DECAPOD CRUSTACEANS OF THE WEST INDIES 197 



in the upper part of the burrow before they could get into the water, 

 but most of our Cardisoma were caught when they were seen crossing 

 the road at night. Only during the wetter seasons, however, do they 

 seem to move distances from their burrows. Several attempts to 

 collect the large crabs at night resulted largely in failure for they 

 reacted precisely in the same manner at night as during the day. 



After having been informed by the several men who lived in the 

 area that this crab could be taken easily in numbers at night, the 

 second author employed the services of two of the men, and we 

 reached the coconut plantation at the mouth of the Layou at about 

 9:00 P.M. Fewer than a dozen crabs were seen above the ground during 

 the following two hours. In the same area, hundreds are evident during 

 the day. Many crabs were just below the surface of the ground in the 

 mouths of their burrows, but as soon as a light was trained on them, 

 they di'opped into the water. One crab, perched on the side of a water- 

 filled ditch, simply dropped into the water as soon as the beam of 

 light reached it. 



By no means are these crabs confined to the burrows; many of 

 them have been seen in pools of water in drainage ditches, and on 

 one occasion a dozen or so large individuals were seen perched on 

 braces under a temporary bridge over the Woodford Hill River at 

 about 10:30 a.m. They were in full sunhght, but, when approached, 

 all of them dropped into the milky-blue water. 



Distribution. — Bermudas, southern Florida, and Texas to Estado 

 do Sao Paulo, Brazil (Bermudas, Andros I., Cuba, Jamaica, Hispa- 

 niola, Puerto Rico, Saint Thomas, Saint John, Saint Crob:, Mont- 

 serrat, Dominica, Barbados, Trinidad, Islas Los Roques, Curagao, 

 Isla de Providencia, Isla de Utila) . 



Dominica Stations: 6, 30, 38, 83, 97, 111, 112, 129 (0-25 ft.). 



Genus Gecarcinus 



80. Gecarcinus lagostoma H. Milne Edwards 



Figure Q7d 



Gecarcinus lagostoma H. Milne Edwards, 1837, p. 27 [type-locality: "Australasie" 

 (probably in error)].— Rathbun, 1918, p. 361, text-fig. 164, pis. 125, 126.— 

 Monod, 1956, p. 461, fig. 619. 



Diagnosis. — Fronto-orbital distance less than half of maximum 

 carapace width in adults. Third maxillipeds with exopod hidden 

 beneath ischium; merus rounded distally, covering epistome and most 

 of antennular cavities, with V-shaped notch leading to closed fissure on 

 mesial margin; end of reduced palp usually protruding near notch. 

 Dactyls of walking legs with sbc rows of spines. A large species, maxi- 

 mum carapace length in midUne about 70 mm. 



