BRITISH STALK-EYED CRUSTACEA. 185 



place often in fishes' stomachs) ; according to Couch, it is " not 

 common" in Cornwall. 



Its ova are small and of a golden colour, being exuded during 

 the early part of the year. 



Atelecyclus septemclentatus, Leach. 



This remarkable crab may be readily recognised by the circular 

 form of its carapace ; hence its popular name, the " Circular Crab." 

 It is the only species of the genus known to occur in our seas, and 

 the following may be taken as a general outline of its description : — 



Carapace, as we have already stated, almost circular, the poste- 

 rior margin being, however, flattened ; lateral margins regularly 

 and evenly serrated ; orbits slight, and having two notches in their 

 cavity ; space between the orbits armed with three even denticula- 

 tions ; carapace generally convex, with the regions decidedly but 

 not harshly defined. Antennae well developed and plumose, some- 

 what resembling those of some, of the Lepidoptera. 



The anterior pair of legs are massive and broad, capable' of 

 closing together beneath the cephalo-thoracic portion of the 

 animal ; they are armed with rows of small tubercles and warty 

 prominences. The forceps are curved so that they cross at the 

 tips ; they are brownish black in colour. The remaining legs do 

 not differ much from the normal form, except that they are closely 

 fringed with hair, as also is the carapace and anterior pair of legs. 

 The abdominal somites are five in number in the male and seven 

 in the female ; it is remarkable that the female segments are not 

 so broad in proportion as is the case with most of the Brachyura ; 

 from this it would appear as if the ova were not so much in need 

 of that protection which is so necessary to other species. The 

 colour of this crab is a very pale yellowish white, speckled over 

 with a brick-red tint. The hair-like fringe is a pale warm brown. 



This species is evidently a deep-water one, for, according to 

 Bell, it is common in the stomachs of fishes from a depth of 

 twenty to fifty fathoms. He records it from the coast of Devon- 

 shire, the Welsh coast, and Scarborough ; as well as from the 

 Frith of Forth, Scotland, and several localities in Ireland. We 

 have received this species from Milford Haven; also obtained 

 several specimens by dredging off the South Devon coast in 

 about thirty fathoms of water. 



(To be continued.) 



2 B 



