26 



ORCHESTIIM. 



from New Zealand to the northern coasts of America. 

 Yet with this vast geographical range we are not aware 

 that a single species has been recorded within the tropics 

 or arctic regions : although northern Egypt and the coast 

 of Algiers are mentioned by Savigny and Lucas. Dana 

 and Stimpson in America have not taken them in tro- 

 pical latitudes. 



Their common habitat is upon the sea-shore, out of the 

 reach of the waves, but Dana has found them, and exotic 

 species exist in the British Museum, which have been 

 taken in shady woods some miles from the sea-coast, and 

 Mr. Stimpson, the naturalist of the American Japanese 

 expedition, informs us that he also has captured them in 

 inland places. 



The Orchestias must be reckoned among our smaller 

 shore-cleaners, feeding upon the offal left by the receding 

 tide. Say has noticed of an American species, that when 

 alarmed, the individuals will seize a portion of their 

 food, and skip with it towards their holes in the sand, 

 where they can devour it at leisure. 



The accompanying vignette of figures, in the costume 

 of the South of Wales, is by the promising pencil of our 

 friend Mr. Sydney Whiteford. 



