BRITISH STALK-EYED CRUSTACEA. 201 
hairy and of moderate length, reaching only to the middle of the 
third joint of the antenne-stalk. This latter feature is also 
characteristic, as the rostra of both the following species are 
longer, and in other features different. The five pairs of legs are 
very long and slender, the last two pairs having the terminal joint 
curved like a cat’s claw, whilst the preceding two pairs have this 
joint more simply formed and hairy, like the other joints. The 
anterior pair are developed into stout arms, terminating in a rather 
formidable pair of forceps in the male ; whilst the corresponding 
pair of legs of the female are comparatively but slightly developed. 
From this it would appear that the males of this and many allied 
species have a requirement, pugilistic or otherwise, which the 
females have not. The stalked eyes are oval, with a minute spine 
on their pointed apex. The abdominal segments of the females 
are broad and roughly pear-shaped, affording great protection to 
the ova; whilst those of the male are narrower, widening suddenly 
at the third and fourth somites, and again slightly at the last. 
A jointed ridge divides these segments equally and vertically. 
We have taken ova from this species in the early part of the 
year. These ova are well concealed by the broad somites of the 
females, and carried by the swimmerets to which they are attached 
by semi-elastic, transparent, viscid ligatures, which are extremely 
slight as compared with those of Crustacea with less abdominal 
protection. The ova are minute, spherical bodies, of a pale 
yellow colour when newly extruded, and become granular and 
darker as the development of the zoe proceeds. The first 
marked indication of the maturity of the enclosed zoe is the 
prominent eyes, which give the eggs a speckled appearance. 
This species is much the most commonly met with of the 
genus, attributable, no doubt, to its habitat being usually shallow 
water and estuaries of rivers. We have obtained great numbers 
from the shallower parts of the English Channel and the neigh- 
bourhood of the Thames estuary, those from the former locality 
being very fine and bright. Of the large number of S. rostratus 
examined, we have found very few, and those generally females, 
covered by fuci, as mentioned by Bell. On the other hand, the 
species may be characterised as one generally clean and bright. 
We have noticed most markedly the great predominence of males 
in catches of this species, as observed by Bell and subsequent 
writers, 
2D 
