298 
BRITISH ENTOMOSTRACA. 
The most remarkable organs attached to the head, 
however, are the first pair of foot-jaws. These arise from 
between the base of the antennse, are very large and strong, 
and project forwards beyond the head. They consist of 
three stout joints, of considerable length, and of a cylin- 
drical shape ; the second joint, near its apex, having a 
tooth or spine, and the last being terminated by a curved 
hook ; the hook pointed upwards and backwards. The 
second pair, of three joints also, is of nearly equal 
length, but much more slender, and has the* terminal 
joint ovate, compressed, and bifid. The third pair is 
short, very thick, stout, of two joints, and terminates in a 
strong claw-shaped extremity. 
The mouth- apparatus resembles much that of the other 
genera already described belonging to the Peltocephala ; 
but the sucking-tube is not so conical or sharp-pointed. 
The feet are three pairs, and are all foliaceous. The 
structure of these members is very simple ; being merely 
foliaceous lamellae, which lap over each other, and surround 
the thorax as with a shield. They are of a light horny 
texture, and somewhat granulated like the dorsal elytra- 
form appendages. The oviferous tubes are straight and 
very long. 
From the form of the feet, and the large development 
and prehensile structure of the foot-jaws, it is evident 
that the animals belonging to this genus are incapable of 
much motion, and are more adapted than any of the 
others we have yet described, for living strictly as para- 
sites. They seem, from Leach’s figure of the species he 
describes (in situ), to bury their beak in the flesh of their 
prey, and no doubt cause much irritation to their un- 
willing host. The gill-covers to which they were found 
adhering, showed the marks of inflammation of long- 
standing, as they were much thickened. 
