CORDINER'S LITTLE LOBSTER 371 



variations on the same theme, as Darwinia and Darwinella. 

 Harger points out that Fleming's reference of Astacilla to 

 the Rev. Charles Cordiner, 1784, is no proof that it was 

 published or described at that date. But in a work en- 

 titled ' Remarkable Ruins and Romantic Prospects of 

 North Britain with Ancient Monuments and Singular 

 Subjects of Natural History by the Rev. Charles Cordiner 

 of Banff. London, 1795,' there is a section headed ' Asta- 

 cillas, Purple Doris, &c.,' containing the interesting passage 

 which follows : 



' One very lively species of little lobsters, which had 

 taken up their dwelling among these coralines, seemed on 

 account of its novelty to merit the attention of a particular 

 drawing. 



' Their general form and appearance in their natural 

 state, and the size of life, are carefully represented at a, a, 

 a ; an elaborate delineation of the microscope, after a 

 minute investigation of the particular structure of its 

 several parts, is inserted above at A. That will more 

 distinctly express to the curious the peculiarities of the 

 animal than any specific distinctions which could be nar- 

 rated. The eye appeared as a regular arrangement of 

 bright specks, in circular rows, as at the figure I. 



' The diminutive ASTACILLA, of the general name of 

 lobsters, is applied at present, as a common characteristic, 

 until one more particularly appropriate may be fixed on to 

 distinguish it by ; for these are a species that do not ap- 

 pear to have been yet recognized among the varieties of 

 British insects.' 



Seeing that this account is accompanied by an unmis- 

 takable figure of Astacilla longicornis (Sowerby), it seems 

 only proper to uphold the priority of Cordiner's generic 

 " name, and perhaps the name of the family ought to become 

 Astacillidas. The British species are Astacilla longicornis 

 (Sowerby), Astacilla intermedia (Goodsir), Astacilla gracilis 

 (Goodsir), Astacilla damnoniensis, Stebbing, Astacilla Des- 

 Jiayesii (Lucas), and Astacilla clilatata, Sars. This last 

 and others of the geniis named by the same author are 

 found on the coasts of Norway. Astacilla granuJnfa, Sars, 



B B 2 



