ORDER DECAPODA — LTJPA. 11 



the posterior or swimming pair ciliated. Outline of the abdominal segments of the male wide 

 at base, but at the fourth joint suddenly narrowed and linear ; of the unimpregnated female, 

 pyramidal ; of the old female, approaching to spherical. 



Color. Back and upper surface of the hands dark green ; beneath white. Feet blue, 

 increasing in intensity to the tips. Spines on the shield, callosities and spines on the feet 

 and the tips of the fingers, red. 



Length, 2 '5. Transverse diameter, 6*0. 



This is the Common Edible Crab of the United States, being found from Florida to Cape 

 Cod in Massachusetts, beyond which it is rarely seen. It abounds on the muddy shores of 

 our bays, creeks and harbors, and furnishes a cheap and savory food. The process of slough- 

 ing or casting their shell occurs annually, and is of short duration, scarcely ever exceeding 

 the period of forty-eight hours from the time of casting its old shell until the new one is firmly 

 consolidated. During this interval, they are known under the name of Soft-shell Crabs, or 

 Shedders, and are sought after with great avidity. They are considered a great luxury when 

 fried, and are often sold at the rate of two dollars the dozen. In many places, this crab is 

 caught in great abundance to feed hogs. This species frequently ascends streams to brackish 

 water, and Mr. Say mentions having seen them in St. John's river in Florida, one hundred 

 miles from the sea, where the water is potable. Mr. Godman, in his Rambles of a Natu- 

 ralist, has given many curious and instructive details respecting this species, to which we 

 refer the reader. 



(EXTRA-LIM1TAL.) 



L.pelagiea. Linn. (Say, 1. c. Vol. 1, p. 97, 443. Pi. 6, fig. 8 of this work.) Small ; front with 

 four small spines ; third joint of the anterior feet four-spined; carpus two-spined; hands ciliated on 

 the upper anterior edge. Color, greenish varied with brown. Length, 0*8; diameter, 1*2. 

 Southern Coast. 



L. maculata. (Say, 1. c. Vol. 1, p. 445.) Front with fours pines ; third joint of the anterior fore feet 

 three-spined before ; hands with a strong spine at the base, and five elevated granulated lines, one of 

 which terminates in a short spine at the base of the thumb ; second abdominal segment with a spine on 

 each side. Color, chocolate-brown, with crowded suborbicular white spots. Length, 2*5 ; trans- 

 verse diameter, excluding the lateral spines, 4-0. Coast of Georgia and Florida. 



2* 



