ii INTRODUCTION. 



beautifully marked Galathea elegans, a figure of which we have given ; it is very active in 

 its movements, darting backwards by sudden powerful jerks, snapping its fore-legs quickly 

 together and producing a clicking noise ; when at rest the fore-legs are extended in the 

 same line as the body, perfectly straight ; when swimming, the tail is first bent under the 

 body and again forcibly reflexed backwards. Near the same spot a specimen of our very 

 rare Tlos muriger was dredged at a depth of ten fathoms, with other species of Crustaceans, 

 chiefly belonging to the genus Philyra and Leucosia. The Tlos, like Oreophorus and 

 Leucosia, is apathetic and inert, slow in its progressive movements, and relying for security 

 upon its stone-like form. Arrived among the islands of the China Sea, crustaceous animals 

 were observed in all their prolific variety, for in these organisms, as in others, the existence 

 of a high temperatm'e seems to increase their numerical importance, and invest them with 

 more singular modifications of form and with greater brilliancy of colour. 



Two of the most remarkable Crustaceans to be met with among the group of islands 

 next visited, namely, that of the Me'ia-co-shimah, are the Scopimera globosa of De Haan, and 

 the Mycteris deflexifrons of the same naturalist. The former burrows in the muddy banks 

 and sandflats, just above low-water mark, perforating the surface in every direction. In 

 some parts of Koo-kien-san (one of this group) they are so numerous as to impart a peculiar 

 colour to the shores, when seen at a distance. They walk but slowly and are very inactive 

 in their habits ; when disturbed they make awkward scrambling habits to get out of sight, 

 by burying themselves in the mud in the manner of certain Macroplitlialmi. The latter 

 genus {Mycteris), although somewhat resembling the genus Ocypode in many particulars, yet 

 differs considerably in regard to vivacity and locomotion ; like their swift-footed consimilars, 

 they form superficial burrows in the sandy mudflats, into which they retreat in the same 

 clumsy scrambling manner as do the Scopimerce on the approach of danger. In some parts 

 of the Me'ia-co-shimahs I have ridden over many acres of sandy mud covered with these 

 bright blue crabs, and on looking behind could perceive a dark straight line made by the 

 passage of the horse, as he caused them to conceal themselves in the soil in his progress 

 onwards. They delight to bask at the mouth of their apertures in the sun, just after the 

 receding tide has left the flats partially dry, and appear then to be most on the alert in 

 procuring food. Here likewise we met with a species of Gelasimus allied to G. Chloropthalmus 

 of Professor Milne Edwards, with bright orange fore-legs, the left one being bigger than its 

 carapace or, indeed, than the entire body, which inhabits burrows, formed obliquely among 



