Mr. W. V. Guise on a new species of Alpheus. 275 



XXVII. — Upon a new species of " Alpheus " discovered upon the 

 coast of " Herm" {Channel Islands). By W. V. Guise, Esq., 

 F.G.S* 



In the course of an excursion to the Channel Islands, under- 

 taken last summer with a view to natural-history pursuits, I 

 spent three days in the little islet of Herm, which, though a 

 mere rock, scarcely three miles in circumference, is equalled by 

 few spots of similar extent within the area of the British seas, in 

 respect of the rich field it offers for the researches of the marine 

 naturalist. 



The Channel Islands, though an appanage of the crown of 

 Great Britain, are, geographically speaking, rather a part of 

 France than of England ; and this situation, in a sort of debate- 

 able ground, may perhaps in some degree account for the fact 

 of their natural history having been to a certain extent over- 

 looked by the naturalists of both countries ; though few districts 

 can be expected to yield a richer harvest to the scientific inves- 

 tigator, constituting as they do the northern limit to many 

 Mediterranean forms, which, here found flourishing in full 

 vigour, and showing no signs of decrepitude, dwarfishness or 

 decay, suddenly disappear, and find no footing upon our side of 

 the Channel. This is well known to be the case amongst the 

 testaceous Mollusca ; and there is little reason to doubt, that 

 researches prosecuted amongst the other kingdoms of nature 

 would be rewarded by the discovery of many novel and import- 

 ant facts. 



Amongst the Crustacea, to which I propose especially to direct 

 your attention, it is only necessary to refer to the discovery of 

 the singular and beautiful " Phyllosoma sarniense," figured and 

 described by Mr. C. F. Lukis in the 8th volume of ' Loudon's 

 Magazine of Natural History,' which example, still I believe 

 unique, has its only analogues in one Mediterranean species, and 

 in a few others confined to tropical areas. 



I propose now to lay before you another Crustacean, which it 

 has been my good fortune to obtain in a tide-pool at low water 

 on the islet of Herm, and which, from its immediate recognition 

 as the " red shrimp " by the fisherman who accompanied me, I 

 have reason to believe is not of unfrequent occurrence. My first 

 idea was, that I had obtained " Alpheus ruber/' itself a great 

 prize, being a Mediterranean species of the greatest rarity in our 

 seas ; but upon comparing it carefully with the descriptions of 

 Milne-Edwards in his ' Histoire Naturelie des Crustaces,' I be- 



* Read at a Meeting of the Cotteswold Naturalists' Club, on Tuesday 

 9th Mav 1854. 



18* 



