ALONG THE MANGROVE SHORE 267 



the shores of Biscayne Bay. A holly {Ilex cassine) 

 with glossy leaves and lovely scarlet berries is 

 common and a swamp bay which is very close to 

 the upland one is also abundant. 



The sandy or muddy mangrove flats along the 

 southwest coast of Florida swarm with two species 

 of fiddler crabs of the genus Uca. Some of them 

 are prettily variegated with whitish, light and 

 dark purple, blue, and red. The males have one 

 large and one small arm, the former being held 

 across the body and threateningly brandished 

 whenever they are disturbed. The motion they 

 make in so doing somewhat resembles the playing 

 of a fiddle and hence the common name of "fiddler 

 crab"; their fighting attitude and boxing move- 

 ments have inspired the specific names of "pug- 

 nax" and "pugilator." In spite of all their ag- 

 gressive show they are capable of inflicting but 

 little harm. As one walks along it seems that he 

 must crush many of them under foot, but somehow 

 by scrambling about in a ludicrous manner they 

 all manage to get out from under it. They eat 

 minute algae and particles of animal and vegetable 

 matter which they find in the crevices of old 

 stranded boats, timber, and decayed logs. This 



