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50 CAPRELLID ©. 
sometimes quite at its extreme posterior limit. The 
three succeeding segments are generally of equal length, 
while the last two are always very short. 
Mr. Goodsir, who paid considerable attention to this 
family, says, in the ‘f Edinburgh Philosophical Journal ” 
for 1842 (vol. xxii. p. 186) :—** The Caprelle, like all 
the lower Crustacea, cast their skins often. Before the 
process commences, the animal lies for a considerable time 
languid, and to all appearance dead. At length a slight 
quivering takes place all over the body, attended in a 
short time with more violent exertions. 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 free the body of the 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 these animals have not been much ob- 
served, living, as they do, amidst sea-weeds and zoophytes. 
They are active in scrambling from branch to branch, and 
are very likely to be overlooked. Mr. Goodsir, indeed, 
says that they are never seen to catch their prey, and 
“being slow and deliberate in their motions, they are not 
fitted for this mode of life;” to which we cannot sub- 
scribe, inasmuch as our experience would induce us to 
pronounce them to be active and energetic creatures. 
They generally grasp the objects to which they are 
attached by their strong posterior legs, and elevating 
themselves in an erect position, wave about their long 
antennee, probably in search of food. ‘Their usual 
mode of progression” is compared by Otho Fabricius 
(Faun. Grénl.), Montagu, Goodsir, and Gosse, “ to that 
of the larve of the Geometric moths.” ‘ They some- 
times,” says Mr. Goodsir, “ walk in this way for a consi- 
