ME. E. J. MIEES ON THE IDOTEIDiE. 29 



the name var. ^elarjica, Leach, for that variety or coudition of 

 this species in which the postero-lateral teeth are absent and 

 the postero-lateral angles rounded _off to the terminal tooth 

 or cusjj. 



The range of this species, as far as ascertained, extends through- 

 out the Mediterranean and Black and Caspian Seas, along the 

 western coasts of Europe northward to Great Britain (Shet- 

 lands) ; it occurs also on the shores of the Netherlands, in the 

 Grerman Ocean and Baltic, on the Scandinavian and Tinlandic 

 coasts, on the eastern coast of North America, from Nova Scotia 

 and the G-ulf of St. Lawrence southward, at least as far as Egg 

 Harbour (Harger). It occurs on the South-American coast at 

 Desterro and Eio Janeiro in Brazil. Its range on that coast in 

 a southerly direction is as yet unascertained ; but the occurrence 

 of specimens, which to all appearance are not specifically dis- 

 tinct, on the New-Zealand coasts points to the probability of its 

 passing southward until it reaches the Antarctic or Southern 

 circumpolar area of distribution. Scarcely explicable by our 

 present theories of the distribution of the recent Crustacea is 

 the fact of its occurrence in the Eed Sea, and possibly at Java. 



It may be that a more attentive examination of a larger series 

 than I have had at my disposal would reveal the existence of 

 several distinct geographical subspecies or races ; but it is certain 

 that even if this be so, they must pass into one another by almost 

 imperceptible gradations, and I have thought it better (on the 

 principle of admitting, as far as possible, none but well-defined 

 species into the present revision) to unite all at present under 

 one specific designation. 



The British-Museum collection includes a large number of 

 specimens from various parts of the British coasts, England and 

 Scotland (Colonel Montagu and Dr. Leach), Northumberland 

 (purchased), Weymouth, a young example (Dr. Gray), Cornwall 

 (D. W. Mitchell and W. P. Cocks), Cardiff (R. Drane), and 

 Dalkey Sound, Ireland (Dr. Kinahan), Bell Eock (Dr. Leach, 

 types of /. pelagica), and Beerhaven (Sir P. Egerton). All of 

 the above are preserved dry. Two fine males from the Shetland 

 Islands (E. Mac Andrew), one from Anstis's Cove, Torquay 

 (Eev. T. E. E. Stebbiug), and two from Vineyard Sound, Massa- 

 chusetts, presented by the Smithsonian Institution (as /. irrorata), 

 and collected by the U.S. Eish Commission, are preserved in 

 spirits. 



