AXIUS ACUTIFRONS. 103 
lower side ; the merus and carpus are armed with spines arranged in longi- 
tudinal rows ; there is a row of spines on the upper margin of the propodite 
(the row is double at the proximal end), another series on the outer face 
reaching from the proximal end about half way to the distal end, and 
another still shorter row of more rudimentary spines just outside the latter 
series; the fingers are separated by a gap; their prehensile edges are den- 
ticulate, with one or more prominent teeth near the base of the dactylus. 
Ambulatory appendages: meri and carpi of the first and second pairs spinu- 
lose along the upper edge, these joints being spineless on the third pair. All 
of the ambulatory appendages are subchelate, the distal end of the propodite 
being enlarged and furnished with spines against which the spined dactylus 
closes. 
Length (male), 17 mm. ; carapace, 10.5 mm.; rostrum, 4.5 mm.; breadth 
of carapace, 7.7 mm.; cheliped, 31 mm. (merus, 7 mm., carpus, 9 mm., chela, 
i4 mm., dactylus, 5 mm.). 
Station 3354. 322 fathoms. 1 fem. ovig. 
o oa00s, «L82) < 1 male. 
Famity AXIIDA. 
AXIUS Leacu. 
Trans. Linn. Soc. London, XI. 335, 343, 1815. 
Axius acutifrons (Barr). 
Plate XX VILL, Fig. 2. 
Ficonaxius acutifrons Barz, Rep. Challenger Macrura, p. 40, Plate V. Fig. 2, 1888. 
Avius acutifrons Fax., Bull. Mus. Comp. Zo6l., XXIV. 193, 1893. 
Station 3358. 555 fathoms. 2 males, 4 fem. ovig. 
<u 33002 460° - 3 males, 5 fem. (2 ovig.). 
The Challenger specimens were taken off Banda, lat. 4° 31’ S., long. 
129° 57’ 20” E., in 360 fathoms. 
The females carry about nine eggs, which are large for the size of the 
animal (1.5 X 1 m.). 
Spence Bate established the genus EHiconazius to receive three species 
from the “ Challenger,” which differ from Aaius stirhynchus Leach — the type 
of the genus Axivs— in the presence of a long spine (stylocerite) on the 
second joint of the external antennzx outside of the movable acicle (scapho- 
