Chapter Three 



COLLECTING ALONG THE NEW JERSEY 

 COAST 



The shore-line of New Jersey from Bay Head 

 to Cape May is made up of coastal islands, separated 

 from each other and from the mainland by bays 

 and inlets. These islands vary in width from a few 

 hundred yards to more than a mile. Above Bay 

 Head there are numerous inlets but the mainland 

 extends down to the ocean. On the bay side of these 

 islands is the salt marsh. 



This same description, with slight modifications, 

 would hold true for the entire Virginian Zone, from 

 the South Shore of Long Island to Cape Hatteras, 

 North Carolina. 



Seashore animals are usually particular about 

 their place of living; some prefer the mud flats of the 

 harbors and bays while others prefer a sandy asso- 

 ciation; still others require a rocky situation. Many 

 of these animals also have distinct preferences as to 

 the depth of water. Some are always found between 

 the tides while others prefer the shallow water a 

 short distance off shore. Then there are the deep 

 sea dwellers — those animals that live in the extreme 

 depths of the ocean and which seldom or never are 

 found near shore. 



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