ADVENTURES IN THE LIFE OF A FIDDLER 



CRAB. 



By O. W. Hyman, 

 Fellow in Biology, Princeton University. 



[With 6 plates.] 



One of the most widespread and familiar crustaceans of the coasts 

 of the United States is the fiddler crab. On the Atlantic coast this 

 small and active crab is abundant in the marshes and along the 

 beach from Cape Cod southward. Every child that lives by the 

 sea or spends a part of the year building houses on its sandy beach 

 or wading along its shallow shores is sure to make the acquaintance 

 of the sand fiddlers. The child's excited glee when a female has 

 been captured or pained indignation if the captive has been a pinch- 

 ing male is enough to introduce the fiddlers to a wide circle of 

 older folks. The fiddler crabs are almost as well known to seaside 

 people as the butterflies are to inland dwellers. 



THREE KINDS OF FIDDLERS. 



To scientists this common species of shore crabs is known as Uca 

 pugilator. 1 They occur in droves of thousands on favorable beaches. 

 The beaches that are most favorable are those on which there is an 

 expanse of rather clean sand exposed at low tide and conditions are 

 even better for the fiddlers if there is a growth of sedges near the 

 high- water line. The sedges form a ready refuge for the crabs when 

 they are frightened. Since this species is especially partial to a 

 sandy habitat it may well be designated as the sand fiddler — a name 

 that is already given to it locally. The sand fiddler is a small crab, 

 being, as a rule, about two-thirds of an inch broad across its body 

 and something less than 2 inches between the tips of its outstretched 

 legs. The color of the crab is, in general, a gray which matches 

 very well the color of wet sand. However, if one examines the up- 

 per surface of the body more closely he will find there an intricate 

 pattern of violet, lavender, pink, and black. The great claw of the 

 male is generally white with few color markings. 



1 Formerly known as Oelasimus pugilator. 



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