ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BT^LLETIN. 



491 



THE GHOST CRAB, HATTERAS INLET 



{Ocypoda arenaria), which abounded every- 

 where, but were particularly numerous near the 

 buried carcases of some porpoises killed a few 

 days before our arrival. There is nothing in 

 the appearance of these marvelously active crabs 

 to indicate their scavenging habits. When cap- 

 tured for close inspection they were alwaj'S 

 found to be immaculate. Yet they came from 

 far and near and fairly honey-combed the 

 ground with their burrows in order to avail 

 themselves of the new food supply. 



The localit_v was an ideal one for observing 

 them and Mr. Sanborn was requested to make 

 some camera records while I rounded up the 

 subjects for such poses as were possible. By 

 placing the camera flat on the crest of a narrow- 

 sand ridge behind which we were concealed, it 

 was possible to photograph the active excavator 

 of a burrow in the very act of tossing out a load 

 of sand. In digging its burrow, which goes 

 down obliquely two or three feet, the crab makes 

 frequent appearances at the surface with sand — 

 perhaps as much as half a teaspoonful — carried 

 on the folded claws of one side. After an in- 

 stant's pause with the eyestalks erect, the sand 

 is tossed out with a quick dash — not pushed out, 

 and the crab dives again underground. The 

 work is carried on steadily and in a few minutes 

 the dark-colored damp sand thrown out — always 

 in the same direction — becomes a conspicuous 

 dump heap on the white, dry sand of the beach. 



It required patient waiting 

 to catcli one outside the en- 

 trance in a really good pose. 

 How those erected eye- 

 stalks give the appearance 

 of standing at attention. 

 They are folded down into 

 narrow grooves when he 

 darts into his tunnel. The 

 diameter of the burrow al- 

 ways seems too small for 

 the easy passage of the oc- 

 cupant. The folding up of 

 the great claws and many 

 legs cannot be appreciated 

 until one takes a dead crab 

 in the hands. The way he 

 disposes of them and still 

 the burrow on the dead run is 



manages to taK 

 admirable. 



To surprise a ghost crab on the open beach, 

 head off its wild dash for home and keep up 

 with it on a chase along the hard sand until it 

 could be run down and cornered, meant very 

 livelj' exercise. Even with the most persistent 

 chasing it seldom attempts to take refuge in the 

 shallow waves washing the beach. 



GHOST I KAH 'IN me OEFENSIVE. 



