88 CRAB, SHRIMP, AND LOBSTER LORE. 



whilst its host of fringed feet, wave and undulate like 

 growing corn, as they send the passing current through 

 them, and by their ciliary movement, glean the 

 particles of nutritive matter floating by. Its long, 

 bright, red horns and tail serve as a foil to set off the 

 other beauties which nature has so lavishly bestowed. 

 The fairy shrimp rarely exceeds an inch in length, and 

 when placed in a vase of clear water forms a most 

 pleasing object for contemplation. 



In the pools and ditches of our lanes and fields, we 

 find another curious little crustacean creature, Apus pro- 

 ductus, who differs entirely from that already described, 

 in almost every habit but that of swimming on his back. 

 In some localities the stagnant waters swarm with count- 

 less myriads of these odd little animals, who have the 

 uncomfortab]e habit of burying their heads and bodies 

 in the sand or mud, and leaving their ridiculous little 

 tails waving about in the water, like the pendants of 

 sunken wrecks. A. productuPi appears to enter on the 

 responsibilities of life under more than ordinarily dis- 

 advantageous circumstances, being born Avith only one 

 eye, half a sheU-jacket, and, hardest of all, without a tail. 

 All these deficiencies, however, are made up in time, and 

 A. productua flourishes. He is extremely fond of tad- 

 poles, and in the season usually obtains a fair share of his 

 favourite provender. The spawn of both frogs and toads 

 he has a weakness for ; but Nemesis, in the form of a 



