88 



table number of all orders, and even a considerable 

 one of Macroura, are now known to exist on these 

 shores. Scarce any of the3e were described by the 

 earlier authors, and I am not aware that any species 

 is mentioned as inhabiting Upper California by 

 Herbst, Latreille, Lamarck, or even by Milne Ed- 

 wards. Most of those already known have been 

 brought into notice since 1840, and have been de- 

 scribed, or remarked upon, by Owen, (Zool, of 

 Beechey's Voy., Crust.,) Randall, (Jour. Acad. Nat. 

 Sci., Philad., vol. viii.,) Gibbes, (Proc. Am. Assoc, 

 Charleston, 1850, vol. iii.,) and Dana, (Crustacea of 

 the U. S. Exploring Expedition). 



The following paper contains notes on such species 

 as were collected during a short stay in California 

 during the winter of 1855-G. 



Caxcer magister, Dana, (Proc. Am. Acad. JVat. 

 ScL, May, 1851, p. 73), the common large crab, is 

 very abundant about the wharves of San Francisco. 

 It is of a light reddish brown cilor, darkest anteri- 

 orly; often light orange below; the inner sides of 

 the anterior feet crimson. 



Cancer antennaria, St., 11. s. Carapax convex, 

 much undulated, minutely granulated, its width to 

 its length as 38 to 25. External antennaj very large, 

 hairy, of a length equalling two-fifths that of the car- 

 apax. Antero-lateral margins with nine sharp teeth ; 

 the posterior are most prominent in young individ- 

 uals, but drawn considerably inward, and belonging 

 rather to the postero-lateral margin. In the angles 

 between the teeth the edges are strongly denticuha- 

 ted. Third article of external maxillipeds with long 

 hairs on the terminal edge. Carpus and hand in the 

 adult smoothly rounded, and minutely granulated; 

 in the young partially covered above with small 

 spiniforin tubercles, and the outer surface of the 

 hand costate. The posterior four pairs of feet, and 

 the margin of parts generally on the inferior sur- 

 face very hairy. Tarsi with thick brushes. Color 

 dark purplish-brown. Width of a large specimen 

 four inches. Found on rocky bottoms in two or 

 three fathoms, about the mouth of the bay of San 

 Franoi9co. 



Cancer gracilis, Dana. (/. c, May, 1851, p. 73.) 

 This species is said to occur in San Francisco Bay 

 by its original describer. It must, however, be ex- 

 ceedingly rare here, as I have never met with it af- 

 ter repeated search. It would seem to be more com- 

 mon further down the coast, towards San Diego, trom 

 which locality I have received a specimen from Dr. 

 Ay res. 



Another large crab is common in the bay, which 

 may prove, upon comparison, to be the Platycarci- 

 nus productus of Randall, (Jour. Acad. JVat. Sci., 

 Philad., viii., 115.) I would apply to it, provision- 

 ally, the name of Cancer perlatus. Carapax of 

 great width in proportion to its length, i. e., as 5 to 

 3 ; rather broadly concave near the margins, convex 

 about the middle and posteriorly ; its surface but 

 little undulated, smooth and ungranulated ; antero- 

 lateral margins with nine teeth, blunt and not very 

 prominent : the anterior are least projecting, and of 

 greatest width ; frontal margin between the exterior 

 antenna; trilobate, lobes not prominent ; superior 

 edge of postero-lateral margins granulated. Exter- 

 nal maxillipeds smooth in the male, the third article 

 slightly pubescent on the edges in the female; in 

 both this article is deeply sinuated for the insertion 

 of the fourth, its interior apex being considerably 

 p 'odnced. Hand and c irpus somewhat irregularly 

 nodulose above, the nodules forming two irregular 

 roira along the superior edge of the hand, which is 



obsoletely 4-costate on the outer surface. Posterior 

 feet rather compressed, second articles hairy along 

 the superior crest; penultimate article of second 

 pair with a tuft near its extremity inferiorly ; tarsi 

 with three longitudinal brushes of short thick hair 

 along the angles, the superior and anterior one of 

 which is obsolete in the fifth pair of feet, and the su- 

 perior and posterior one almost wanting in the oth- 

 ers. This species is of a dark red or madder-color 

 above, feet mottled ; below dirty white. Length of 

 carapax three and three-fifth inches ; width six inch- 

 es. Found in company with C. magister, and com- 

 monly seen with it in the markets. 



Pseudogkapsus Oregonensis, Dana, (/. c, 1851, p. 

 248,) is found in the coves of San Francisco Bay, liv- 

 ing generally among pebbles and boulders on mud- 

 dy snores, from half-tide to low water mark. It is 

 bluish-gray above, darkened anteriorly with clouds 

 of dark-red dots ; the feet, with the exception of the 

 light-colored anterior pair, are sparsely dotted with 

 red. 



Pseudograpsus mjous, Dana, (I. c, 1851, p. 249,) 

 is found among the rocks, in the clearer water, near 

 the open sea. It is of a dark olive, sometimes of a 

 dark mahogany color ; and is easily distinguished 

 from the preceding species by the glossy smoothness 

 of its posterior feet. 



Echidnocerus setimanus. Ctenorhinus setima- 

 nus, Gibbons. (Proc. Cat. JVat. Sci., I. 48.) This 

 fine species is perhaps identical with that of Oregon, 

 (E. cibarius, White). It differs frnm the Sitka spe- 

 cies only in the shorter and blunter spines of the an- 

 tero-lateral margins and of the feet. The genus 

 Echidnocerus will probably be found synonymous 

 with some one of the subdivisions of the Lithodina 

 recently established by Brandt (vid. Bulletin, Scient. 

 deVAcad.imp.de St. Petersb., cl.phys. mathem., 

 T. vii., p. 174, 175.) 



The "lobster" of the San Francisco market is pro- 

 bably the Palinurus interruptus of Randall. It be- 

 longs to the genus Panulirus of Gray. It is brought 

 from the coast to the southward, and Dr. Trask in- 

 forms me that it is very common on a rocky ledge in 

 ten or twelve fathoms off Santa Barbara. 



Callianassa occidentals, St. Eyes subtriangu- 

 lar, closely approximated at their bases, but diver- 

 ging and curving a little upward at their pointed 

 tips. Length of the external antenna; two-thirds 

 that of the body. The larger of the anterior feet 

 smooth and glossy on the sides ; the second article 

 denticulated along the inferior edge. Hand scarce- 

 ly longer, and perceptibly of less height than the 

 earpus ; slightly ciliate on the edges, and especially 

 toward the extremities. A considerable hiatus in- 

 tervenes between the fingers' when closed, and be- 

 tween their bases arises a small but prominent tooth, 

 which curves upward. Moveable finger nearly half 

 as long as the hand, rather slender, with hooked ex- 

 tremity; its tooth little projecting, formed by a 

 swelling out of the inferior edge, which is minutely 

 denticulated. Thumb regularly but very slightly 

 curved, Color a delicate orange ; anterior feet rose- 

 colored. Length four inches. This species lives in 

 the holes which are seen in such numbers at low 

 water on the smooth sandy beaches near the en- 

 trance of San Francisco Bay. In C. gigas, as de- 

 scribed by Dana, the carpus is proportionally very 

 much shorter than in this species. 



Geria Caufornica, St Stomachal region of 

 carapax hirsute only on the anterior two-thirds, 

 and marked with three longitudinal furrows, the me- 

 dian of which is much shorter than the two lateral 



