OCCASIONAL NOTES. 107 



specimens from the Thames estuary bear examples of acorn 

 barnacles attached to the carapace, and even on the wrist and arm 

 of the anterior limb. This is quite an unusual occurrence in 

 such active species of crabs as constitute the genus Portunus. 



Portunus tuberculattis, Eoux. 



In the British Association Report, 1861 (1862), the Rev. 

 Alfred Merle Norman described as new to the British fauna, P. 

 pustulatus (Norman, n. sp.). The specimens were taken from the 

 deep sea, off the Shetland Isles, in 1861. 



In a further report on the marine fauna of those isles (Brit. 

 Assoc. Rept., 1868, p. 263), Mr. Norman corrects his nomen- 

 clature, and assigns the name Portunus tuberculatum (Roux. Crust, 

 de la Mediterranee, pi. xxxii., figs. 1—5). He further says— 

 ' This fine addition to the British fauna was first procured by 

 me in 1861, and has been taken every year since. It is the most 

 abundant of the genus in the Shetland seas, living in 80 to 120 

 fathoms. 



Portunus tuber culatus is distinguished by its tubercular pus- 

 tulose carapace, by the acuteness of the latero- anterior teeth, and 

 the great size of the posterior tooth, which is double the size of 

 the preceding ones ; and by the last legs having the swimming 

 blades furnished with a raised median line." 



We are not aware that this species has been found in any 

 other locality than that mentioned by Mr. Norman. 



(To be continued.) 



OCCASIONAL NOTES. 



Change of Colour in the Irish Hare. — I have for several years 

 watched the Irish Hares at Ravensdale Park [on the borders of Armagh 

 and Louth], and on the adjoining heath-covered hills, and I find that there 

 is a very decided change of colour from the summer to the winter garb 

 every year, and that the white prevails more in hard than in mild winters. 

 This fact strengthens the doctrine which identifies the Irish Hare with the 

 Scotch Blue Hare, the Lepus variabilis of Bell's ' British Quadrupeds.' It 

 is observable that the change is slow in its progress, not reaching its maxi- 

 mum until January, sometimes rather late in that month, and that it never 

 affects the whole of the back. The operating cause— namely, temperature— 



