TO IXDTAX CATJCIXOLOGT. 115 



The second le2:s avo subequal, or slightly unoqunl, in the adult male ; they are about equal 

 in length to tlu; l)ody, with all the joints roughened by small thorny points, and practic- 

 ally cylindrical. The carpus is a little shorter thau the merus, and the form(>r is slightly 

 expanded distally ; the palm is longer than the merus, though scarcely broader than tlie 

 distal end of the carpus ; the tiugers are more than half the length of the pahn, and 

 smooth above and below, with two or three small teeth on the inner surface of the 

 proximal half of each, the distal halves with a sharp cutting edge, and the apices yellow, 

 horny, and incurved. The thorny spinules, though fewer in number here, are specially 

 developed on the inner surface of the hand and immobile finger. The ambulatory legs 

 are robust, and the posterior margin of the propodi is furnished with setae. The apex of 

 the telson is rather broad and obtusely pointed ; the subterminal spinules are short, the 

 inner pair being only slightly longer than the outer pair, while the terminal seta? are 

 very long. 



An adult male from Delhi is 52 mm. long, second legs 50 mm., merus 10-5 aim., 

 carpus 9 5 niTn., palm 14 mm., fingers 7"8 mm. An adult female from the Jumna is 

 50 mm. long, and the second legs 40 mm. long. 



In adult females the fingers are not toothed internally, and the entire inner edges are 

 thin ; in young individuals the chelipedes are almost smooth, and in one specimen the 

 fingers are even slightly longer than the palm. The carapace is much more scabriculate 

 in some examples than in others. 



In some respects this species resembles P. scubriculus, but in the latter the fingers are 

 longer than the palm, and there are other important diflferences. It comes nearest to 

 P. equidens, Dana, as defined by De Man ( = P. acutirostris, De Man, Mergui Crust.), 

 with which it agrees in having the carpus shorter than the merus, but in Dana's 

 species the rostrum is not nearly so deep, and has usually four teeth below, while the 

 inner subterminal spinules of the telson are very long. P. asperulus, v. Mart., from 

 Shanghai, has a similar rostral formula, and also a short carpus, but its rostrum is longer 

 and not so deep, with the upper margin straight. Our species belongs to that small 

 section of Evpalcemon in which the carpus is shorter than the merus ; it is characterized 

 by the form of its rostrum, particularly the great depth and acute apex. P. laiiceifroit.-<, 

 Dana, from the Philippines and Ceylon, has a somewhat similar rostrum, but the carpus 

 in this species is much longer than the merus. 



Genus Nika, Risso. 

 2G7. NiKA I'KOCKSSA, Bate. 



N. prcjci'ssn, Bate, 'Challenger' .Macnua, \>. o27, pi. \cv. (1888). 



Gulf of Martaban, five specimens {Gates). 



This species may be distinguished from X. macroijuatha, Stm., recorded from ilergui 

 by De Man, by its longer rostrum, which eciuals or is even slightly longer tlian the eye- 

 stalks. It is very nearly allied to the European N. edulis, Risso, and distinguished, 

 according to Rate, merely by its smaller size and longer legs. A female with o^ a is 

 31 mm. long. 



Distribution. Amboina, 15 fathoms {Bate). 



SECOND SERIES. — ZOOLOGY, VOL. V. 63 



