1917 Way; on Taxonomy of Crabs 365 



and a fringe of hairs on dorsal and ventral edges. Most C. productus are 

 dark red above and very much lighter below, but great variation is often 

 found among the young and immature. Some are a mottled mixture of 

 blue-black and tan, while others are grayish in color, and streaked with 

 irregular lines of a bluish shade. Those lines are referred to by some 

 writers as "zebra like." 



Quite numerous on sandy and muddy shores, occasionally along rocky 

 shores. They are found from the low tide line to a depth of several 

 fathoms. In Argyle Lagoon (13); in McDonald's beach (3); on piles 

 under Friday Harbor docks (4). 



2. Cancer magister Dana. edible cancer crab (fig. 18) 



Metacarsinus magister Milne-Edwards. 



This is very similar to C. productus in all general features; body is 

 longer for its width than in C. productus. Antero-lateral teeth not so 

 deeply indented, quite spiny, particularly the last 3 ; last tooth the largest, 

 forming quite a sharp projection; whole dorsal surface covered with very 

 fine tubercles, the larger on the elevations of the carapace; carapace convex, 

 quite hairy on ventral side ; 3 median interorbital teeth small, separated 

 by a space from the larger outer ones ; outer ones not reaching so far 

 forward. Chelipeds large and powerful; inner margin of dactyls and 

 pollex marked with pronounced elevations ; hand with 5 longitudinal ridges, 

 upper margin cut into a number of sharp teeth ; carpus reticulate, with 

 sharp spine on inner margin at distal end ; merus with spine on distal end 

 and another a short distance below it. Dorsal and ventral edges of walk- 

 ing legs much rougher than of C. productus ; dactyl and propodus of last 

 pair of walking legs quite flat and paddle-like. Color much more dull than 

 in C. productus. 



There is little contrast between these crustaceans and the sandy bot- 

 toms where they are found abundantly. Many were found in Arg^'le 

 I^agoon (13) and McDonald's Cove (3). They are found with C. pro- 

 ductus. 



3. Cancer gracilis Dana. graceful cancer crab (fig. 16) 



Carapace quite roughened but not pubescent ; ventral surface of body 

 not so hairy as other forms of Cancer. Antero-lateral margin bordered with 

 teeth; lateral margins with a slight notch posterior to the last lateral 

 tooth ; interorbital margin very much the same as in C. magister. Cheli- 

 peds comparatively smooth; hands with few roughenings but no definite 

 rows of teeth or tubercles ; dactyl and pollex much as in C. magister; there 

 are two spines on distal end of merus, 1 over the inner angle and the 

 other just below it. Walking legs clean, slender, graceful. General color 

 gray or tan dotted with red. 



