OF THE FAMILY CANTHOCAMPTID^. 91 



of its urosonie, but in a large number of other important characters its 

 affinities are with Nitocra. 



The simplest way of showing its resemblance to these genera, is by 

 arranging the generic characters of the three genera in tabular form (see 

 p. 92). 



With regard to the 1st maxillse of Nitocra and Ameira, Sars's figures do 

 not help to make the description very clear. 



That of Nitocra is described as having the exopodal and epipodal lobes 

 defined, and the accessory lobe wanting. 



Sars's figures, as will be seen in text-figure 1, show three setiferous lobes 

 in front of the jaw-like terminal portion, as is also the case in Nitocrameira, 



That of Ameira is described as having the exopodal and epipodal lobules 

 not defined and the accessory lobe present. 



The figure shows two setiferous lobes anterior to the jaw-like portion. 



The resemblance of the 2nd maxilla of Nitocrameira to that of Ameira is 

 shown in the second text-figure. 



Life-History. 



The life-history and habits of Nitocrameira are necessarily incompletely 

 known, but a certain amount can be deduced from the specimens found. 



It is evident that reproduction takes place in the egg-cases. 



The figure shown in fig. 3 (PI. 10) contained two females and one male. 

 Each female has a brood of eggs, and also a brood of larvae. Numerous other 

 cases were found containing numbers of larvae with their parents. 



No stage was found between the older larvae shown in fig. 3 and half- 

 grown adults. The inference is that the egg-case is left by the larvae when 

 they have reached the stage of development shown in fig. 3. They then lead 

 a free swimming existence until half or three-quarters grown, when they 

 enter a fresh egg-case for their reproductive life. In cases that contained 

 large numbers of copepods, as for instance that with 29, the aperture was so 

 small and the inmates so tightly packed, that it seems evident that they 

 entered when very small. 



They might have been hatched in the same egg-case in which they were 

 found, but it is difficult to see where the food would come from. 



In practically all individuals the gut was well filled, the food probably 

 consisting of embryo triclads. Generally the organic detritus present was so 

 macerated as to be unrecognizable, but in one case the half-devoured remains 

 of an embryo were certainly present. 



Literature. 

 Wheeler.— Journal of Morphology, ix. 1894, p. 167, 



Sars, G. 0. — An Account of the Crustacea of Norway. Vol. v. 

 parts xvii. and xviii. p. 211 seq. 1907. 



