D EC A POD A :* CUM A D/E 



I/ ti'ROURA ? 



GENERA CUMA, EDW., ALAUNA AND 

 BODOTRIA, G-OODSIH. 



IN the 13th volume of the " Annales des Sciences Natu- 

 relles, 11 Dr. Milne Edwards described a small Crustacean 

 under the name of Cuma Audouinii , but in his " Natural 

 Hist, of Crustacea,' 11 he expresses his doubt whether this 

 little animal be anything more than the larva of a deca- 

 podous form, and places it amongst other doubtful examples 

 in an appendix. 



In 1843, however, Mr. Harry Goodsir published in the 

 "Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal," a very full and 

 clear description of this and two other species of Cuma, 

 and of two allied species which he considers as the types 

 of two new genera, to which he gives the names respec- 

 tively of Alauna and Bodotria. The whole of these I have 

 ventured to consider provisionally as constituting a small 

 family, probably belonging to the lower decapods, which 

 appears also to be Mr. Goodsirs own opinion, though 

 expressed with doubt, in which doubt I entirely agree. 

 This author satisfactorily determined that they are per- 

 fectly developed animals and not mere larvae. 



As I have never had an opportunity of seeing the ani- 

 mals, I take the liberty of giving the Avhole of Mr. Good- 

 sir's account of this remarkable family, which is too concise 

 to require or admit of condensation. 



v 



