218 ZOOLOGICAL GLEANINGS 



is often twice as big as the body. Many uses have 

 been assigned to this enormous lop-sided organ : some 

 say that it is used as a stopper to barricade the 

 mouth of the burrow, others that it is a sort of cradle 

 or bridal-couch upon which the female reclines — the 

 male in this case literally bestowing his hand upon 

 the female ; but from observations of Gelasimus 

 anmtlipes, the species which most frequents the 

 Goddvari and Kistna mud-flats, I believe that it 

 primarily serves as a war-club — for the males indulge 

 in interminable tournaments for the hand of the 

 female ; and secondarily — for it is of a most beautiful 

 cherry-red colour — as an ornament to attract and 

 delight the latter capricious sex. 



Landing one afternoon in March upon a cheerful 

 mud flat of the Goddvari sea-face, I was bewildered 

 by the sight of a multitude of small pink objects 

 twinkling in the sun, and always, like will-of-the-wisps, 

 disappearing as I came near to them, but flashing 

 brightly on ahead as far as the eye could reach. It 

 was not until I stayed perfectly quiet that I dis- 

 covered that these twinkling gems were the brandished 

 nippers of a host of the males of Gelasimtts annulipes. 

 By long watching I found out that the little creatures 

 were waving their nippers with a purpose — the pur- 

 pose apparently being to attract the attention of an 

 occasional infrequent female, who, uncertain, coy, and 

 hard to please, might be seen unconcernedly sifting 



