May 1, 1869.] 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



105 



former does not wear a tub over his head and 

 shoulders, hence we get a better view of him than 

 we got of the nursing mother previously depicted. 

 For the sake of convenience, and to avoid the 

 crowding and confusion which result from the un- 

 necessary repetition of similar details, the limbs and 

 appendages of the right side only have been intro- 

 duced into this illustration. 



Fig. /6. The Nameless Crustacean, x 5. 



The head is shorter, broader, and thicker, the 

 eyes and mouth precisely resemble those of P. 

 sedentaria, but the very striking differences in the 

 number, construction, and position of the antennae 

 are so great that the general appearance of the 

 animal is quite changed by them. Instead of " two 

 minute bi-jointed antenna; with short hairs on the 

 terminal joint," we have two pairs of long stout 

 seven-jointed antennal organs, which at once place 

 our anonyma outside the pale of Phronima as 

 defined and limited by Latreille. 



The superior antennae arise immediately above 

 and in front of the lateral eyes; they are remarkably 

 strong and full, the second joint being very largely 

 developed, and thickly set with strong stiff seta?, 

 which give it a brushlike appearance. This second 

 joint is surmounted by a tapering five-jointed fila- 

 ment devoid cf hairs or setae ; the entire length of 

 each of these superior antenna;, when fully extended, 

 is equal to one-third of that of the whole body. 

 Below and in front of the lateral eyes arise a pair 

 of seven-jointed tapering non-setaceous antenna; ; 



these inferior antenna? are about three-fourths of 

 the length of the superior pair. 



The maxillary limbs, the seven pairs of thoracic 

 legs (excepting the fifth pair), the vesicular 

 branchial sacs of the fourth, fifth, and sixth seg- 

 ments of the thorax, and the three pairs of swim- 

 merets of the three first segments of the abdo- 

 men correspond with the analogous parts in the 

 creature previously described ; but the third pair of 

 legs are not "usually thrown forwards across the 

 head," nor are the seventh pair "commonly thrown 

 back across the abdomen for the purpose of antago- 

 nising the third pair." Our new friend, as far as 

 we know, does not carry his or her progeny in a 

 bassinette, and Nature, who never does anything 

 that is superfluous, has not given to these two 

 pairs of his legs the same special directions given to 

 those of P. sedentaria for the specific purposes pre- 

 viously explained. 



The fifth pair differ essentially from their analogues 

 in Phronima : instead of the stout cheliform claws 

 composed of modifications of the two last joints, we 

 have fanged (rather than chelate) "pinchers" re- 

 motely resembling those of the Craiigonidce, but 

 three instead of two modified joints of the extre- 

 mities enter into their composition, the antepenul- 

 timate being developed into a nanus with the 

 opposable portion so little produced that the penul- 

 timate and the terminal forming the poller are 

 flexed at right angles to the axis of the limb. 



We are much in want of information respecting 

 pelagic creatures in general. How few competent 

 naturalists have it in their power to " go down to 

 the sea in ships," and to "do business in great 

 waters." We are apt to speak of " the wonders of 

 the deep" when we are really talking about the 

 wonders of the shallows; the fact is that of the 

 veritable deep we know next to nothing ; our marine 

 zoology has been largely dependent upon beach- 

 combing. 



Naturalists are not often millionaires. I am not 

 sure that science does not sometimes tend to "clothe 

 a man with rags " if he is an earnest devotee at her 

 shrine. Men with the necessary ability and know- 

 ledge have not the means needful for hunting on 

 the high seas; and of the comparatively small 

 number whose profession or business carries them 

 afloat, how very few care to attempt to add their 

 mite to the sum total of human knowledge. 



Yachtsmen prefer smooth waters, with a snug 

 anchorage safe under their lee, to the risks and 

 discomforts of the wild mid-ocean; the towing-net, 

 that great revealer of secrets, is almost an impossi- 

 bility on board a man-of war, or a merchant ship 

 speeding onwards to her far distant station or trad- 

 ing port. 



At anything like a high rate of speed, away goes 

 net and all, and at a very moderate pace, the "haul" 

 gets washed through the meshes, or mashed and 



