282 On Nipliargiis Koclilanus and N. sub'.ervaueus. 



No. 8. — 3^ miles from no. 1, over 380 feet deep. The bottom 

 full of chalky detritus stained deeply with oxide of iron. 

 No Niphargi captured. One C,i/clops serratulus, var. 

 varius^ $ ; two Cyclops viridis {gigaa) probably, but the 

 fifth feet not discernible ; two pseudoscorpions. Wings 

 and relics of insects numerous. 



There could be no question as to the species of the smaller 

 specimens of iV. si/iterrawejfs taken in these investigations; 

 but on the third attempt made in no. 1 well I left a net 

 baited with meat all night. All the resulting specimens 

 differed considerably in some respects from the series of 

 small ones taken previously, notably in the gnathopoda, of 

 which the propodos was less quadrangular in shape, the 

 dactylos much more oblique, and tlie postero-ventral angles 

 of the pleon-segments more acute. The first pair of gnatho- 

 poda bad the propodos so approximately pear-shaped (see 

 PI. VIIT. fig. 4) that I concluded this larger series to belong to 

 N. funtanus, Bate. The series taken in the ordinary manner 

 in the daytime from no. 4, which were all large, proved to 

 be similarly characterized, and no small individuals being 

 among them, I concluded the Niphargi of tliis well must 

 belong to the same species as the last captures in no. 1. One 

 of these, however, submitted to Canon Norman was considered, 

 however, by him as referable to N. suhterr adieus, Leach, 

 although he acknowledged that the existence of the above- 

 mentioned characters made the diagnosis less certain. It 

 was also sent to M. Chevreux, who has recently figured a 

 Niphargus from France as N. fontaniis, Bate, and be, I 

 nndtrstand, identifies it as identical. However, Canon 

 Norman's suggestion (i'n litt.) that large specim.ens possibly 

 developed these divergences of characteristics seems borne 

 out by my more critical examination subsequently of the 

 whole series taken ; and a reference to the figures will show 

 that, though the first gnathopoda of specimens about ^ inch 

 long are somewhat pear-shaped and the palm more oblique, 

 yet they do not exactly correspond to the figures given of 

 N.Jontanus by Spence Bate (Nat. Hist. Kev. vol. vi. Proc. 

 Soc. p. 164). If Bate's figure was not very accurately 

 engraved it might possibly represent a mature stage of iV^. sub- 

 terraneuSj Leach, — a conclusion I am inclined to adopt, the 

 more because the proportions of the pleopoda seem to be 

 abnormally curtailed in the figures given by him both of 

 iV. Kochianus and N. fontanus. Further researches may 

 possibly elucidate the truth, and it seems possible that wells 



