346 Miscellaneous. 



tliat the Anacharis Alsinastrum found in the Whiteadder is of foreign 

 origin. 



A letter was read from Mr. C. E. Parker, Torquay, noticing various 

 instances which had been observed of the effects of hghtning on trees ; 

 and mentioning the occurrence of Tilia Europcea on a promontory in 

 the sea near to Torquay, where he supposes it to be indigenous. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



ATHANAS NITESCENS. 



To the Editors of the Annals of Natural History. 



Weymouth, March 5, 185L 

 Gentlemen, — On the 2nd instant I obtained from two small rock- 

 pools (one of which was not more than 18 inches diameter), at ex- 

 treme low-water mark, sixty or seventy specimens oiAthanas nitescens, 

 and am thus enabled not only to add this as a new locality, but 

 to fill up the blank of colour in Mr. Bell's ' Crustacea.' The 

 general colour varies from a transparent watery-green in the very 

 small specimens through almost all the shades of green, some haAing 

 a yellowish tinge, whilst others are of a deep liver colour (they vary 

 quite as much in their general colour as Hij)polyte varians) ; some few 

 are of a pale buff ; there are however two markings constant in every 

 specimen ; the first is a broad white stripe, extending from the base of 

 the rostrum along the middle of the back, and ending at the junction 

 of the plates of the tail with the body. This stripe when the animal 

 is dried disappears altogether in the lightest specimens, — is scarcely 

 visible in others, whilst in the liver-coloured specimens it remains 

 visible, but changed to a pinkish brown. The first pair of legs are the 

 colour of the body, but the other four pairs are barred or annulated 

 alternately with reddish brown and white in the manner of Pagurua 

 Forbesii. The plates of the tail are unicolorous. 



Athanas nitescens lives a long time out of water ; it is very active, 

 but not so much as some small Galatheas in the same pool with it, 

 though like it they strike backwards and attempt to enter some cre- 

 vice to escape. In confinement they are timid, striking to all parts of 

 the basm ; but they will crawl up to a pen or any substance put 

 quietly into the water and apparently explore it. One of my speci- 

 mens has the right fore-leg very much larger than the left, but on 

 comparing this individual with another of the same size, I find the 

 large leg is the proper size, and that it is the smaller leg which is de- 

 formed, thus proving that the small leg has replaced one broken off. 

 The fingers are generally much paler than the hands. 



I am, Gentlemen, yours obediently, 



William Thompson. 



Description of a new species of Mole (Talpa leucura, Blyth) . 

 By Ed. Blytii, Esq. 



The species of restricted Talpa that have hitherto been described 

 amount to four only in number, that I am aware of ; viz. T. cv.ropeea. 



