909 



GALAKTHUS. 



GALATHEID/E. 



910 



whence they derived the root, as well as the people from whom they 

 obtaiued their information respecting its uses. The plant which 

 yielded this root was long unknown, aud it was supposed to be that 

 of a Pepper, of an Iris, of A corns Calamut, or to be the Acorus of the 

 ancients. Kcempferia Galanga was so called from its aromatic roots 

 being supposed to be the true Galangal. The tubers of Cyperus 

 longus were sometimes substituted, and called English Galangal. Two 

 kind-', the large and the small galangal, are described ; these are 

 usually considered to be derived from the same plant at different 

 stages of its growth, but Dr. Ainslie, in his ' Materia Indica,' insists 

 upon the greater value of the lesser, as this is warmer and more 

 fragrant, and therefore highly prized in India. It is a native of China, 

 and the plant producing it is unknown. Dr. Ainslie does not prove 

 that it is the Galanga minor of Europe. 



The Greater Galangal has long been known to be the produce of a 

 Scitamineous plant, the Galanga major of Rumphius (' Herb. Amb.' 

 5. t. 63), which is the A Ipinia Galanga of Wildenow, and a native of 

 China and the Malayan Archipelago. It is fully described by Dr. 

 Roxburgh, in his ' Flora Indica,' vol. i. p. 28, ed. Wall. The roots, 

 perennial and tuberous, like those of the ginger, were ascertained by 

 Sir Joseph Banks and Dr. Comb to be identical with the Galanga 

 major of the ihops. This is cylindrical, often forked, thick as the 

 thumb, reddish-brown externally, marked with whitish circular rings, 

 internally lighter coloured, of an agreeable aromatic smell, and a hot 

 spicy taste, like a mixture of pepper and ginger, with some bit- 

 terness. The stem is perennial, or at least more durable than those 

 of herbaceous plants. When in flower, about 6 or 7 feet in length ; 

 its lower half invested by leafless sheaths. The leaves are two-ranked, 

 lanceolar, from 12 to 24 inches long, and from 4 to 6 inches broad. 

 Panicle terminal, crowned with numerous branches, each supporting 

 from two to five pale greenish-white aud somewhat fragrant flowers 

 in April and May in Calcutta, where the seeds ripen, though rarely, 

 in November. 



Several species of thia genus have roots with somewhat similar 

 properties. Thus Aljiinia alba and A. Chinemit are much used by the 

 Malays and Chinese ; the former has hence been called Galanga alba 

 of Kccnig; and the latter has an aromatic root with an acrid burning 

 flavour. The fragrant root of Alpinia nulans is sometimes brought 

 to England, according to Dr. Roxburgh, for Galanga, major. Its 

 leaves, when bruised, have a strong smell of cardamoms, and the 

 Cttrdamomum plant is frequently placed in this genus, but has been 

 described under ELETTAIUA. 



GALANTHUS, a genus of Plants belonging to the natural order 

 A maryllidacca:, consisting of the Snowdrop and another species. The 

 former plant is a native of subalpine woods in various parts of Europe ; 

 the second, which is the G. plicatus of botanists, inhabits the Asiatic 

 provinces of the Russian and Turkish empires. 



Galanthut is thus characterised : Perianth 6-parted, 3 outer seg- 

 ments spreading, 3 inner shorter, erect, emarginate. Stamens equal, 

 subulate. 



G. nivalu, the Snowdrop, has white drooping flowers with the inner 

 segments greenish. The scape 1-flowered, the leaves 2, keeled, 

 broadly linear, glaucous. It grows in thickets, and blossoms in 

 February and March. 



GALATHEA. [GALATHEID.E.] 



GALATHEID^E, a group of Crustaceans corresponding with the 

 genus Galathea of Fabriciu*, and establishing, in the opinion of M. 

 Milne-Edwards, a passage between the Anonuirous and Macrurous 

 Crustaceans, being more particularly approximated to the Porcellance. 

 [PoRCELLANiD.K.J Dr. Leach divided the genus established by Fabri- 

 ciuH into four : namely, the true Galatheie, Munidea, Grimot/tea, aud 

 sKylea. M. Milne-Edwards thinks that three of these genera should 

 be preserved, but agrees with M. Desmarest in coming to the con- 

 clusion that the genus Manidea has not sufficient characteristics to 

 admit of its adoption in a natural classification. With regard to 

 jEglta, M. Milne-Edwards considers it as approximating more to the 

 Porcelluna; than to the Galathea, and as occupying a place in the 

 section of the Anomura. 



