CRABS 



277 



Cancer irroratus, the rock-crab ; male. 



WALKING CRABS 



FAMILY CANCEOID^: 



GENUS Cancer 



C. irroratus, the rock- crab. This is the common crab of the New 



England coast. It ranges from Labrador to South Carolina, but is rare 



south of New Jersey. It 



is found on sandy as 



well as on rocky shores 



at and below low- water 



mark and also between 



tide marks, hidingamong 



rocks, nearly buried in 



sand or gravel, and in 



tide-pools, where some- 

 times amusing combats 



between the males may 



be seen. The carapace 



is suboval, one third 



broader than long, the 



breadth being often from 



three to four inches. The 



surface is granulated but 



smooth; the color is 



yellowish, closely dotted 



with brown. The eyes are on short stalks in deep, circular holes, and 



between the eyes are small teeth. There are nine blunt teeth along 



each side of the front edge of the carapace. The first pair of legs are 



short and stout, and terminate in claws. The four posterior pairs are 



slender and end in pointed tips. This is an edible crab, and it is 



devoured by the larger 

 fishes, but does not al- 

 though there seems to be 

 no reason for it share 

 to any extent a place in 

 the markets with the blue 

 crab, Callinectes sapidus. 



C. borealis,t\\e Jonah 

 crab. This crab resem- 

 bles, and is frequently 

 taken for, C. irroratus. 

 It is larger than the latter 

 in full growth, and is 

 heavier and more mas- 

 sive. The carapace and 

 claws are rougher, the 



Cancer borealis, the Jonah crab ; male. granules being irregular 



in size. The legs are 



proportionately shorter and heavier. The teeth on the anterior margins 

 are rounded in front, but the posterior ones are sharply pointed. In color 



