50 CAPRELLID.E. 



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 " Edinburgh Philosophical Journal " 

 for 1842 (vol. xxiii. p. 186) :— ** The Caprellce, 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 

 antennas, probably in search of food. *' Their usual 

 mode of progression'^ is compared by Otho Fabricius 

 (Faun. Gronl.), Montagu, Goodsir, and Gosse, " to that 

 of the larvae of the Geometric moths." " They some- 

 times," says Mr. Goodsir, " walk in this way for a consi- 



