PREFACE 



nnMIS little work attempts to present in clear, untechnical lan- 

 guage, a description, accompanied by photographs, of the larger 

 and more conspicuous marine invertebrates of the coast of New York 

 State. In order to increase the general usefulness of the work, 

 however, accounts of the habits of a few creatures from other re- 

 gions are introduced. Such are: Commercial sponges, crayfishes, 

 the spiny lobster, the edible shrimp, the orchid land-crab, fresh- 

 water mussels, the giant clam, the ]3earl oyster, the giant scpiid, 

 and the chambered nautilus. A brief description of some of our 

 common "sea squirts," or tunicates, is also given on account of 

 their interesting position among primitive vertebrates. 



This work is intended for readers who may be unfamiliar Avith 

 the technical tei'ms in use among specialists, and consequently 

 such terms have been avoided whenever a simple English equival- 

 ent could be substituted. 



Its aim is to increase intelligent interest in the habits and life- 

 histories of our marine animals, and to disseminate a knowledge of 

 their appearance and relationships. It is not a textbook of syste- 

 matic zoology. 



It is designed to be of use to the beginner, and with the hope 

 that a perusal of its pages may stimulate to further study, many 

 references to works in the English language of a more thorough 



