Y.— OEUSTACEANS. 



221. THE CBASS. 



The Fiddler Crabs — G-blasimus pugn ax, Smith; Gelasimus pugilator, Latreille; Gelasi- 



MTTS MiNAx, Le Gonte. 



Three species of Fiddler Crabs occur upon the Atlantic coast of the United States, and are 

 frequently utilized as bait. Congregating together in immense numbers, as they often do, and 

 excavating their holes generally in convenient localities, above the reach of the tides, they might 

 be easily collected in large quantities, were they better appreciated by the fishermen. Most 

 dwellers upon the sea-shore are acquainted with that peculiarity of the Fiddler Grabs which has 

 given to them their common name, and by which they are readily distinguished from our other 

 Crabs. The males are provided with two very unequal claws, one being of large, the other of 

 quite small size, in comparison with the size of the animal. Of these, the larger claw has been 

 likened to a fiddle and the smaller one to a bow; hence the derivation of the name. The claws of 

 the females are, however, of equal and small size. 



The three species mentioned as living upon the Atlantic coast are Gelasimus minax, G. 

 pugnax, and G. pttgilator. The former species, Avhich is the largest, ranges from the southern coast 

 of Few England to Florida, and lives ui)on salt marshes, usually iarther from the sea than the 

 others, and frequently wliere the water is nearly fresh. G. pvgnax ranges from Gape God to 

 Florida, and also occurs in the Gulf of Mexico and among the West Indies. "It makes its 

 biirrows only ujion salt marshes, but is often seen in great companies wandering out upon muddy 

 or sandy flats, or even upon the beaches of the bays and sounds." 6. pugilator ranges from Cape 

 Cod to Florida, upon muddy and sandy flats and beaches. Professor Verrill describes the habits 

 and characteristics of these species as follows : ' "^ 



" We find several species of , Grabs burrowing in muddy banks along the shores of the 

 estuaries, as well as along banks of the streams and ditches of the salt marshes. 'The most 

 abundant of these is the marsh Fiddler Crab, Gtlasimus pugnax, which is often so abundant that 

 the banks are completely honeycombed and undermined bj' them. These holes are of various 

 sizes up to about three-quarters of an inch in diameter, and descend more or less perpendicularly, 

 often to the depth of two feet or more. Occasionally in summer these Grabs will leave their holes 

 and scatter over the surface of the marshes, whicli at times seem to be perfectly alive with them, 

 but when disturbed they will scamper away in every direction and speedily retreat to their holes; 

 but occasionally, at least, they do not find their own, for sometimes the rightful owner will be seen 

 forcibly ejecting several intruders. It is probable that at such times of general retreat each one 

 gets into the first hole that he can find. Associated with this ' Fiddler,' another related Crab, the 

 Sesarma reticulata, is occasionally found in considerable numbers. This is a stout- looking, reddish- 

 brown crab, with a squarish carapax ; its large claws are stout andTaearly equal in both sexes, 

 instead of being very unequal, as in the male ' Fiddlers.' It lives in holes like the ' Fiddlers,' 



^Report upon the Invertebrate Animals of Vineyard Sound, etc., in Report United States Fish Commissioner for 

 1871-'72, pp. 336, 466. 



763 



