316 



A. E. Verrill — Decapod Crustacea of Bermuda. 



The chelse, which are nearly equal, measure in No. 3047 (see pi. xi, 

 fig. 1) 27"^"" long, 14.5 wide ; in 3047«, they are 19""" by 10""" ; in 

 1901(3f, 33"^"^ by 20"^"^. 



It has been taken at Bermuda by most collectors. It was in the 

 collections of G. Brown Goode, A. Heilprin, Prof. T. Kincaid, "Dr. 

 T. H. Bean, Prof. E. L. Mark, Bermuda Biol. Sta., and others. 



It was taken by us, in several localities, especially at Coney 

 Island, Hungry Bay, and at Somerset I., near the shore of " The 

 Scaur." It is common among mangroves, living among the tangled 

 roots in burrows, where it is not easily captured, owing to its shy- 

 ness and agility. It sometimes actively climbs up the aerial roots 

 and trunks of the mangroves, when disturbed.* We also sometimes 

 found it in heaps of stones, at high-water mark, where it was more 

 easily captured. Its colors, though showy, seem to be protective in 

 many places where it lives, for they match the colors of the dead 

 leaves and other objects in the swamps. Perhaps they are more 

 particularly nocturnally protective, for it is most active at night. 



It has a veiy extensive distribution, being found on nearly all 

 tropical American shores. It ranges from Florida to Rio Janeiro, 

 Brazil (Dana), and throughout the West Indies. West Coast of 

 Africa at Ashantee (J. E. Benedict) ; Liberia ; Guinea ; Gabun ; 

 Angola, etc. West Coast of Central America (Kingsley). Florida 

 Keys and Abrolhos Reefs, Brazil (Smith). 



* In such cases it can easily be caught by shaking them off from the branches 



of the trees into hand-nets held below them. 



