610 



ARTICULATA. 



the shell of his host, not only gave liini (iinely notice of any approaching danger, but also pro- 

 oiin'tl him his food. Thcro arc several American species of the genus Pinnotheres. 



'{"lie must remarkuhle members of this family are the Land-Crahs of tropical climates, which 



are furnished with a peculiar apparatus of 

 leaflets, for retaining moisture in the inte- 

 rior of their branchial cavities. Many of 

 these animals live upon the sides of moun- 

 tains, at a considerable distance from the sea, 

 which, however, they regularly visit once 

 a year for the purpose of depositing their 

 eggs. In their migrations they sometimes 

 form a procession one hundred and fifty feet 

 wide and three miles in length. They 

 abound in Jamaica, where they are esteemed 

 excellent food. They generally select moist 

 localities for their terrestrial residence. 

 Here they excavate considerable burrows, 

 in which they conceal themselves during 

 the day, roaming about at night in search 

 of food. But some, such as the Gecarcini, 

 are said to inhabit dry woods. 



The Violet Crab, Cardisoma carnifex, 

 which usually inhabits the mangrove 

 swamps of the West Indian Islands, lives principally upon the fruit of a species of Annona, which 

 grows in those places. But nothing comes amiss to it. Those individuals whose residence is in 

 the neighborhood of the cemeteries are said to burrow down to get at the dead bodies, and Dr. 

 Duchassaing tells us that the West Indian burial grounds are piei'ced in every direction by the 

 burrows of these animals. Nevertheless the Violet Crab is regarded as a luxurious article of food 

 by the West Indians, who, however, take care only to eat those which li\'e in the mangrove 

 swamps, as far as possible from the cemeteries. They are caught in box rat-traps baited with a 

 piece of their favorite fruit ; and after their capture they are usually kept some time and fattened 

 with broken victuals. 



Another group of Land-Crabs, the Gelasimi, are distinguished by the large size of one of their 

 claws, which they hold up in a menacing attitude as they retreat from any object that has 

 inspired them with alarm. From the beckoning action of this claw the Gelasimi have received 

 the name of CulUng-Crahs. They make great use of it also in forming their burrows, bringing 

 up small pinches of sand or earth every now and then, and scattering these waste materials to a 

 considerable distance round their hole, so as to avoid the presence of an unsightly heap at the 

 entrance of their domicile. An American species, very common on our coasts, the Gelasimus 

 vocans, is commonly called the Fiddler, from the shape of one of its claws or fingers, which re- 

 sembles the bow of a fiddler. It remains closed up in its hole during winter. Though living on 

 the land, it seems to be at home in the water. The Tkelphusce are also Land-Crabs, yet some 

 of the species inhabit fresh water. 



THE RED SEA CRAB — LUPEA PELAGICA. 



ORDER 2. STOMAPODA. 



This order is composed of some singular animals, which appear to have relations with all the 

 other groups of Crustacea, and of course exhibit a corresponding diversity of structure among 

 themselves. 



The family of Pkyllosomidce are animals of an extraordinarily flattened form, with the shell thin 

 and transparent ; the body is apparently divided into two parts — a longish or oval cephalothorax, 

 bearing the eyes, which are supported upon long, slender stalks, the short antennie, and the 



