146 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



brighter than the Thames " shrimp," which, by the way, is not 

 a shrimp. 



My own specimens of Nika edulis are all from Jersey, where 

 it occasionally occurs in sufficient numbers to be offered in the 

 market in small lots for sale as " shrimps." I have seen about 

 twenty or thirty of this rare crustacean exposed on a cabbage- 

 leaf, prawns or shrimps being certainly less abundant as a rule 

 in the Channel Islands than they are in many of our own south- 

 coast towns ; hence, when anything of the sort occurs in the 

 market, the chances are it is something rare. Fish-markets 

 afford a good hunting-ground in this respect for the marine 

 zoologist, though a minute examination of the specimens elicits 

 a somewhat annoying response from the fish-wives, who imagine 

 the naturalist is probably a large purchaser. I have never been 

 able to obtain specimens of Nika edulis alive, and have therefore 

 never seen them in their native haunts ; but I have been 

 informed by fishermen that they capture them generally at 

 about one or two o'clock in the morning ; indeed, there are two 

 or three crustaceans to which the seemingly remarkable rule 

 applies, and I think it must be correct. I know the Jersey 

 fishermen are on the coast at all hours, because when they are 

 working their crab-pots they have to go out to them whenever 

 the tide is favourable, and, as they often take a push-net with 

 them to work any sandy reach on their way, they soon come to 

 know when and where any particular species may be procured.* 

 More than one crustacean which I had hitherto regarded as very 

 rare has turned up in comparative abundance in the small hours 

 of the morning at a certain spot known to one of these fishermen. 

 This is very likely their feeding-time, and I consider that they 

 probably pass most of their time just below the surface of the 

 wet sand ; hence the reason of their being so seldom seen. 



Bell states that Leach's original specimen was obtained by 

 Montagu at Torcross ; his own type-specimen from Bognor, 

 where it was served up to him for breakfast amongst some 

 prawns ; and that, according to Mr. W- Thompson, there are 



* Mr. Siuel, of Jersey, who has been fortunate enough to obtain NiJca 

 edulis alive and to have kept it for a short time in an aquarium, informs me 

 that towards night-time it emerges from concealment and becomes very 

 lively indeed, and that its eyes gleam like rubies in the dark. 



