CRAYFISH, LOBSTERS, SPIDERS AND INSECTS 137 



North Carolina to Labrador, and on the western coast of 



Europe. It is l^etween t\\'o and three inches long, is usually 



light in color, and is 



found among weeds 



or on sand}' bottoms 



in shallow water, but 



may inhabit water to 



the depth of fifty 



fathoms (Fig. 74). 



The sou t h e r n 

 shrimps, or pra'\^^ls, 

 are found in abun- 

 dance along the Gulf 

 coast and are sent 

 to the markets of 

 New Orleans, Savan- 

 nah, Charleston, New 

 York, and Boston. 



Hermit crab. — The 

 abdomen of the her- 

 mit crab (Fig. 75) is soft, for the skin is not hardened 

 by carbonate of hme; consequently it seeks protection by 



backing into a de- 

 serted shell of some 

 mollusk of appropri- 

 ate size. AMien the 

 shell becomes too 

 small by reason of 

 the crab's increase in 

 size, it is al^andoned 

 for a larger one. The 

 Fig. 7.5. — Hermit crab. appendages of the 



Fig. 74. — Shrimp. 