The Galalheidie, then, according to the revision of M. Milne-Edwards, 

 re thus distinguished : Carapace depressed and wide, but still 

 longer than its width, terminating anteriorly by a rostrum more or 

 less projecting, which covers the place of the ocular peduncles, and 

 presents on its upper surface many furrows or wrinkles, among which 

 one deeper than the rest defines the posterior part of the stomachic 

 region. Antenna; inserted on the same transversal line; internal 

 antennae but little elongated, placed under the ocular peduncles, and 

 terminated by two small, multiarticulate, very short filaments ; 

 external antenna: with no trace of palpiform appendages at their base, 

 but with a cylindrical peduncle and a long aud slender terminal fila- 

 ment. External jaw-feet (pates-machoires) always pediform, but 

 varying a little in their conformation. Sternal plate (plastron sternal) 

 widening a good deal posteriorly, and the last thoracic ring ordinarily 

 ili.stinct. Anterior feet large, and terminated by a well-formed claw ; 

 those of the three following pairs of limbs rather stout, and terminated 

 by a conical tarsus ; fifth pair very slender, and folded above the 

 others in the branchial cavity ; these last do not assist the locomotion, 

 and arc terminal' d liy a rudimentary hand. Abdomen nearly as 

 wide M the thorax, and longer, vaulted above and armed on each side 



with a row of four or five large teeth formed by the lateral angle of 

 the superior arch of the different rings composing it, and terminated, 

 as in the greater part of the Macrurous Crustaceans, with .1 large 

 fan-shaped lamelliforrn fin. The number of abdominal false feet 

 varies; in the male there are five pairs, the first two of which are 

 slender and elongated, and the last three are terminated by an oval 

 lamina ciliated on the edge ; iu the female, the first abdominal ring 

 is without appendages, but the four following segments have each a 

 pair of false feet composed of three joints placed end to end, aud 

 fringed with hairs for the attachment of the eggs, 



Galathea, The whole surface of the carapace covered with trans- 

 verse furrows fringed with small brush-like hairs. Hepatic regions, 

 in general, well distinguished from the branchial, and occupying with 

 the stomachic region nearly half of the space of the carapace. Rostrum 

 projecting and spiny; eyes large and directed downwards; no trace of 

 an orbit. A spine above the insertion of the external antenna;, and 

 two others on the anterior part of the stomachic region. Basilary 

 joint of the internal antennas cylindrical and armed at its anterior 

 extremity with many strong spines ; the two following joints slender 

 aud nearly as long as the first. Peduncle of the external antenna; 

 composed of three small cylindrical joints, the last of which is much 

 smaller than the others. External jaw-feet moderate, the two last 

 joints neither foliaceous nor even enlarged. Anterior feet long and 

 depressed. (Milne-Edwards.) 



* 



Species whose external jaw-feet present a row of teeth on the 

 internal edge of their second joint. 



a Third joint of the external jaw-feet shorter than the second. 



G. itrigosa (G. spingera, Leach; Cancer strigosus, Linn.). It hn 

 the rostrum triangular and armed with seven strong projecting spini- 

 form teeth. Lateral edges of the carapace with strong spiuit'orm 

 teeth. Three long spines at the anterior extremity of the first joint 



Galathea strigosa. 



of the external antenna; ; a great spine under the auditory tubercle, 

 two smaller ones on the first joint of the external antenna;, aud one 

 on their second joint. External jaw-feet short, hardly overpassing 

 the rostrum when they are extended, their third joint much shorter 

 than the second, and armed beneath with two strong spines. Anterior 

 feet long, depressed, and very spiny ; the hand very large, edged 

 with spines and ornamented above with small piliferous furrows 

 resembling imbricated scales ; claws short, large, and with a spoon- 

 shaped termination. Feet of the second and third pair of the same 

 length. Abdomen furrowed transversely, but without a spine ; the 

 seventh segment a little widened and rather narrower behind than 

 before. Colour reddish, with some blue lines on the carapace. Length 

 about five inches. It is found in thn Mediterranean, and is not 

 uncommon on the coasts of Great Britain. Mr. Crouch says it is 

 common on the whole of the south coast of Cornwall. It frequents 

 pools between tide-marks where there are loose stones aud sand. 



