620 THE TRANSPARENT ALIMA. 



In the Northern seas these opossum-shrimps exist in vast multitudes, and form much 

 of the food on which the great whale of those seas depends for its subsistence. Several 

 species are thus eaten, and one of them, Mysis flexuosus, is largely eaten by the enormous 

 shoals of salmon that visit these regions in the months of July and August, thereby 

 aiding in giving to the fish that fineness of condition and fulness of flesh which ought to 

 be possessed by a well-nurtured salmon. These creatures are fond of congregating at the 

 mouths of rivers, probably because they find plenty of food in such localities, and during 

 the winter, haunt the whole line of coast. 



Many species of Opossum-shrimps are found upon our shores, and can be captured by 

 the simple plan of hauling up masses of sea-weed, and seizing the little Crustacea before 

 they can escape. The Chameleon-shrimp is the lowest figure in the illustration. 



ANOTHER example of these beings is the CLUB-HORNED PHYLLOSOME, a member 

 of another and a very remarkable family. All the members of this family have the body 

 exceedingly flat and leaf-like, formed by the carapace and part of the thorax. The 

 abdomen is extremely small in proportion to the enormous size of the cuirass, and the 

 limbs are so formed that they can be spread from the body so as to present a large 

 radiating outline. These crustaceans are in the habit of floating on the surface of the 

 water, extending their legs, and there lying quite at their ease. The body is beautifully 

 transparent, and it would be almost impossible to see the Phyllosoma were it not that 

 the eyes are of a most beautiful blue, and serve as indications of their owner's presence. 

 This species is a native of the Atlantic Ocean. The Club-horned Phyllosome is seen on 

 the right side of the engraving. The name Phyllosoma is derived from the Greek, and 

 signifies Leaf-bodied. One or two examples of this creature have been found floating 

 near the Channel Islands. 



Two figures of a remarkable genus of Stomapod Crustaceans are given in the same 

 illustration. In these creatures the upper part of the body is defended by a single and 

 large cuirass, covering much of the head, being wide and free behind. The members of 

 the genus Ericthus have the cuirass enormously developed, prolonged in front into a kind 

 of beak, which projects over the head, and having behind several strong and rather long 

 spines. These creatures have smaller claws than is found to be the case with the 

 generality of the family, and all the limbs are of only moderate dimensions. The last 

 segment of the abdomen is developed into a wide and flat fan-like blade. The eyes are 

 large, round, and set on stout footstalks. 



The GLASSY ERICTHUS derives its name from the translucency of its integuments, and 

 the ARMED ERICTHUS is so called in consequence of the sharp spines that defend its 

 shield. Both these species are inhabitants of the Atlantic. The latter is the central figure 

 on the left side, and the former occupies the upper portion of the engraving. Both the 

 figures are enlarged. 



BEFORE passing to the next family, we must cast a brief glance at a very strange- 

 looking crustacean, called the TRANSPARENT ALIMA (Alima hyalinn^). This remarkable 

 animal looks much as if an Ericthus had been drawn out like wire to a considerable 

 extent, retaining all the characteristics of the family, and some which belong to the 

 genus. The abdomen is extremely long, something like the tail of a scorpion, and 

 terminated by a flat paddle. The cuirass is so large and so loose that it hardly seems 

 to belong to the creature, but to have been taken from some larger crustacean, and 

 dropped upon its back. The eyes are large and globular, and stand on slender curved 

 footstalks, bearing no small resemblance to a dumb-bell with a long and rather curved 

 handle, each eye answering for the heads of the bell, and their united footstalks for its 

 handle. The claw feet are long, slender and can be used with much quickness. 



These creatures are natives of the warmer seas, such as the tropical portions of the 

 Atlantic, the South Seas, and New Guinea. They all live at some distance from the shore. 



WE now come to a curious family, called the Squillidae. In these creatures the body 





