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with any body. The black colour of the taumalin should in- 
dicate, according to the report of some writers, that these 
Crustacea are poisoned. But very positive experiments would 
be necessary to convince us that the fruits of this tree and 
other dangerous vegetables, are the only agents which can 
communicate this black colour to the taumalin . The violet 
crabs have been in a great measure destroyed in the island of 
Martinique ; but the Carribs take them there from the neigh- 
bouring islands. 
Linnaeus informs us, on the authority of Brown, that the 
cancer ruricola , a variety in all probability of the same 
species, sacrifices, to save itself, the pincer or claw with 
which it has seized the fingers of the person who has attempted 
to seize it ; and that the strong action of this pincer lasts for 
a minute after it has been detached from the body. 
Other land Crustacea are to be met with on the Gold coast, 
in the Island of Java, &c., but they are probably ocypods; 
for it appears that in general the gecarcini are proper to South 
America. 
The Grapsi, which are named in the French Antilles 
<c crakes de paletuviers” are easily distinguished by their port 
and appearance. These Crustacea are extended through all 
parts of the world, but more particularly through those which 
are situated near the tropics. They appear to be the same 
which in Martinique are called Ceriques , as we have before 
mentioned. 
“ I have seen,” says M. Bose, “ many of the grapsus pictus 
in America, and I have observed that they always keep them- 
selves concealed during the day, under stones and other 
bodies which are found in the sea. I have further remarked, 
that although they do not swim, they have the faculty of sup- 
porting themselves for a short time on the water, by reason of 
the breadth of their body and feet, and this by means of 
repeated leaps. They make these movements always side- 
