“In the first place, I would say that this little fellow is decidedly a deep-sea species,—that is, so far as my experience goes. I have never found him but on the old shells and stones brought up by the fishermen’s lines. There he seems to prowl about seeking what he may devour,—prying into every crevice and corner in search of food, and also into the tenantless worm-cases with which these old shells and stones are generally encrusted. Now these are exactly the habitats and manners of the Praniza Edwardii when adult. Where I find the one, I am almost sure to find the other. I have found them together, and taken them out of the same worm-tube. But though this does not amount to an entire proof, still it helps to strengthen my conjecture that they are male and female.
“In the second place, besides the striking disparity in size, the mandibles in this species appear to me to differ considerably from the same organs in the Anceus maxillaris. Here I have never seen them to overlap each other as they do in the one just named. And, having frequently kept them alive, I have seen their mandibles open and shut times without number; and, so far as I could make out, they never crossed each other in the least. Indeed, I do not think they could have done so, from their construction. They seem to me, when they do shut, to go together in the fashion of a rat-trap when closed. And besides several other distinctions which I have been able to discern, there are two or three small bunches of stiff hairs or spines projecting from the front of the head which I do not see in Anceus maxillaris and the others which you describe. I would also point out that there is a most remarkable similarity in the tail or hind-part of this species and the same portion of the Praniza Edwardii.”
In support of his views, Edward forwarded some further specimens of the supposed male to Mr. Bate, for his inspection. We have not been able to find Mr. Bate’s answer. It has doubtless been lost, like many of the missing letters. But we gather from a future letter of Edward, that Mr. Bate considered the specimens to be Anceus rapax. “Never having seen a description or plate of that species,” said Edward, “I can say nothing as to that matter. . . . But, call him what you like, I am more than ever persuaded that he is the tight little husband of Praniza Edwardii; and, as such, I now intend to place them together, and to name them accordingly.”
THE CRUSTACEA.
Many of the Crustacea which Edward collected, did not belong to the Sessile-eyed order, which Mr. Bate was studying and classifying. These Crustaceans he sent to other observers. For instance, when Mr. Bate was about to set out for Paris to examine Milne-Edward’s typical Crustacea, he received from Edward a letter containing some Entomostraca which had been collected from the stomach of a mackerel. “I do not,” replied Mr. Bate, “study the Entomostraceous Crustacea myself; so I gave some of those you sent me to Mr. Lubbock, and some to Dr. Baird of the British Museum, from both of whom I hope you will hear.”
SHORT SUN FISH PARASITES.
In a future letter, Edward sent Mr. Bate some worm-like parasites found on a Short Sun Fish taken near Banff. “The genus,” said Edward, “is very little known in this country. It has hitherto been found only on the Flying Fish. It seems, however, to frequent the Sun Fish. This was not previously known. When once these creatures take a firm hold, it is impossible to shake them off or get rid of them,—they sink so deep into the animal’s body. There are from two to three longish barbs which protrude from the neck, close to the head, and which appear to serve exactly the same purpose as the barb does on the hook. One which I cut out—and no easy matter it was—had its head sunk at least an inch and a half into the fatty ridge of the fish. In the Illustrated London News of July 10th, 1858, there is an illustration given of a Flying Fish with a parasite attached to its back, and having a lot of barnacles adhering to it. The fish here figured is said to have leapt from the sea into the mizen chains of the East Indiaman Monarch, whilst on her homeward voyage from Calcutta. The parasite in that case was quite different from the one I obtained from the Sun Fish. It was there called Pennella Blanvillii.”
THE MICROSCOPE.
In one of his communications, Edward sent Mr. Bate some parasites which he had taken from the gills of a Crab. Many of the Crustaceans found by him were so minute that they could scarcely be examined in detail with the naked eye. Mr. Bate accordingly, with great kindness, made Edward a present of a microscope to enable him to carry on his minute investigations. “It is,” said Mr. Bate, in his letter announcing the departure of the parcel, “what we call a simple microscope, and I think you will find it adapted for examining things out of or in doors. It is made portable, and can be used upon the rocks as well as in a parlour. It is similar to one which I use myself for everything, excepting when I examine into structural anatomy. I was not able,” added Mr. Bate, “to have it prepaid farther than Bristol; so I beg to enclose a few stamps, which I hope will cover it for the remainder of the way.”
Edward at first found a difficulty in managing the microscope, on which Mr. Bate sent him a long letter illustrated by diagrams, informing him how he was to use it. “I am sure,” he said, “you are too sharp a fellow not to understand it thoroughly after these few hints have been given you. . . . I will also send you a pocket lens, which you will find very useful. . . . You will find it convenient during this cold weather (24th November) to bring home anything, and then look at it at your leisure, rather than study it upon the sea-shore.”