186 Mr Henry Goodsir on a New Genus, 



two thoracic segments become more intimately joined together, 

 that is to say, their common joint becomes a fixed suture ; the 

 two ovarian cavities also approximate on their lower surfaces, 

 and become opposed to one another, thus allowing the ovarian 

 plates to overlap one another, and cover the eggs without be- 

 coming inconveniently large. 



The ovarian plates (fig. 3. PI. III.) as 1 have stated formerly, are 

 four in number ; they are of an irregular oval form, and are 

 armed on their edges with a single row of strong hooked spines j 

 these seem to be of use in so far as to prevent the over-dis- 

 tension of the plates by means of hooking into one another. 

 .The ova are not large, quite globular, and of an opaque yel- 

 low colour. On one occasion, while examining a female 

 CaprtUa under the microscope, I found that her body was 

 thickly covered with young ones ; they were firmly attached 

 to her by means of their posterior feet, and they were resting 

 in an erect posture, waving about their long antennae with 

 great activity. The Caprellce, like all the lower Crustacea, 

 cast their skins often. Before the process commences, the 

 animal lies for a considerable time languid, and to all appear- 

 ance dead ; at length a slight quivering takes place all over 

 the body, attended in a short time with more violent exer- 

 tions ; the skin then bursts behind the head in a transverse 

 direction, and also down the mesial line of the abdominal 

 .surface ; a few more violent exertions then frees the body of 

 its old covering. After this the animal remains for a consi- 

 derable time in a languid state, and is quite transparent and 

 colourless. 



The habits of the Caprelloe, arising from the difficulty of 

 keeping them alive for any length of time, are little known. 

 They are in general local in their habitats, frequenting coralines 

 which are found in deep water. They are never seen catch- 

 ing prey ; slow and deliberate in their motions, they are not 

 fitted for this mode of life. While at rest, they firmly adhere 

 to the object by means of their posterior thoracic legs, gene- 

 rally in an erect posture, waving about their long antennae, 

 by which means they bring within their reach animalcules and 

 other objects of food, which are then drawn into the mouth. 

 .Their usual mode of progression is like that of the larvae Of 



