STOMAPODA. 
393 
myself taken. They are about 6 lines in length, and agree in all respects 
with Goodsir’s description, hut present at the same time a striking charac- 
ter which he has not noticed — in the carapace being almost wholly covered 
by series of minute granular spines (if such an expression may be used) 
with the points directed forward, and hence my “ ? ” as to species. The 
describer of Alauna obtained but the one specimen. 
ORDER STOMAPODA. 
Genus Mysis. 
M. spinulosus, Leach. * 
South of Ireland. 
M. Chamceleon, Thomp. (J. Y.) 
The first examples described under this name were "obtained in the 
harbour of Cork. Specimens from each side of the island have come 
under my notice. At Bangor, within the entrance of Belfast Bay ; 
Ballywalter, on the open coast of Down (both strictly marine localities) ; 
in Dundrum Bay, same County (in brackish water) ; and in the tidal river 
Lagan at Belfast ; I found them common in the summer or autumn of 
1835 and 1836. In the three first-named places they were taken between 
tide-marks ; in rock-pools in the two first, and in a sandy bay in the last. 
I have seen it among Crustacea brought up in the dredge in water 5 
fathoms deep off the Dublin coast by Dr. Ball ; have received it from the 
West coast of Cork (Professor G. J. Allman), and have taken it myself 
along the shores of Connaught. A detailed note of June 22, 1846, is as 
follows : — When in company with Mr. Hyndman to-day at Strangford 
Lough, I took a number of this species (which is admirably figured in the 
work quoted) in brackish water, at Ardmillan. They were in extraordi- 
nary profusion, and viewed in the water were at first sight mistaken for 
the fry of fish. They appeared to be all about the same size, and adult, 
as were the specimens taken, the largest exceeding 1^ inch in length from 
point of anterior scales to end of the caudal plates. 
Mr. J. Y. Thompson remarks that M. Chamceleon “ has never been ob- 
served like the other species in any great numbers together, but scattered 
and solitary, often associated with M. vulgaris ,” p. 29. But where they 
came under my observation in this instance, a small arm of the lough a 
few feet in depth presented the extraordinary spectacle of being quite 
alive with them. They were all swimming in one direction, towards the 
sea, and moving regularly and horizontally onward. 
It is difficult, owing to the figure being deficient in elaboration, to judge 
whether or not Montagu’s Cancer astacus multipes, Linn. Trans., ix. (p. 
90) pi. 5, f. 3, be this species, but I agree with Mr. J. V. Thompson that 
the Cancer Jlexuosus, Mull. Zool. Dan., vol. ii. p. 34, pi. 66, is so. M. Ed- 
wards (Hist. Crust., vol. ii. p. 458) observes, that spines are represented 
on the sides of the abdomen in Muller’s figure of M. jlexuosus, but 
although such an appearance is presented in the plate, surely it is the 
mere setae of the subabdominal fins which are intended to be represented. 
The specimens taken on this occasion were all of one hue, as the millions 
in the water seemed to be ; this was a very pale olive or “ pellucid 
cinereous,” as ascribed to the M. Leachii by Mr. J. Y. Thompson, from 
which they differed only in having black instead of “ reddish rust- 
