VII. 



ALTHOUGH abundant at many parts of the Scottish 

 coast, at Cockburnspath (situated near the mouth of 

 the Frith of Forth) only, has the writer met with the 

 very beautiful prawn, Palcemon Squilla. At this 

 locality specimens were very frequent in rock-pools 

 situated near the shore, nor were such difficult to 

 capture. The small net being placed cautiously over 

 their head, the animals did not show signs of resist- 

 ance, until they found themselves, by a sudden jerk 

 of the hand, drawn bodily out of the water. Then, 

 indeed, unless some degree of skill was used, the 

 captives would give a powerful spring, and escape, 

 from the confinement of the net, to the more con- 

 genial element from which they had been so un- 

 ceremoniously ejected. 



Prawns (Palcemonidce) exuviate very frequently, 

 in some instances as often as once or twice a month. 

 No sooner is one coat thrown off, and the Palremon 

 recovered from the weakness which the process 

 occasions, than it commences, at first at intervals, and 



