ZOOLOGY. 147 



large claws. Crabs are abundant. The abelone or aulone 

 (Kaliotis) is found as far north as Point Reyes, and abounds 

 south of Point Conception. It is a mollusk with one shell, 

 from five to seven inches across ; the shells are beautifully 

 iridescent, and are much used in the arts for buttons, knife- 

 handles, inlaying, &c. Many vessels are engaged in fishing 

 for them. The abelones stick to the rocks and to each other, 

 collecting in some places in masses two feet thick ; the fisher- 

 men break them ofi" from the rocks with a spade. When the 

 abelones do not suspect danger, they loosen their hold and 

 raise their shells from the rock, and then the fisherman may 

 easily thrust his spade down along the surface of the stone ; 

 but if he alarms the abelone beforehand, he finds the shells 

 fastened down to the rock with great power, and all the 

 strength of a man is scarcely sufficient to pry one of them off". 

 The meat of the abelone is eaten by the Chinese, who dig 

 them; the dried meat resembles horn in its color and hard- 

 ness, and in shape looks as though it might be the hoof of a 

 calf. 



The shrimp ( Crangon francisconim) is found in the bays 

 of California, and was very abundant a few years ago, but 

 lately is getting scarce, at least in San Francisco Bay. 



§ 126. Rexjtiles. — The snakes of California are not large, 

 numerous, nor remarkable. Only one of them, the rattlesnake, 

 is poisonous. 



The scorpion is found in the warmer portions of the state, 

 but is not abundant. 



Tarantulas are common in Calaveras, Mariposa, Fresno, and 

 Tulare counties. They belong to the same genus with the 

 spiders, but the body grows to be three inches long and an 

 inch wide, and the entire length from end to end of out- 

 stretched legs is five inches. The body and legs are covered 

 with silky, brown hair. • The tarantula eats little insects of 

 various kinds, but, unlike most other spiders, has no net. It 

 lives in a hole in the ground not much larger than itself when 

 pressed into the smallest compass, and the hole is covered by 



