COMMON SHRIMP. 



257 



cuous, naked, and not very distant. The external an- 

 tenna) have the peduncle about half the length of the 

 moveable plate, which terminates in a small spine ; its 

 internal margin dilated and hairy. The internal antenna) 

 are placed very little above the external, and terminate 

 in two short filaments. The external pedipalps are of 

 considerable length, extending forward beyond the pe- 

 duncles of the external antenna) ; the terminal joint much 

 elongated. 



The anterior legs are robust and smooth, the hands 

 furnished with a curved moveable finger, which is in- 

 flected to meet a small spiniform rudimentary thumb. 

 The remaining legs filiform, elongated ; the second the 

 most slender and minutely didactyle ; the others mono- 

 dactyle. A strong spine on the sternum between the 

 anterior pair of legs. Abdomen regularly tapering, round- 

 ed, and smooth. The tail with the middle lamina nar- 

 row, and pointed at the extremity. Abdominal false feet 

 very long. 



Colour greyish- brown, dotted all over with dark brown. 

 Unlike most of its congeners, it does not become red by 

 heat. 



Total length from the eyes to the extremity of the tail 

 two inches and a half. 



This is one of the most abundant of the coast species of 

 Crustacea. It is taken in multitudes for the table on 

 almost all our sandy shores, ordinarily by means of nets, 

 which are pushed forwards by the " shrimpers," who wade 

 nearly to their middle for hours together, raising the net 

 at intervals, and taking out the shrimps, which are secured 

 in a bag. In some parts of the coast, as at Poole, this 

 species is comparatively rare, and is not used as food. 

 The smaller Palamonidtf are here called " shrimps ;" and 



