1 Q Insecta. 



certain forms the exopodite of the third maxillipede may be suppressed, thus showing 

 the striking morphological chauges which species of Engaeus may exhibit. 



As to the habits of Engaeus, very little is known. They live in holes or burrows, 

 sometimes far from ponds or rivers, but there is always watei- at the bottom of their 

 holes. They never leave their burrows in the day-time, but probably come out at night 

 and wander about in search of Insect-larvae and Myriaijods. The young are brought 

 into the world and tended by the female parent in the same way as an ordinary crayfish. 



J. T. Saun der 8 (Cambridge). 



45) Caliiiaii, W. T., Two Cases of abnormal Appendages in Crabs. 

 In: Ann. Nat. Hist., Vol. II, Nr. 64, S. 399—403, with 3 figs. in text. 



The author gives detailed descriptions of two cases, one of which is an ab- 

 normality of tlie second Walking leg in Cancer pagurus and tlie other of one the 

 great clielae in Portunus puher. The first is clearly a case of "homoeosis" (Bate- 

 son) but at the same time it is an imperfect one since the modified limb, in 

 assuming the characters of a cheliped, has not parted altogether with tliose 

 proper to a Walking leg. The brushes of hair on the dorsal or outer edge of the 

 propodus and dactylus are closely similar to, although less developed than those 

 of the other Walking legs, and they are quite unrepresented ou the cheliped. 

 Moreover the abnormal limb is not adjacent to the limb which it mimics, the 

 first Walking leg, which is normal in every respect Coming between them caps. 

 This crab was caught at Dartmouth. 



The other case occurred in a male Portunus pnhcr caught at Lyme Regis 

 (England). There the left chela only is affected, while the right chela is quite 

 normal. On the inner side of the left carpus in a position occupied in a 

 normal cheliped by the carpal spine, is attached a second smaller carpus, mar- 

 ked off from the first by a groove, which however does not form a moveable 

 articulation. This smaller carpus is probably a repetition of the carpus. since it 

 bears a large carpal spine of normal form. Articulating with this secondary car- 

 pus is a chela, somewhat smaller than the normal chela. Thus there are two 

 chelae on one limb. 



They are three excellent figures, showing details of the abnormalities. 



J. T. Saunders (Cambridge). 



46) Calinan, W. T., A note on the Brachyuran Genera M icippoides and 

 llyastenus. In: Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (London), Vol. II, Nr. 63, S. 312—314. 



Ca Im an shows that the specimens from Christmas Island which he described under 

 the name Hyastemis andretvsi were named in error and belong to Milne-Edwards's 

 species, Micippoidcs angustifrons. The author also shows how the name Halimus came 

 to be transferred to the genus Hyastcnus. This transfer was made by Miss Rathbun, 

 who has been followed by nearly all writers. She mistook the Pisa aris of Latreille 

 which is a member of the genus Hyastenus for Halimus aris and since Halimus aris 

 is the genotype of the genus Halimus Miss Rathbun, therefore, transferred the name 

 Halimus to the genus Hyastenus — a perfectly unnecessary proceeding. 



J. T. Saunders (Cambridge). 



Insecta. 



47) Shelford, K., The oothecae of Blattidae. In : Ent. Record and Journ. 

 Variation, Bd. XXIV, Heft 12, S. 283— 287, 1912. 



The writer first describes briefly the chitinous ootheca of JBlatIa, mentioning 

 that the lips are not soldered along the suture, but remain closed through the 

 elasticity of the walls; the young larvae escaping with the lielp of two greatly 

 dilatable frontal vesicles. Other forms of chitinous ootheca are described, some 

 of which are carried by the ? with the suture directed, not uppermost as in 

 Blatta, but to one side. 



