of food only at dusk, but the male is out and about 

 most of the day. There is a local superstition that this crab can 

 cure deafness and earache, and in consequence it is known to the 

 dwellers on the coast as the " Deaf-ear crab." The method consists 

 in crushing the living crab and pouring the juice into the ear. 



Range. — Gulf of Mexico and Florida Keys to Eio de Janeiro. 



Variations. — Some specimens, from Key West and Havana, show 

 characters intermediate between pugnax and pugnax rapax. 



Material examined. — 



Miami, Florida; April, 1898; Fish Hawk; 1 male (43362). 



Key West, Florida: D. S. Jordan; December, 1883; 3 males, 1 

 female (G3G9). H. Hemphill; high tide, among rocks or burrowing 

 in sand; 8 specimens (13813); 1885; 1 male, 5 females (15055). 

 Albatross; Apr. 15-27, 1884; 26 males, 4 females (7515). 



Sarasota Bay, Florida; Union College collection; 1 male (42616). 



Near Mobile, Alabama; Jan. 29, 1883; C. L. Herrick; 1 female 

 (15057). 



Matagorda Bay, Texas; Mar. 22, 1905; T. E. B. Pope; 1 male 

 (33031). 



Drain near Matagorda Bay, Texas; fresh water; J. D. Mitchell; 

 5 males, 4 females (25033). 



