206 Mr. Racxert’s Observations on Cancer salinus. 
It seems, however, to correspond better with the generic cha- 
racters of the genus Cancer than those of Monoculus ; and indeed 
among some hundreds I have never observed an individual desti- 
tute of two eyes. 
Myriads of these animalcula are to be found in the salterns at 
Lymington, in the open tanks or reservoirs where the brine is depo- 
sited previous to the boiling. It attains the desired strength by 
evaporation from exposure to the sun and air in about a fortnight. 
A pint contains about a quarter of a pound of salt; and this con- 
centrated solution instantly destroys most other marine animals. 
These tanks are called clearers, às the liquor becomes clear in 
them ; an effect which the workmen attribute in some degree to 
the rapid and continual motion of the Brine-worm, or to the par- 
ticles which cloud the liquor serving for its food ; but this is mere 
conjecture. So strongly persuaded, however, are the workmen of 
this fact, that they are accustomed to transport a few of the 
worms from another saltern, if they do not appear at their own. 
They increase astonishingly in the course of a few days. 
It is observable that the Brine-worm is never found in the sun- 
pans, where the brine is made by the admission of sea-water 
during the summer, and which are emptied every fortnight, but 
only in the pits and reservoirs, where it is deposited after it is 
taken out of the pans, and where some of the liquor constantly 
remains. When it becomes much diluted with rain-water, from 
October till. May, (during which time the manufacture is at a 
stand,) a few only of the worms are visible; but at the approach 
of summer young ones appear in great numbers, 
Tab. XIV. Fig. 8. represents Cancer salinus of the natural size. - 
9. the same magnified. : | 
10. one of the legs considerably magnified. 
AV. De. 
