130 Nezv York State Museum 



the Carolinas northward. It is so abundant that it 

 not only whitens the rocks between tide levels with a 

 complete incrustation of shells, but the individuals are 

 so closely crowded together that they lose their normal 

 shapes and become distorted and elongated. When 

 the valves are open, the delicate, curling feet may be 

 seen sweeping food into the hungry mouths ; but at 

 the least jar or shock the waving motion ceases and 

 the valves close with a snap. These barnacles also 

 incrust woodwork between tide marks, bottoms of 

 ships etc. and cause considerable trouble. Among the 

 crabs to be looked for are the Rock Crab {Cancer 

 irroratus), the Green Crab (Carcinas maenas) and the 

 Toad Crab (Hyas coarctatus). The Rock Crab is a 

 crawling crab, the common crab of the New England 

 coast north of Cape Cod. It ranges from Labrador to 

 South Carolina, but is rare south of New Jersey. It 

 frequents sandy, as well as rocky shore, and while it is 

 most abundant a little below tide level it is found in 

 tide pools and between tides buried in sand or gravel, 

 or hiding in rocky crevices. Above it is a dull brick- 

 red color speckled over with small, brownish spots ; 

 underneath it is yellow. When the adult Rock Crab 

 moults in the winter time, it becomes the Soft-shelled 

 Crab of the New York market. The Green Crab is 

 another of the common species of the Atlantic coast. 

 It is abundant on the New England coast north of 

 Cape Cod and in Long Island sound. Here it is used 

 as bait but it is sold as food in Europe where it occurs 

 along northern coasts. Besides in tide pools, it also 

 occurs well up on the beach between tide marks and 

 in holes or cavernous places on the shore. In color 

 this crab is dark olive-green mottled with yellow- 



