[^5] Work of st^AiSier alijatrow.s'. iff 



corals and focks WH could uot get by any nieaus at our coiuuuiud A 

 large species of land cinb [accarcinus niricola), xiseAl as au article of 

 food by the iuhabitsMts, lives high up on (he hills, far anay froui any 

 water during the greater part' of the year, and makes short burrows 

 under stones and root^, from which it is easily taken. It is called by 

 the people here the "black crab," though iu reality it is purple. A 

 stranger thing to me was hndiug hermit crabs (Cenolita) liviug on the 

 very tops of the hills, whither thej- climb carrying the heavy turba 

 shells in which they almost Invariably live. The tirst oue of these 

 crabs I saw was in a place to which I could climb only by takino- hold 

 of the shrubbery and pulling myself up by degrees. These heruiit-crabs 

 are used in large numbers lor bait, for which purpose they are kept in 

 confinement and fed on anything at hand, animal or vegetable A 

 number were kept on the ship many months, being fed principally on 

 bread and fruit. We found large crawfish {Palcemon Jamaicensis) in the 

 bed of what is a good-sized stream in the rainy season. Freshwater 

 mullets and some other fish were seined. Snakes grow to a large size 

 on the island, and are sometimes eaten. We collected three small spec- 

 imens of as many species. 



Bats live in a cave on the western side of Santa Catalina, an island 

 separated from Old Providence by a narrow channel. A stop was made 

 there on one of our excursions, and as many specimens procured as 

 could be safely kept in a gallon of alcohol. Upon throwing gravel into 

 their hidingplaces in the roof of the cave numbers Hew about, carrying 

 their young with their hind limbs. These bats are insectivorous, and 

 belong to the group having leaf like api)endages on the nose. The tide 

 flows into the cave for a distance of U feet, l)eyond which there is a 

 small sandy beach. The entrance at the base is about 25 feet, and Hi 

 feet m height. In the sand at the farther end we foun.l a few specimens 

 ot Uippa, much lighter in color than those common on the beaches out- 

 side. Under the loose stones, a little way in from the mouth, a number 

 ot starfish were taken, ranging in color from orange to reddish and pur- 

 ple. This cave is situated not far from what had once been a strongly 

 lo>tified i,osit,on of buccaneers, as the number of cannon strewn about 

 won d indicate, and it is not at all improbable that it was made use of 

 by these outlaws. 



One day was spent in hunting birds. lUxt four sj)ecies were killed, 

 all ot which have since been described as new by Mr. liidgway in the 

 Proceedings of the National Museum, viz: Certhiola tneolor'md^w., 

 Vu-eosylvla oranrlior, Ridgw., Yireo appro.nman., Kidgw., and FAainea 

 cmerescen.'i, Eidgw. 



We sailed for Key \Vest on the morning of April 0. Station 2150, iu 

 38. fathoms, was made the san.e day with the tangle and dredge, tak- 

 ing few foraminifera and shells. Station 2151, iu G53 fathoms, on the 

 10th was made with tbe small beam-trawl, taking small crustaceans ami 

 some small fl.sh, but no bottom specimens. 

 H. Mis. 08 7 



