A FINE FAMILY 339 
Family 3.—Cymothoide. 
In contrast with the two preceding families the 
Cymothoidz, in the comprehensive sense of the term, 
would form a truly gigantic group. It is best, therefore, 
to accept the arrangement which breaks it up into at least 
six families, the animals in which are united in having in 
most cases a similar outward facies. These six families 
are the Cirolanidee, Corallanidz, Alcironidee, Bary- 
brotidee, A‘gidee, and Cymothoidee. It is common to them 
all to have all the segments of the perzon distinct and 
well developed; to have a well-developed ‘palp’ but no 
proper molar to the mandibles, the maxillipeds with the 
epipod short and coalesced to the underside of the head, 
and the plate of the second joint short or wanting ; the 
first joint of the first gnathopods fused with the segment ; 
the last four pairs of peraeopods always longer than the 
three preceding pairs of limbs, and the pleopods alike in 
the two sexes, except for the presence of a stilet on the 
second pair of the male. In the young there are six pleon- 
seoments distinct, of which the terminal one which includes 
the telson is large. The pleopods generally have the 
branches fringed with hairs, always excepting the inner 
branch of the fifth pair; in the first four pairs there are 
coupling-hooks on the broad peduncles. In the gravid 
female there are five pairs of marsupial plates on the first 
five pairs of limbs of the perzeon, and small supplementary 
plates on the last two pairs; the maxillipeds have fringed 
expansions of the epipod and the first two joints, more or 
less covered by the front marsupial plates, and evidently de- 
signed to promote the steady influx of water upon the eggs. 
Considering that in this group a father, mother, and 
child might in some cases readily be mistaken for speci- 
mens of three separate species, and that among the families 
the similaritiesand dissimilarities are often alike perplexing, 
the student has great reason to be grateful to Dr. H. J. 
Hansen, of Copenhagen, who in his admirable work on this 
subject has provided efficient clues to the labyrinth. The 
annexed table is translated from his treatise. 
