INTRODUCTION. liii 



western shores of Europe. The genus Ncenia, all the 

 species of which are closely allied in form, has only been 

 recorded from the British shores. Four species of Cyr- 

 tophium have been discovered, one of which is from the 

 East Indies, one from Rio Janeiro, and two from the north- 

 west of Europe. Corophium, so abundant when found, 

 has been taken on the western shores of Europe, the 

 Mediterranean, on the coasts of Japan and Brazil. It 

 burrows in mud; but there is reason to doubt either that 

 it preys on the Annelids or migrates at particular seasons. 



That terrible wood-destroyer, Chelura, so devastating to 

 the piles and submarine timber all round the shores of 

 Europe, has not been recorded from other lands. 



We have generally looked upon the Hyperina as pelagic 

 species; but recently it has been pointed out by Mr. 

 Edward, that some of our British genera burrow into and 

 hide themselves in sand on the shores of the Moray Firth. 

 The two British species of Hyperia (which we have great 

 reason to believe to be but one, being male and female), 

 have an extensive geographical range, from Greenland to 

 Cape Horn, from Rio to the Zooloo seas. 



Vibilia has apparently an equally extensive range, 

 though fewer species have been determined. Themisto, 

 also, has been recorded from Greenland to sixty-three 

 degrees south latitude in the Atlantic Ocean, while species 

 of Phronima have been taken as far north as the Shet- 

 lands, as well as in the Atlantic, at Naples, and at 

 Borneo. The Capreltidce appear to be very universally 

 and abundantly diffused. The very close resemblance 

 of the species from very distant and opposite localities 

 is suggestive of a close affinity in the respective forms. 

 Specimens from Japan, and the eastern coast of North 

 America, are not appreciably distinct from others found 

 on the eastern coast of South America, as well as on our 

 English coast ; and when we take into consideration the 



