ANOMOURA ^GLEIDEA. 475 



thickness of the joints. At its apex is a small puncture, or what 

 appears to be one. Within, the cavity was lined by a cellular tissue 

 and covered on all sides with naked hairs that crossed in every direc- 

 tion, which nearly fill the cavity. In a female, the nasal opening was 

 not one-sixth the size in the male, and was triangular. 



Fingers with the dentations like molars in form, but having a cut- 

 ting edge. Surface of carpus and hand marked with short transverse 

 ridges, which are furnished outwardly with a sharp projecting edge. 

 Similar ridges on carpus and arm. Tarsi of second and third pairs of 

 legs thickly hispid with short spines; except outer surface, on which 

 the spines are sparse. 



The colours vary. The sketch represents a female. The carapax 

 is orange, passing to a rich brownish tint on the posterior part ; arms 

 and the following legs in part reddish brown, with some bright blue; 

 hand, nearly white. In males, carapax red, brownish red or crimson, 

 with the transverse depression of the carapax whitish. 



The Birgus lives in holes in the soil, at a distance from the sea. 

 On approaching the holes, they come out slowly as if in search of 

 their prey ; their motion is slow, and though of large size, they are 

 quite timid. They walk either backward or forward, but usually for- 

 ward. When approached, they raise one of the legs of the second 

 pair very awkwardly, and bring it down with a show of force, which 

 is found, on exposing the hand to the blow, to be quite weak. 



Cancer crementatus, KUMPHIUS, Mus., pi. 4; SEBA, iii. pi. 21, f. 1, 2. 

 Cancer latro, HERBST, ii. 34; pi. 24. 



Birgus latro, LEACH, Trans. Linn. Soc., vol. xi. ; EDWARDS, Crust., ii. 246, et Cuv.> 

 pi. 43, f. 1 ; QUOY and GAIMARD, Voy. de 1'Uranie, pi. 80. 



SUBTRIBE VIII. ^EGLELDEA. 



THE peculiarities already stated, show important differences both in 

 the carapax, abdominal appendages, and branchiae, between this group 

 and the Galatheidea, and others, no less great, between it and the 

 Porcellanidea. Only one known genus is here included. 



