Mr. E. J. Miers on the Squillidae. 23 



seems intended for 8. mantis, nevertheless represents the 

 dactyli of the raptorial limbs as five-spined. In his descrip- 

 tion the dactylus is said to be five or six-spined, and the species 

 to inhabit both the East-Indian and Adriatic seas. 



8quilla empusa. (PL II. fig. 12.) 



Sqnitta empusa, Say, Journ. Ac. Nat. Sci. Philad. i. p. 250 (1818) ; 

 M.-Edwards, Hist. Nat. Crust, ii. p. 525 (1837) ; De Kay, New- 

 York Fauna, vi. Crust, p. 32, pi. xiii. fig. 54 (1844) ; White, List 

 Crust. Brit. Mus. p. 84 (1847) ; Gibbes, Proc. Anier. Assoc, p. 199 

 (1850). 



This species comes so very near to 8. mantis that I was at 

 first inclined to regard it as merely a variety ; the examples 

 in the Museum, however, may always be distinguished by 

 the following characters : — The lateral processes of the first 

 thoracic segment are acute, but, instead of being straight as in 

 8. mantis, are elongated and curved forward. I may add 

 that the number of spinules between the submedian and the 

 first lateral marginal spines of the terminal postabdominal 

 segment are usually fewer, from five to seven in number. 



Hah. Atlantic region. 



There are in the Museum collection a young male from 

 Rhode Island, U.S. (T. Say, Esq.), and a male and female 

 from Jamaica (R. 8. Redman, Esq.), a young female from 

 West Africa (Burton), four females from the Gambia (T. 

 Whitfield, Esq.), two from the Gaboon (R. B. N. Walker, 

 Esq., and H. Ansell, Esq.), and a male individual labelled 

 Squilla caribea?, without locality, from A. MacLeay, Esq. 



It is stated by Gibbes to be frequent in Charleston Habour, 

 U.S., and by Say to range as far south as East Florida. 



Squilla neglecta. 

 Squilla neglecta, Gibbes, Proc. Amer. Assoc, vi. p. 200 (1850). 



This species, described by Gibbes from specimens obtained 

 in Charleston Harbour, South Carolina, is only distinguished 

 from 8. mantis in that the lateral process of the first exposed 

 thoracic segment is not narrowed gradually to an acutely 

 pointed termination, but its two edges are parallel and the 

 extremity is rounded ; so that it is spatuliform, and not spini- 

 form ; the median crest of the last postabdominal segment 

 terminates posteriorly in an acute spine twice as long as in 

 the typical 8. mantis. 



I have seen no specimens. The examination of a sufficient 

 series might show that both this species and 8. empusa are to 

 be united with 8. mantis. 



