268 Part III. — Nineteenth Annual Report 



None of these Bay of Mgg Gaprellas — which I think belong all to the 

 one species — reach the dimensions given by G-. 0. Sars for Caprella 

 septentrionalis; the largest males obtained in the stomachs of the Pollacks 

 measured from 20 to about 22 millimeters in length, while the adult 

 females were only about half that size ; the measurements given by Sars, 

 on the other hand, are "length of adult female reaching 19 mm., of male 

 27 mm." Some of the Bay of Mgg males and the greater proportion of 

 the females are rather more prominently tuberculated than they are 

 shown to be in Professor Sars's description and figures, but with these 

 exceptions they appear to be identical with Caprella septentrionalis, Kroyer. 

 The second gnathopods of the male are large and powerful, they are 

 articulated slightly behind the middle of the second segment of the 

 mesosome, and the propodos is armed with a stout claw ; the distal portion 

 of the claw is strongly curved, and the inner margin near the base is 

 furnished with a shallow but distinct tooth ; the palm of the propodos 

 has a dense fringe of short, slender bristles. The surface of the body is 

 thickly besprinkled with minute points, and in certain positions, when 

 viewed with an inch objective, the bases of these points look like hyaline 

 circular depressions, and it is only when the light strikes across the surface 

 of the body that the projecting points can be seen. 



One thing which appears to militate against the Bay of Mgg Caprellas 

 being really the C. septentrionalis of Kroyer is that the distribution of that 

 species seems to be arctic or sub-arctic rather than north temperate ; but 

 the same may be said of Ischyrocerus anguipes, Kroyer, an undoubted 

 example of which ha? been found in the Bay of Mgg ; of Anonyx nugax 

 (Phipps), which has been obtained near the May Island, Firth of Forth, 

 and in the Cromarty Firth ; of Byblis gaimardi (Kroyer), also obtained 

 off the May Island, as well as of other northern forms which have been 

 found on various parts of the Scottish coasts. If the above objection 

 shows anything, it is rather that our knowledge of distribution is not yet 

 complete, and that, as the investigation of our seas is proceeded with, it 

 is highly probable that other forms, whose distribution was wont to be 

 considered more northern or more southern, will yet turn up to swell 

 the list of the Scottish marine fauna.* 



An interesting fact in connection with the Bay of Mgg Caprellas is 

 that such a large number of them should be found in the stomach of a 

 single fish; it seems as if the Pollack had been able to discriminate 

 between the various organisms which happened to be within its reach and 

 that it had selected the Gaprellas in preference to the others. But, as is 

 well known, Caprella consists of an elongated slender body, to which 

 are articulated still more slender appendages; it can therefore, one would 

 think, afford little nourishment to a hungry fish ; and why the fish should 

 select this creature in preference to more succulent morsels, such as some 

 of the common Gammaridse, the smaller Eupaguridse, and others, is some- 

 what curious. 



Sub-order ISOPODA 



Tan aid ^e. 



Typhlotanais brevicornis (Lilljeborg). 



This species was obtained in a gathering collected by the steam trawler 

 " St. Andrew," on November 3rd, about thirteen or fourteen miles north- 

 east from Buckie, in 50 to 55 fathoms. This is the first time that a 



* It is also to be noted that Caprella septentrionalis, Kroyer, has also l:eeu recorded from 

 the Clyde on the authority of the late Dr. Robertson of Millport. 



