[ 163 ] 



II. The Subterranean Crustacea of New Zealand: with some general Remarks on the 

 Fauna of Caves and Wells. By Charles Chilton, M.A., B.Sc., F.Z.S., Rector, 

 District High School, Port Chalmers, Neto Zealand. 



Eead 20th April, 1893. 



(Plates XVI.-XXIII.) 

 Contents. 



Page 



I. Introduction 163 



II. Historical Sketch 165 



III. History, Distribution, and Occurrence ol the New Zealand Subterranean Crustacea 180 



IV. Detailed Descriptions of the New Zealand Subterranean Crustacea 185 



Isopoda. The Genus Phreatoicus : P. assiinilis, sp. nov. ; P. ti/picus, Chilton ; Comparison 

 of the three known species of Phreatoicus ; Special points in the structure of 



Phreatoicus ; Affinities of Phreatoicus 185 



The Genus Cruretjens : C. fontanus, Chilton 209 



Amphipoda. The Genus Crangonyx : C. compactus, Chilton 218 



The Genus Oammarus : G. frufjilis, Chilton 226 



The Genus Calliopiiwi : C. siibtcrrancrts, Chilton 2.33 



Summary of the more important points in Part IV 244 



V. The General Fauna of the Subterranean Waters of Canterbury 246 



VI. The Canterbury Plains and their Underground Waters 248 



VII. Origin of the Subterranean Crustacea 253 



VIII. The Special Characteristics of the Subterranean Pauna : 



Colour ; Loss of Eyes ; Compensation for Loss of Eyesight ; Food : Arrested Development ; 



Habits 259 



IX. Bearing.s of the Phenomena of Subterranean Life on the Theory of Descent 266 



X. Conclusion 272 



XI. Bibliography 273 



XII. Explanation of the Plates 281 



I. Introdijction. 



In the following paper an attempt is made to give a fuller account than has yet been 

 published of the Blind Crustacea found in the underground waters of the Canterbury 

 Plains in the South Island of New Zealand. The existence of siroilar Crustacea in 

 the caves and wells and in the deep waters of lakes in Europe and North America 

 Las long been known, and has attracted much attention, both because of the inherent 

 interest of the subject, and because of the bearing that the facts have on some general 

 questions of Biology connected with the Theory of Descent, particularly on the effects 

 of use and disuse, and on the influence of the environment on the animals. 



SECOND SERIES. — ZOOLOGY, VOL. VI. 22 



