112 06NCH0L0GV OP HERM. 



aminatlon of this coast. I was endeavouring to catch, with a small hand- 

 dredge, an individual of Peden varius, which, with flapping valves, was 

 flying to and fro through the water; when some shrimp-like animal of a 

 vivid scarlet hue shot suddenly from jbencath the sea-weed. I at once 

 directed all my efforts to the capture of the stranger; and after a long 

 hunt, having, as I thought, more than once lost him amongst the tangled 

 streams of weed, I at length, (quite trembling with the excitement of the 

 chase,) had the satisfaction of viewing the object of my pursuit safely 

 netted. Touzeau called it the "red shrimp," and pronounced it scarce; 

 for myself, as I surveyed its hue of brilliant scarlet, and the two large 

 and powerful chelas, I felt sure I had got a prize — probably Alpheus ruber, 

 a Mediterranean species of extraordinary rarity in our seas. But when, at 

 a later period, I had leisure to examine the specimen microscopically, and 

 to compare it with the descriptions in the elaborate work of Milne Edwards, 

 on the Crustacea, I had the satisfaction of finding that I was the fortu- 

 nate discoverer of a new species of Alpheus, to which I gave the name of 

 Affmis, an account of which will be found in the "Annals and Magazine 

 of Natural History, vol. xiv. page 275. 



The tide beginning to turn, we removed to a more sandy portion of 

 the coast in search of the Mollusca which more especially affect an arena- 

 ceous habitat, (having previously provided ourselves with a spade for the 

 purpose of digging for the burrowing species.) We made our way to the 

 very verge of the returning tide, for the natural instinct of the burrowing 

 Mollusca inducing them on the reflux of the tide to rise towards the 

 surface to meet it, their discovery is thus rendered more easy. Never- 

 theless, in the case of those endowed with long syphons, it is by no means 

 an easy matter to obtain them even when their presence is ascertained, 

 as, by the aid of their muscular foot, they burrow downwards in the 

 sand with such extraordinary rapidity, that, added to the diflUculty of 

 keeping the hole clear of water while digging, it requires no ordinary 

 adroitness to take them, even after much practice, many being broken in 

 the process, and many more escaping altogether. We were, however, 

 successful in procuring several good specimens of Lutraria ohlonga, an 

 uncommon species, of which we were especially in quest; and an abundance 

 of the following genera: — Venus verrucosa, which abounds on this coast, 

 and occupies the place as an edible mollusk that the Cockle does 

 among ourselves; this latter, Gardium edule, being rather scarce. Psani- 

 mohia vespertina, Tellina crassa and donacina, Tapes virginea and aurea, 

 Artemis exoleta, &c.; of Venas casina, we took only one example. The 

 curious Sea Mouse, Aphrodite aculeata, was abundant; and amongst the 

 Crustacea Tliia polita and Pirimela denticulata were obtained; both uncommon 

 — the former rare. 



