202 Mr. Broderip on the Habits of Paguri. 



Upon my return to England, I gave directions that a collection of these 

 " soldiers" from the savannah, and some specimens of the large fresh- 

 water prawn of the Rio Minho should be forwarded to me in spirit. This 

 has been done, and I now send you the barrel containing this collection, 

 of which I beg your acceptance, hoping that you will examine the con- 

 tents, and, if you think fit, make public this letter, with any remarks 

 which may occur to you. While on this subject, I think it right to in- 

 form you, that the Land Crabs, so very well known, are fovmd very far 

 inland. I have them on an estate in the mountains, at least fifteen miles 

 from the sea, and I have heard of their occurrence still further in the in- 

 terior of the island. In addition to these there are other crabs which 

 may be considered decidedly terrestrial, though their residence is always 

 in banks on the borders of the sea. These last are very common at dif- 

 ferent points round the shores of the island, and are caught by pouring 

 sea-water into their holes — an operation which renders them completely 

 inactive and defenceless in a very short time ; and they are pulled out 

 without resistance, in a half-drowned state. I have never seen this spe- 

 cies elsewhere than in the immediate vicinity of the sea ; but I never 

 observed them run into it when disturbed like the marine crabs, which 

 come out, apparently to bask, and take to the sea again the moment they 

 observe the approach of an enemy. 



Believe me, 



My dear Sir, 



Your's very sincerely, 



H. T. De la Beche. 

 W. J. Broderip, Esq. 



The barrel contained a few specimens of the fresh-water prawir of 

 Jamaica,* and several Paguri. These last were of two species, viz. Pa- 

 gurus Diogenes and one somewhat resembling Pagurus Prideauxf (Leach) 



* Palaemon carcinus, (Fabr.) Sloane's Jamaica, vol. II. tab. 245. Leach Zool. 

 Miscel: t. 92. 



f The species accords, in some points, with the description and figure but I am 

 not satisfied of its identity. Desmarest truly says " Les especes de ce genre sont 

 tres-difficiles a caracteriser," Considerations generales sur la classe des Crus- 

 taces, p. 177. 



