148 



NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



in m i n a x ) of an oblique ridge across the palm of the large claw, 

 while the palm of pugilator is smooth. 



These three species are commonly known as " fiddlers " ; for, when 

 running over the beach with the large claw held out in front of 

 them and the small one sawing in front of it, they ludicrously 

 resemble a man carrying a bass viol. The old specific name 

 v o c a n s was given them because, when the tide was out, they 



Fig. 16 rt = Gelasimus minax; /> = claw of G. pugna x ; c = claw of G. pugilator 



appeared to stand on the beach and wave their great claws, calling 

 it back again. 



The species are mostly vegetarians, feeding on algae, which they 

 pick off with their small claws. They live in burrows in the sand 

 and mud, where they are abundant, completely honeycombing it. 

 Their habits and mode of life have been interestingly described by 

 Verrill /. c. p-336, and Kingsley, Am. Xat. 1888, 22:888. They 

 are easily kept in captivity, on damp sand, and may be fed on 

 crackers dipped in water. 



G . minax and p u g n a x are found on the salt marshes, 

 while G. pugilator occurs on sandy or muddy beaches near 

 high water mark and is rarer than the other two. They may be 

 found almost anywhere along the shore, sometimes, as was the case 

 at Rockaway Beach, in such numbers that the entire shore appeared 

 to be in motion. 



