DEC APOD A i CUM A D/E ? 



MACROURA 9 



GENERA OUMA, Edw., ALAUNA and 

 BODOTRIA, GoonsiR. 



In the 13th volume of the " Annales cles Sciences Natu- 

 relles,''"' Dr. Mihie Edwards described a small Crustacean 

 under the name of Cuma Audouinii ; but in his " Natural 

 Hist, of Crustacea," he expresses his doubt whether this 

 little animal be anything more than the larva of a deca- 

 podous form, and places it amongst other doubtful examples 

 in an appendix. 



In 1843, however, Mr. Harry Goodsir published in the 

 "Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal,"'"' a very full and 

 clear description of this and two other species of Cuma^ 

 and of two allied species which he considers as the types 

 of two new genera, to which he gives the names respec- 

 tively of Alauna and Bodotria. The whole of these I have 

 ventured to consider provisionally as constituting a small 

 family, probably belonging to the lower decapods, which 

 appears also to be Mr. Goodsir's own opinion, though 

 expressed with doubt, in which doubt I entirely agree. 

 This author satisfactorily determined that they are per- 

 fectly developed animals and not mere larvse. 



As I have never had an opportunity of seeing the ani- 

 mals, I take the liberty of giving the whole of Mr. Good- 

 sir's account of this remarkable family, which is too concise 

 to require or admit of condensation. 



Y 



