ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 167 



belongs to the tribe Oniscoidea, which are characterised by being terres- 

 trial. This tribe includes all the so-called " wood-lice." Their abdominal 

 appendages are fitted for air breathing, but in Ligia there is a very near 

 approach to branchial respiration, as moisture is necessary. The body 

 is oval in shape, and the seven pairs of thoracic appendages are similar 

 in character. Ligia has a wide distribution, and occurs just above high- 

 water mark, generally in deep narrow crevices in the rocks. They are 

 unable to withstand prolonged immersion in sea-water, and less able in 

 fresh-water. They feed on decaying organic matter, and are nocturnal 

 in habit. 



Ostracoda of Massachusetts.* — J. xl. Cushman records these from 

 south-eastern Massachusetts. Seven species are reported, bringing the 

 number now known from fresli-water in New England up to nine. The 

 distribution of species was found to be singularly local. Of three species 

 of Cypris found, all occurred in pools in the vicinity of Boston, and but 

 a short distance apart, yet no one collection contained more than a single 

 species. 



American Marine Ostracoda. f — J. A. Cushman gives a systematic 

 account of collections made in the vicinity of Wood's Hole. Sixteen of 

 the species obtained are identical with those of European waters, including 

 the Mediterranean. Of these, all but one, Gytheridea rubra, are fairly 

 northern species, extending around the whole northern Atlantic. Certain 

 forms described as new are allied to European species. Others seem 

 to be entirely different, and may represent species which are more 

 southern in their range, and which are probably confined to the western 

 side of the Atlantic. There is some indication of a periodicity of 

 species in protected waters. 



Mysidse of West of Ireland. |—W. M. Tattersall describes six new 

 species belonging to the sub-family Leptomysinae of the Mysidse. They 

 were captured off the south-west coast of Ireland, in depths ranging 

 from 465 to 800 fathoms. Two are types of new and interesting genera, 

 while the other four belong to two recently defined deep-water genera 

 characterised by the imperfectly developed eyes which are possibly 

 modified for tactile functions. Two species new to the British and Irish 

 Hst, Hansemmysis FyllcB Hansen and Erythrops microphthalma G. 0. 

 Sars, were taken in 400-800 fathoms, off the coast of Kerry. 



Sexual Modification of Hermit Crab by Peltogaster.§ — F. A. Potts 

 finds that the infection of the hermit crab Eupagiirus meticulosus by the 

 Cirripede Peltogaster curvatus has the effect of diminishing immediately 

 the size of the gonads and suppressing their functions. This is probably 

 effected through interference with the general nutrition. At the early 

 stage of the external parasitism ova make their appearance in the 

 glandular part of the testis. Their fate has not been traced, but it 

 seems probable that they persist and grow. No corresponding changes 



* Amer. Naturalist, xli. (1907) pp. 35-9. 



t Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., xxxii. (1906) pp. 359-85 (12 pis.). 



X Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., cix. (1907) pp. 106-18. 



§ Qaart. Journ. Micr. Sci., 1. (1906) pp. 599-621 (2 pis.). 



