CAPE SAN ANTONIO 179 



so alert and busy, so wary and cunning, they 

 almost tempt one into a suspicion of intelligence 

 on their part. There is a sort of "personality" 

 connected with them which must appeal to any- 

 one who observes them however casually. 



Besides the hermits there were here also many 

 land-crabs (Cardisoma guanhumi), large repellent- 

 looking crustaceans, with bluish-tinged ashy gray 

 carapace, long stalk eyes, and large weak-looking 

 pincers. The land-crabs here are of the same 

 species commonly met with everywhere throughout 

 the Antilles and in Southern Florida. They sneak 

 about warily, stepping with great caution to make 

 no betraying noise, or, hiding behind some protect- 

 ing object, they peep out in most ludicrous fashion. 

 If cornered they put up a show of fight by rising 

 upon "tiptoe" in a menacing attitude and brandish- 

 ing their wide-open pincers. As soon as an avenue 

 of escape is discovered they make a surprisingly 

 quick exit. Probably no creature that has come 

 out of the sea inspires a more general feeling of 

 antipathy than do these large land-crabs. Yet 

 they are eaten by the natives in many of the 

 islands. Throughout a part of the year they 

 remain inactive and concealed in their burrows 



