60 Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria. 



of Bengal, vol. IxviiL, pt. ii., No. 3, 1899). Its distinctive 

 features are the arcuate ridge which crosses the carapace between 

 the lateral angles — and the long pair of fifth legs which lie 

 immediately over the second pair, but cannot be raised above tlie 

 carapace, and the form and position of the female sulci. 



We have much pleasure in dedicating the species to Mr. G. M. 

 Thomson, F.L.S., of Dunedin, from whom we have received much 

 assistance and advice in our work on the Crustacea. 



The types have been deposited with the National Museum. 



Tribe — Thalassmidea. 



F AM I LY — Axiidae. 



Axius plectrophynchus, Strahl. (Plate V., Figs. 7, 8). 



1861. Strahl. Monatsbericht der k. preuss. Akad., p. 

 1055. 



1862. Strahl. Ann. and Mag., Nat. Hist. (3). vol. ix., 

 p. 387. 



1884. Miers. Zool. Collection of H.M.S. "Alert," p. 283. 



This species was originally described by Strahl, from a single 

 specimen taken at Luzon — and was subsequently identified by 

 Miers as occurring in Torres Straits, a single mutilated specimen 

 being in the collection made by H.M.S. "Alert." We have 

 found it to be plentiful in the crevices of the rotten sandstone 

 reef about 100 yards from the shore at Beaumaris, and about 

 3 to 4 fathoms below tide mark. 



The armature of the carapace appears to be very varialjle and 

 while we have specimens agreeing closely with both Strahl's 

 and Miers' specific descriptions, we have also others taken 

 with them under circumstances leaving no question as to their 

 belonging to the same species, which differ in many details. 

 This is particularly noticeable in the number of spinules on the 

 fi'ont — typically there are eleven of these, but we have specimens 

 with four on one side and six on the other, some have thirteen in 

 all, while a few only agree with the type. 



Another feature worthy of note is the presence on the upper 

 surface of the flattened rostrum (in some of our specimens) of 



