THE CRUSTACEA OF NEW JERSEY. 419 



Cape May, Town Bank, Green Creek, Dias Creek, Dennis Creek, 

 Bayside, and Penns Grove. They occur in the lower Delaware 

 River tidal occasionally, as far as Camden during periods of 

 drought in summer. The range of the species is from Cape Cod 

 to Brazil. 



Verrill says it is a common inhabitant of muddy shores, 

 especially in sheltered coves and bays. It is a very active species, 

 swimming rapidly, and is therefore often seen swimming near 

 the surface. The full-grown individuals generally keep awaj 

 from the shores, in shallow water, frequenting muddy bottoms, 

 especially among the eel-grass, and are also found in the some- 

 what brackish waters of estuaries and the mouths of rivers. 

 The young of all sizes, up to two or three inches in width, are 

 very frequent along the muddy shores, hiding in the grass and 

 weeds or under the peaty banks at high water, and retreating as 

 the tide goes down, though if disturbed they swim quickly away 

 into deeper water. They also have the habit of pushing them- 

 selves backward into and under the mud for concealment. They 

 are predaceous in their habit, feeding upon small fishes and 

 various other animal food. They are very pugnacious and have 

 remarkable strength in their claws, which they use with great 

 dexterity. When they have recently shed their shells they are 

 caught in great numbers for the markets, and these "soft-shelled 

 crabs" are greatly esteemed. Those with hard shells are also 

 sold in our markets, but are not valued so highly. As a dis- 

 tinguishing character this species may be known at once from 

 all our other crabs by the presence of the large sharp spine on 

 each side of the carapace. Crabs are usually brought to our 

 markets early in May, though the more valued "soft crabs" are 

 taken later. Their period of shedding is often quite irregular, or 

 of long duration, for soft-shelled examples are taken nearly all 

 summer. 



This crab is equally abundant along the coasts of our neigh- 

 boring States. I have found it at Lewes, Rehoboth, Dew^ey 

 Beach, Rehoboth Beach, Indian River Inlet, Delaware City, New- 

 castle and Wilmington, though it seldom ascends the Delaware 

 much further, except during drought in warm weather. 



