Note 101 — {147} CHAPTER VIII {VI}

In rain water puddles, we remarked a new species of Branchiopode belonging to the genus Apus; small crustaceous animals, which exhibit a miniature resemblance to the King or Horse-shoe Crab, (Himulus polyphemus,) of our sea coast, but which are furnished with about sixty pairs of feet, and swim upon their back. The basins of water, which contained them, had been very much diminished by evaporation and infiltration, and were now crowded to excess, principally with the apus, great numbers of which were dying upon the surrounding mud, whence the water had receded. This species is distinguished from the productus of Bosc, and montagui of Leach, by not having the dorsal carina prolonged in a point behind; and from cancriformis, by the greater proportional width of the thorax, and more obtuse emargination behind. The length of the thorax along the middle, is three-tenths of an inch, and its greatest breadth somewhat more. It may be named Apus obtusus.

A very large species of Cypris, also inhabits these small rainwater pools in great numbers, of which the valves are more than one-fifth of an inch in length.—James.