32 EEV. T. E. E. STEBBING — BISCATAN PLANKTON : 



as Bovallius figures for Vibilia matrix. Prom another near-standing species, V. hiron- 

 dellei, Chevreixx, V. propinqua is separated by the much shorter process of the fifth 

 joint in the second gnathopods, this process in Chevreux's species reaching even beyond 

 the hind margin of the following joint. 



The total length of the specimen was about 7*5 mm. 



The species having been originally taken in the Pacific Ocean, some surprise might 

 have been felt at its occurring in the Bay of Biscay, but in the interval Dr. Vosseler has 

 reported it from the Sargasso Sea, the Guinea current, and the south equatorial 

 current. 



Chevreux (' Amphipodes de I'Hirondelle,' p. 125, 1900) has pointed out that the 

 ordinary form of V. Jeangerardii, Lucas, has the last joint shorter than the penultimate 

 in the fifth jjeraeojiods and the fifth and sixth segments of the pleon only separated 

 laterally, whereas in the form assigned to that species by Bovallius these segments are 

 distinct all across the back, and the finger of the fifth perseopods is stated to be much 

 longer than the preceding joint. 



Occurrence : 36 c. 25 to fathoms. 1 specimen. 



Pam. P n R o N I M I D iE. 



Phronima, Latreille, 1802. 



1802. PItronima, Latreille, Hist. Nat. des Crustaces et des Insectes, vol. iii. p. 38. 

 1889. Phronima, Bovallius, K. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Haiidlingar, Bd. xxii. No. 7, p. 342. 

 1895. Phronima, Chun, Bibliotheca Zoologica, Heft xix. p. 107. 



1900. Phronima, Chevreux, Amphipodes de I'Hirondelle, p. 136. 



1901. Phronima, Vosseler, Amphipoden der Plankton-Exp. p. 1. 



16. Phronima sebentaria (Porskal). 



1775. Cancer sedentarius, Forskal, Descriptiones Animalium in Itin. Oriental!, pp. xxi, 95. 



1803. Phronima sedentaria, Latreille, Hist. Nat. des Crustaces et des Insectes, vol. vi. p. 281. 



Latreille, in 1802, gives Cancer sedentarius as " exemple " of the genus Phronima, 

 but does not actually print the specific name in its feminine form till the following 

 year. 



In the present collection there is a small specimen taken at Station 35 y between the 

 surface and 75 fathoms, and another taken at 35/' between the surface and 100 fathoms, 

 both being apparently young males of this species. This material does not seem to 

 justify a discussion of the controversy which has arisen of late years as to the species in 

 this genus. In the century that has elapsed since the genus was instituted, writer after 

 writer has been tempted to establish new species, each being in general less ready 

 to accept the validity of his predecessor's innovation than to follow his example by 

 making a fresh one. A study of the works referred to above will show the intrinsic 

 difiiculties of the subject. 



