ZOOLOGY, 147 
large claws. Crabs are abundant. The abelone or aulone 
(Haliotis) 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 off 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 dry 
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 
colt. 
The shrimp (Crangon franciscorum) 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. Feptiles—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 
