Lieut.-Col. Sykes 07i the Land-crab of the Diikhun. 181 



in question might probably solve by transferring some of the insects 

 along with stones, sea-weed, and sea- water into capacious vessels, 

 and then carefully watching their operations. 



Another point worthy of inquiry is whether several other insects 

 usually found on the sea-coast, and in particular some of the species 

 of Hesperophilus, Hope, may not be submarine like the three no- 

 ticed, and as Mr. Babington tells me he has reason to think is the 

 case with the larvae of some Dipterous insect. 



And lastly, it would be well deserving of further investigation how 

 far all these insects are constantly surrounded with an air-bubble, 

 and whether there is ground for believing that it is alternately de- 

 composed and renewed, as M. Audouin, agreeably to the theory of 

 M. Dutrochet, supposes. 



In laying before the Entomological Society the above hasty and 

 imperfect remarks, one of my main objects is to give an example of 

 those brief notices of any casual fact, observation, or suggestion oc- 

 curring to any member in the course of his reading or studies, which 

 though not sufficient either as to bulk or importance for a regular 

 jjuper, may yet serve as the subject of interesting discussion at the 

 close of each meeting, and which whether printed in the " Proceed- 

 ings" of the Society, either in the form iu which it is communicated 

 or condensed into a few lines as may seem best to the Council, to 

 whose discretion they should be wholly left, could not fail to con- 

 vey information to many of the members, and to lead others to more 

 extended inquiries relative to the points adverted to. 



W. Spence. 



May 20, 1835. 



XL. Some Account of the Land-crahs of the Dukhun ; by 

 Lieut.-Col. W. H. Sykes, F.R.S., Sfc. With a Descrip- 

 tion of the Species, by J. O. Westwood, F.L.S., Sfc. 



[Read June 1, 1835.] 



These creatures, called Kenkra by the Mahrattas, abound along the 

 Ghats from 17° to 19° 23' N. latitude, the limits of my observa- 

 tion ; but I have little doubt their location is extended very much 

 further north and south in an oblique line running between the 73° 



vol,. I. PART III. p 



