This page needs to be proofread.

CRUSTACEANS counties.'^ To these may be added PMloscia muscorum (Scopoli), which ' prefers dry rather than damp situations, under leaves, stones and moss,' in accordance with the meaning of its name, the shade-loving tenant of mosses, a species which ' is found abundantly throughout the southern part of England,'^ The freshwater isopod, Asellus aquaticus (Linn.) and the freshwater amphipod, Gammarus pulex (Linn.) occupy all counties without fear or favour, the amphipod being like the isopod a sessile-eyed crustacean, that is to say, not having the eyes articulated as is the case with those organs in shrimps and lobsters. Otherwise an amphipod is very differ- ently constructed from an isopod, having its heart in a different situation, in connection with the circumstance that its breathing apparatus is not in the tail part, but in the central compartment between head and tail. After so far constructing a hypothetical carcinology for Worcester- shire, I had the satisfaction of having it to some extent confirmed through a correspondence with the Rev. C. E. Ranken of Malvern, president of the Worcester Naturalists' Field Club. Mr. Ranken con- sulted the curator of the ' Hastings ' Museum, Victoria Institute, Wor- cester, and that gentleman, Mr. William H. Edwards, took the trouble of looking through several books and making enquiries. The conclusion Mr. Edwards came to was similar to my own, for he says, ' No one seems to have ever collected the Worcestershire Crustacea, hence we have no authentic records.' At the same time he has begun to remove the defi- ciency by transmitting to me the paper which I now have the pleasure of quoting : — ' Crayfish [Astacus fuviatilis) . We have a specimen in the museum taken in the river Severn near Worcester Bridge a few years ago ; also an old one from Dick Brook, Shrawley ; other localities for Worcester- shire (as far as I know) are Crowle Brook and Dowles Brook near Bewdley. ' Freshwater Shrimp. I know nothing about the species or even genera, but what is " locally " known as the " Freshwater Shrimp " is common in the county ; but I am afraid this information is too vague to be of any value, and I cannot put my hand on specimens now. ' Woodlice. Armadillidium vulgare (the " Pill Woodlouse ") is common throughout the county wherever I have observed. I have seen large numbers when pupas digging. ' Porcellio scaber (the " Common Woodlouse ") is only too common everywhere. ' Oniscus asellus. I am under the impression that I have seen this in Worcestershire, but not being a collector of Crustacea, I have not observed closely enough to determine it with certainty, and though I have searched during the last few days, I have not been successful in finding specimens.' On this welcome contribution a few remarks may be offered. The river crayfish belongs to the genus Potamobius, which in various 1 Bate and Westwood, British Sessile-eyed Crustacea, vol. ii. p. 495. * Loc. cit. p. 451. 127