268 Part III.—Nineteenth Annual Report 
None of these Bay of Nigg Caprellas—which I think belong all to the 
one species—reach the dimensions given by G. O. Sars for Caprella 
septentrionalis; the largest males obtained in the stomachs of the Pollacks 
measured from 20 to about 22 millimeters in length, while the adult 
females were only about half that size; the measurements given by Sars, . 
on the other hand, are “length of adult female reaching 19 mm., of male 
27 mm.” Some of the Bay of Nigg males and the greater proportion of 
the females are rather more prominently tuberculated than they are 
shown to be in Professor Sars’s description and figures, but with these 
exceptions they appear to be identical with Caprella septentrionalis, Kroyer. 
The second gnathopoids of the male are large and powerful, they are 
articulated slightly behind the middle of the second segment of the 
mesosome, and the propodos is.armed with a stout claw; the distal portion 
of the claw is strongly curved, and the inner margin near the base is 
furnished with a shallow but distinct tooth ; the palm of the propodos 
has a dense fringe of short, slender bristles. The surface of the body is 
thickly besprinkled with minute points, and in certain positions, when 
viewed with an inch objective, the bases of these points look like hyaline 
circular depressions, and it is only when the light strikes across the surface 
of the body that the projecting points can be seen. 
One thing which appears to militate against the Bay of Nigg Caprellas 
being really the C. septentrionalis of Kroyer is that the distribution of that 
species seems to be arctic or sub-arctic rather than north temperate; but 
the same may be said of Ischyrocerus anguipes, Kroyer, an undoubted 
example of which has been found in the Bay of Nigg; of Anonyx nugax 
(Phipps), which has been obtained near the May Island, Firth of Forth, 
and in the Cromarty Firth ; of Byblis gaitmardi (Kroyer), also obtained 
off the May Island, as well as of other northern forms which have been 
found on various parts of the Scottish coasts. If the above objection 
shows anything, it is rather that our knowledge of distribution is not yet 
complete, and that, as the investigation of our seas is proceeded with, it 
is highly probable that other forms, whose distribution was wont to be 
considered more northern or more southern, will yet turn up to swell 
the list of the Scottish marine fauna.* 
An interesting fact in connection with the Bay of Nigg Caprellas is 
that such a large number of them should be found in the stomach of a 
single fish; it seems as if the Pollack had been able to discriminate 
between the various organisms which happened to be within its reach and 
that it had selected the Caprellas in preference to the others, But, as is 
well known, Caprella consists of an elongated slender body, to which 
are articulated still more slender appendages; it can therefore, one would 
think, afford little nourishment to a hungry fish ; and why the fish should 
select this creature in preference to more succulent morsels, such as some 
of the common Gammaride, the smaller Eupaguride, and others, is some- 
what curious. 
Sub-order [SOPODA 
TANAIDA. 
Typhlotanais brevicornis (Lilljeborg). 
This species was obtained in a gathering collected by the steam trawler 
“St. Andrew,” on November 8rd, about thirteen or fourteen miles north- 
east from Buckie, in 50 to 55 fathoms. This is the first time that a 
* It is also to be noted that Caprella septentrionalis, Kroyer, has also heeu recorded from 
the Clyde on the authority of the late Dr. Robertson of Millport. 
