Crangon and Galathea. 93 



Iiiclie3. 



Length from tip of chelas to extremity of curved abdomen, . 2"R75 



Length from rostrum to extremity of telson, 3'4 



Length of carapace, TO 



Length of abdomen, TO 



Length of chelse, 2-875 



Length of propodos of chelse, 1-25 



Breadth of carapace, 0'75 



Breadth of chela, 0-375 



Colour, greenish-brown, with greyisli-brown streaks and blotches, occa- 

 sionally, especially in young specimens, tinged with red. When heated in 

 drying, and on immersion in spirits, it turns red. 



It appears to be a generally diffused species around Ireland, and by no 

 means rare, though local — that is to say, only inhabiting peculiar kinds of loca- 

 lities, viz., weedy stones, beneath which it lurks The nature of this habitat — 

 the rocks being too weighty to be lifted by an ordinary dredge — perhaps 

 accounts for its apparent rarity. All the localities I have found it in were 

 situate at the margin of the laminarian zone, and only approachable at 

 low spring and neap tides. I have never dredged it, even when carrying 

 out a careful series of explorations at Sandycove ; nor has it occurred to me in 

 Dublin in the pots, being in fact unknown to the fishermen there. William 

 Thompson and Professor Bell both record it — the former in the dredge, the 

 latter in the dredge, and also in lobster-pots. I have taken it abundantly, of 

 all sizes, from the length of one-fourth inch upwards, clinging to the under 

 sides of the stones, at Sandycove at all seasons, and also on the coast of Clare. 

 There is no appreciable difference, except in size (excluding the variety already 

 spoken of), in the specimens. 



In habits the animal is active. I have never seen it feign death. When 

 at liberty, as also in the aquarium, it carries the abdomen close appressed to 

 the under surface of the cephalo-thorax. Swimming is performed by quick, 

 short flaps of the abdomen: it walks at the bottom of the water nearly directly 

 backwards over the stones ; it progresses forwards, backwards, and side- 

 ways. 



VOL. XXIV. O 



