THE CRUSTACEA OF CAMBRIDGESHIRE. 



By W. A. CUNNIMJTOX, Christ's Colleen . 



IN a survey of the Crustacea of Cambridge and its neigh- 

 bourhood, we have at the outset our task greatly lightened 

 by the inland situation of the town. 



The great majority of the members of the group are in- 

 habitants of the sea, a certain proportion inhabit fresh wah-r, 

 and a minority are adapted for a life upon land. It follows 

 then that, of the immense number and variety of forms which 

 together constitute the group, we have but comparatively few 

 to take into consideration. The common crab or lobster, 

 typical representatives of the class, are of course marine, and 

 we are left with forms the majority of which are quite small, 

 often almost microscopic. 



While there is no reason to suppose that the terrestrial 

 Crustacea are strikingly different from those common in other 

 parts of our island, the fresh-water types from Cambridge. 

 surrounded as it is by the old fen country, might well be 

 numerous and interesting. Unfortunately we have here to 

 face a great lack of information. It is indeed remarkable 

 that a district containing a great University should have 

 been so little exploited, at least in this direction, but the 

 fact remains 1 . Almost the only work of reference is a 

 manuscript " Catalogue of the Insect Fauna of Canibn 

 shire" by the Rev. Leonard Jenyns (afterwards 



1 The Cambridge Natural History Society has recently taken up this 

 faunistic question, and is endeavouring to obtain coinpl.tr lists ;uxl coll.-c- 

 tions of the local fauna. 



