232 Miscellaneous. 



which serves to retain a coat of air for use during respiration under 

 "water, and it therefore jirobably has to rely upon the store of air 

 contained within its tracheal system. Plateau* h:is pointed out 

 that 46 2;enci-a and 80 species of tracheate Arthropods are known 

 to inliabit the sea-shore and to be subjected to submersion bv the 

 water. In the greater number of these, he remarks, the power of 

 living under such conditions is not due to their possessing any 

 special mechanisms to enable them to do so, but to the general 

 property those animals have of being able to resist asphyxiation for 

 a prolonged period. 



When in the living condition, Ohisium maritimum is easily recog- 

 nized by the olive-greenish colour of tlie body contrasted with the 

 bright red-brown of the pedipalps. The species was described by 

 Leach t as follows : — 

 " C. pedibus secundis articulo 2 cylindraceo, 3 ovato ; basi attenuate 



4 ovato; digit is brevibus subcurvatis. 

 " Long. Corp. 2-2g lin. 



"Habitat in Anglia occidental! inter rupes ad littora maris. Com- 

 municavit Dom. C. Prideaux. 



" Color livido-fuscus, pedibus 4 anticis pallide ferrugineis ; 8 

 posticis ])allidis. 



" Thorax antice noniuinquam ferrugineus." 



It has been redescribed and excellently figured by Pickard- 

 Cambridge J ; his description is given below : — 

 "Length slightly over one line. 



" Cephalothorax and abdomen dark brown tinged with olive, and 

 very glossy ; palpi and falces red-brown ; legs pale yellow-brownish 

 tinged with olive. Cephalothorax slightly longer than broad, sides 

 ])arallel, truncated in front in an oblique line on either side from 

 the centre, where there is a slight but distinct shallow depression. 

 Eyes rather large, very nearly of equal size ; those of each pau* are 

 separated from the fore-margin and from each other by a diameter's 

 interval. The hairs with which this species is furnished are long, 

 fine, and simple. The palpi are long and strong ; the bulb of the 

 pincers is of a cylindrical-oval form ; the claws are strong and no 

 more than (if even quite as much as) equal to the bulb in length 

 and very slightly curved." 



Pickard-Cambridge remarks that he has received specimens from 

 the Devonshire coast, where it was found under stones below high- 

 water mark ; and from Jersey, where it occurs in a similar situation. 

 lie further adds that it does not appear to be known on the 

 Continent of Europe. 



The present communication constitutes but the second recorded 

 instance of the occurrence of this species in the British Isles since 

 the time of Leach. 



* Journ. de I'Auat. et Phvs. xxvi. 1800, pp. 23G-2G9. 

 t Zool. Miscell. iii. 1817, p. o2, ^A. 141. tig. 1. 



X Proc. Dorset Nat. lli.st. & Antiq. Field Club, xiii. 1892, pp. 215-216, 

 pi. B. fig. 8. 



