238 ANIMALS OF THE SEASHORE 



Very common on sandy ground from between 

 the tides to 20 fathoms or more. It can often be 

 found at low tide on sandy beaches buried in the 

 sand up to its eyes; here the crab waits for its prey. 

 Having seen something promising, it quickly comes 

 from its hiding place, takes a nip with its very 

 sharp claws, and immediately retreats beneath the 

 sand. Often a bather's toe is the subject of such 

 an attack. 



Occasionally used as food in the South; Range: 

 Cape Cod to the Gulf of Mexico. 



Cancer irroratus Say (Rock Crab) 



PLATE XXV. Fig. 1 



Sub-oval, broader than long; average size 3 to 

 4 inches; carapace smooth with nine blunt teeth on 

 each side. Color yellowish closely spotted with red- 

 brown dots. 



Common along the rocky shores of New England 

 from shallow water to about 25 fathoms; fairly 

 common in shallow water along the New Jersey 

 coast, but rare south of Cape Henlopen, Delaware, 

 although reported as far as South Carolina. 



Occasionally used as food, but not prized as 

 much as CaUinectes sapidus. 



Cancer borealis Stimpson (Jonah Crab) 



Very similar to the above but usually larger 

 and with a rougher carapace with irregular gran- 

 ules; the teeth of the lateral margins have denti- 

 culate edges. 



