ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN. 



709 



dark niglit ; hut the fact tliat fish like trout could 

 live in a stream under these conditions shows 

 what could be easily done by a little stocking 

 and protection in mam' American streams and 

 rivers. First of all the streams themselves would 

 have to be protected from pollution, not merely 

 from sewage in the cities, but from chemical 

 waste and sawdust in the country districts. 



Whetlirr or not we can ultimately atford to set 

 aside large tracts of land for the protection of 

 game animals outside of forest reserves, may 

 possibly be questioned, but there can be no dis- 

 cussion whatever of the wisdom of protecting 

 our streams so that the planting of fish fry will 

 not be rendered futile by filth and carelessness. 



M. G. 



M/,-. 





~ PRF.UAMrtAKr 3K.CrCH-^- 



FRONT ELEVATION OF THE PROPOSED ENLARGED AQUARIUM. 



Preliminary sketch by the architect, J. Stewart Barney. 



AN AMBIDEXTROUS FIDDLER CRAB. 



THE males of the fiddler crabs of the genus 

 l^ca (Gelasimus) have one chela or pincher 

 very greatly enlarged and elongated. The 

 other claw is small, and in the female both are 

 small. The large claw, which may be either the 

 right or left one, is used by the male in fighting 

 and is carried alwa^'s well advanced before the 

 bodj'. The species are only semi-aquatic and 

 burrow in sand or mud near the water, often in 

 very numerous colonies. In spite of their war- 

 like appearance they consider "discretion the 

 better part of valor" in the presence of larger 

 enemies, and the vibration caused by a person's 

 footsteps is sufficient to send them scampering 

 for their burrows. When tliey are numerous 

 they make a very noticeable rustling sound as 

 they race toward their places of concealment. 

 As they retreat sidewise into their burrows the 

 last thing visible is the large claw held threaten- 

 ingly up to warn the supposed pursuer of what 

 he may expect if he apiiroaches too closely. 

 ^Vhen the crab emerges again — all the danger 



presiunably past — the big claw is the first part 

 to become visible, in readiness for any lurking 

 foe. There are three species of the fiddlers in 

 our region. One of tliese. Lea pugna.r, is 

 abundant in its proper habitat, and numerous 

 s])ecimens are on exhibition at the Aquarium, 

 apparently quite at home in a glass box of damp 

 sand. 



The purpose of this article is, however, not 

 so much to call attention to the habits of the 

 s|)ecics as to record a very unusual specimen of 

 lea piiirillafor (Latreille) taken by Mr. John ,T. 

 Ridgway at Rockaway Point, Long Island. 



Instead of the usual one large and one small 

 claw, this specimen is abnormal in possessing 

 two large claws of equal size and normal shape. 

 As far as can be observed no other abnormalities 

 are presented. 



Tile behavior of this specimen was in all re- 

 spects similar to that of the normal unsymmet- 

 rical ones, among which it was found living. 



It sidled into a hole with the usual celerity, 

 but not rapidly enough to escape the quick eye 

 of Mr. Ridgway, who noticed the unusual sym- 



