1885.] JETrtS/V,? o/Cyrtopliium calamicola. 55 



and ifc was by the vigorous strokes of these appendages that the b'ttle 

 creature was enabled to propel itself with its dwelling through the water. 

 On placing it under a moderate power it was seen to be an Amphi- 

 podous crustacean ; and it was very curious to observe the cautious way 

 in which first the tips of the antennae, then the head, and finally the 

 body as far back as the 2nd thoracic somite would be protracted from the 

 stick-like tube, the animal drawing itself back again on the least 

 alarm ; further out than this, it appeared disinclined to venture. Tn 

 order to quiet its movements somewhat, a minute drop of alcohol was 

 added to the water in the cell — a very useful device when it is wished 

 to quiet, without killing, an organism, for after a few vigorous kicks 

 the animal becomes quiet and sluggish, and remains so for some time, 

 until the effects of the dose have worn off ; — the moment it felt the 

 touch of the spirit, the little crustacean rushed completely out of its 

 tube, but as quickly dived in again head first. It was noticeable also 

 that, when alive and at ease, it would frequently turn itself inside its 

 tube, and protrude its head from the opposite extremity. 



The tubes vary in size from 5 — 10 mm. long, by 0*5 — 1 mm. wide, 

 and are nearly cylindrical. 



Further examination shewed the Amphipod to belong to the Sub- 

 division Domicola — Family Corophiidee — Genus Gyrtopliium. 



To the generic characteristics — as adopted by Haswell from Spence 

 Bate in his Catalogue of Australian Malacostraca, the only book avail- 

 able to me on board, — our species corresponds very well, but it differs in 

 the antennaB being slightly longer than the antennules and, as well as 

 the posterior abdominal appendages, unprovided with any distinctly 

 curved spines ; the latter, however, are furnished with straight spines, 

 which in the natural flexed position of the abdomen are directed forwards, 

 and thus serve equally well for fixation ; the spines, moreover, figured 

 for certain species are but very slightly curved. Neither does the 

 relative length of antennas and antennules afford very trustworthy 

 generic characters : in some of my largest individuals, the antennae 

 were slightly the shorter, and the number of joints in the flagella of 

 both pairs of appendages presented all variations from three to six. 

 Our species does not, however, appear to be specifically identical 

 v/ith either of the four described by Haswell as known in Australia, 

 or with any in Spence Bate's ' Catalogue of Amphipoda in the British 

 Museum,' which I have since consulted. 



From its habit, to be described further on, of making use of a piece 

 of grass or reed as the basis for the construction of its tube, the species 

 may be provisionally named : — 



