74 
The Ohio Naturalist. 
[Vol. VII, No. 4, 
times the size of specimens sent in, which were about the average 
of those collected (22 mm. from tip of rostrum to tip of telson). 
Besides being apparently rare in Sandusky Bay during past 
summers, another possible reason why shrimps have not been 
observed is the transparency of these individuals. They are 
almost as clear as the water in which they live, and if attention 
were not called to them, would probably pass notice. Specimens 
cannot be preserved, it seems, so that this natural transparency 
may be retained. Placing in alcohol (70 % to S0%) or formalin 
(4%) caused the specimens to become milky. Those dying 
naturally in the w T ater also become milky. They can be cleared, 
however, fairly well in xylol. 
The well developed springing power of the shrimp is a fre¬ 
quent cause for losing individuals. These characteristics, viz.: 
apparent scarcity, transparency, small size and springing power, 
make the collection of large numbers of shrimps difficult. With a 
small tow-net, never more than three or four were taken at a 
time, and frequently none. 
This shrimp was first described by Stimpson in 1871 from 
specimens taken at Somerville, S. C. In 1872 (’73) Smith (S. I.) 
of the United States Fish Commission described the same species 
“from half a dozen specimens collected by Mr. J. W. Milner, at 
Ecorse, Mich., in a grassy arm of Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie, 
known as Black Channel.” As Stimpson's specimens were from 
Somerville, S. C., and his description differed considerably from 
the Lake Erie specimens, Smith supposed, at the time his des¬ 
cription was written, that the northern specimens represented a 
distinct species. This error was corrected when the latter re¬ 
ceived a series collected in the fresh water streams of Florida. 
Hay, in 1882, rejmrts collecting this species in tributaries of the 
Tombigbee and Moxubee rivers in eastern Mississippi, in the 
Mississippi river at Memphis, in Pearl River at Jackson, and in 
the Chicasawha River at Enterprise, Miss. It is also reported 
by Forbes for Illinois: “Very common in Illinois River, where it 
is the only shrimp. Taken in large numbers at Pekin.” 
The extreme interest of this shrimp and the fact that little 
or no observations have been made on the behavior of the species, 
led the writer to observe it more closely. 
Their usual habitat is clear, shallow’ water ranging in depth 
from one to perhaps four or five feet, with vegetation and sandy 
bottom. As soon as muddy or mucky conditions were encoun¬ 
tered in towing, the shrimps v T ere not to be found. The Sandy 
coves of Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie, abounding w’ith vegetation, 
apparently afford ideal conditions and shrimps should be plen¬ 
tiful there. However, the carp and other fish are also plentiful 
and these undoubtedly feed on the delicate little shrimps. The 
