DARWIN1A COMPRESSA. 
185 
the peduncle is not longer than the flagellum. The in- 
ferior antennas are scarcely longer than the peduncle of 
the superior. The first pair of legs are very small, and 
are generally so closely folded beneath the animal that 
they are with difficulty examined ; the wrist and hand 
are subequally long, and very slight ; the finger is long 
and slender, and capable of being shut upon the inferior 
margin of the hand. The second pair of legs are but a 
little larger than the first, and have the wrist longer than 
the hand ; the hand is truncate, the palm being at nearly 
right angles with the inferior margin ; the finger is long, 
and furnished with a single subapical tooth, giving it the 
appearance of a somewhat forked extremity. The walk- 
ing legs are very robust ; the coxas gradually increase in 
depth from the first to the fourth, which is produced 
downwards to an obtuse point. All the walking legs are 
nearly equal in length and strength, and each terminates 
in a strong pointed hook-like finger, which Liljeborg not 
inaptly, in his description of Lafystius , compares to the 
claws of a feline mammal. They are long and powerful 
organs, and are indicative of parasitic habits. The three 
posterior pairs of caudal appendages reach to about the 
same length, and are very free from hairs. The tail-piece 
is lanceolate in its form. 
This species was first taken by Mr. Edward, of Banff, 
at the entrance of the Moray Frith, whence also we have 
received specimens from Mr. Gregor, of Macduff. Mr. 
Loughrin has also sent us specimens from Polperro. These 
last were as white as writing-paper, and in this respect 
differed from those received from the Moray Frith, which 
were of a brown hue. After being kept a short time, 
the Cornish individuals assumed the colour of the North 
British specimens, hence we may assume white to be the 
