658 



HISTOEY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 



is no export trade in crabs. The annual sales of crabs in the San Francisco markets have been 

 reckoned at about 300,000 by count, weighing on an average about 1 pound each, and netting the 

 fishermen about $15,000. 



The yellow and purple shore crabs, when eaten by the Chinese, are generally spitted and 

 cooked over their open fires. 



The large red rock crab (Hchidnoceros setimanus) of the Farallone Islands is occasionally 

 carried to the San Francisco markets and offered for sale as a curiosity. Formerly it brought 

 asr high a price as $10 apiece, but now its value is much less. So far as we are aware, it is no 

 regarded as edible. 



For the above information regarding the Californian crabs, we are chiefly indebted to Mr. W. 

 N. Lockington,' of San Francisco. 



ALASKA. According to Mr. Henry Elliott, several large species of crabs found on the coast 

 of Alaska are eaten by the natives. Among these are species of Chioncecetes and Hyas. With 

 reference to the former, Mr. Elliott states that along by the last of May or first of June of each 

 year, great numbers of the females of Chioncecetes enter the village lagoon at Saint Paul's Island, 

 evidently to spawn. They work in on the flood tide and are captured by the natives in their 

 boats, who lean over the gunwales and pick them up in their hands as they are running in. This 

 appearance of the crabs lasts about three weeks. They are singularly uniform in size, and will 

 average about 10 inches in spread over all, the body alone measuring from 3 to 4 inches. The 

 flavor of Ckioncecetes is said to be exceedingly rich and agreeable. There is no trade in crabs 

 in Alaska. 



(o) STATISTICAL RECAPITULATION. 



10. STATISTICS OF THE CRAB FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES FOR 1880. 

 EASTERN AND SOUTHERN COASTS. 



PACIFIC COAST. 



2. THE LOBSTER FISHERY. 



I. GENERAL REVIEW, 



Among the marine invertebrates of the American coast, the lobster is second only to the 

 oyster as an article of trade. No other crustacean along the region of its occurrence is utilized 

 to any extent, either for food or bait, excepting at the South, where the blue crab fishery slightly 

 overlaps that for the lobster. Two other species of crabs (Cancer irroratus and Cancer borealis), 

 related to the edible crab of Great Britain, inhabit the same range of coast, but they are both 



