BRITISH STALK-EYED CRUSTACEA. 217 



The colour of Palinurus vulgaris is reddish hrown, with purple 

 shades and white markings, although varieties frequently occur, 

 a fine one in Mr. Carrington's collection being, when alive, of a 

 brilliant tint almost approaching blood-red, and this colour has 

 altered but very slightly in preserving the animal. 



This species often reaches a length of fifteen or eighteen 

 inches exclusive of the antennae ; it is abundant on our southern 

 and western shores, but is not common in the north. 



Palimirus vulgaris is a favourite specimen for marine aquaria ; 

 hence it is somewhat better known than many of our other 

 Crustacea, and many very interesting points in its habits have 

 been observed, not the least being the shedding or casting of its 

 exo-skeleton during growth : this is done so thoroughly and com- 

 pletely that the skin of even the eyes and mouth-organs are 

 shed with the rest, and it is possible to obtain a cast skin as 

 perfect in external detail as the animal itself. 



Thalassinime, Bell. 



The members of this curious family are chiefly characterised 

 by their remarkable habit of boring. Their burrows, which are 

 made in mud, clay, or detritus, are often of great length, and the 

 process of digging for them is a most difficult and tedious one, on 

 account of the tortuous and meandering windings of these 

 passages. The genera of this family are of the lobster form, but 

 slender in structure, the primary legs being heavy and massive, 

 and adapted for burrowing purposes. 



Callianassa subterranea, Leach. 



This remarkable crustacean has the thoracic carapace arched 

 and quite smooth, the abdominal segments being also smooth, 

 but flattened and somewhat soft. The eyes are very small, and 

 the antennae are about one-third the length of the animal. The 

 first pair of legs are very unequal in size, but not constant, 

 sometimes the left, sometimes the right, being the larger. This 

 big claw is smooth, massive, and armed with powerful forceps, 

 which are fringed with cilia on the inner edge ; the arm bein» 

 furnished with a large spine curved forwards. The small claw is 

 very simple in structure, and terminates in a small forceps. The 

 second pair of legs have the terminal joint enlarged and furnished 



