287 



New Guinea were beautiful skins of Paradisea Raggiano,, both male and female, 

 collected by the Rev. M. Lawes. Of other birds from the Fijis, and obtained 

 by Baron A. von Hügel, were species of the genus Pinarolestes, which are 

 also found on Tutuela, one of the group of the Samoan Islands. 



March 6, 1879. — Mr. Thorn. Christie exhibited the os sepiae of a 

 small rare species of Cuttle-Fish from Australia, collected by Dr. Bancroft. 

 — The Secretary read, in the absence of the author, a paper »On the classi- 

 fication of the Maioid Crustacea, or Oxyrhyncha«, by Mr. Edward J. 

 Miers. The Maioid Crabs have been placed by nearly all carcinologists at 

 the head of the Brachyura, from the high degree evinced in their sensory or- 

 gans and nervous system, and the group, moreover, is interesting on account 

 of the variety of their types. Exteriorly they are distinguished by their more 

 or less elongate carapace, an anteriorly narrow large epistoma, longitudinal 

 antennules and situation of basal antennule joint. Their buccal cavity is 

 quadrate ; the branchiae are nine on each side, the afferent canal opening 

 in front of the anterior legs, and the efferent at the sides of the fifth pair of 

 ambulatory legs. Though closely related to the Oxystomata the Oxyrhyncha 

 differ from them in their triangulate buccal cavity and position of afferent 

 branchial channel; but Mesorhoea approximates on the part of the Partheno- 

 pidae to the Oxystomatous type. From the Cancroid Crabs [Cyclometopa] 

 typical Maiidae are distinguished by longitudinal antennules and position of 

 basal antennule joint; the Parthenopidae, however, occupying an intermediate 

 place between the rest of the Oxyrhyncha and certain Cancroidea. The author 

 summarized and reviewed the various classifications of Milne-Edwards (1834), 

 De Haan (1839), Dana (1851—1852), Alphonse Milne - Edwards (I860), 

 Stimpson (1870) and Claus (1876), partly adopting the first and second pri- 

 mary groups of Dana, but with considerable modifications. His synoptical 

 arrangement comprises (with short diagnostic characters) 4 families, 12 sub- 

 families, 106 genera and 14 subgenera, the characters of the families being 

 thus defined : 



Fam. I. Inachidae. Eyes non-retactile or retractile against the sides 

 of the carapace. No defined orbits exist, but there is often a well-developed 

 praeocular and postocular spine. Basal joint of antennae usually slender, 

 sometimes moderately enlarged. 



Fam. II. Maiidae. Eyes retractile within the orbits, which are dis- 

 tinctly defined, but often more or less incomplete below or marked with open 

 fissures in their upper and lower margins. Basal antennal joint always more 

 or less enlarged. 



Fam. III. Periceridae. Eyes retractile within the small circular 

 and well-defined orbits, which are never incomplete as in the Maiidae. Basal 

 antennal joint well developed and constituting the greater portion of the in- 

 ferior walls of the orbit; this joint is usually very considerably enlarged. 



Fam. IV. Parthenopidae. Eyes usually retractile within the small 

 circular and well-defined orbits. The inferior wall of the orbit is continued 

 to within a very short distance of the front. The antennae are very slender, 

 the basal joint does not, as in the Periceridae, constitute a great part of the 

 inferior orbital margin, but is very small and usually does not reach to the 

 front, and with the next joint occupies the narrow hiatus intervening bet- 

 ween the front and inner orbital angle. 



