IDOTEA. 223 



drawing them through its anterior fringed feet for the pur- 

 pose of cleaning them. It frequently darts from its branch, 

 with the rapidity of lightning, to seize with its long an- 

 tennae some minute crustaceous animal, and returns to its 

 resting-place to devour its prey at leisure." 



Gen. 108. IDOTEA. 



All the legs ending in a pointed claw, and so adapted for 

 walking; abdomen furnished beneath with two large simple 

 plates, which do not extend beyond the side of the terminal 

 segment. Body considerably elongated, and not much di- 

 lated about the middle. The various species are found 

 amongst seaweeds near the shore. 



Idotea pelagica. — Front slightly notched; second joiht 

 of abdomen with a small keel down the middle, rounded at 

 the end, and with a blunt tooth in the middle; antennae one- 

 third the length of the body. 



Found at different parts of the coast. Common on the 

 Bell Rock. 



Idotea tricuspidata. Three-toothed Idotea. (Plate XII. 

 fig. 2.) — Body elongated, nearly linear. Cinereous, dotted 

 with brown ; the back marked with a yellowish-white Ion- 



