260 COLLECTIONS EB01I MELANESIA. 



the penultimate and antepenultimate joints of the ambulatory legs 

 are nioro distinct. 



2. Petalornera pulchra. (Plate XXYII. fig. A.) 



Carapace somewhat oblong-oval, and a little longer than broad, 

 moderately convex and granulated ; its anterior parts are rather 

 thinly pubescent, the front in its median portion is nearly vertically 

 deflexed (see fig. a) ; the lateral frontal lobes are prominent, in a 

 dorsal view triangulate, and are separated from one another by a 

 deeply concave interspace. The upper orbital margin is thin, pro- 

 minent, and entire ; there is a small notch at the outer angle ; the 

 sides of the carapace are armed with three small teeth placed in an 

 oblique series, the anterior of which is situated upon the subhepatic 

 region : the carapace in front of these teeth is somewhat coarsely 

 granulated. Distinct longitudinal ridges exist on the endostome or 

 palate. The sternal sulci in the female are remote from one another, 

 and terminate in tubercles which are situated a little behind the 

 bases of the second pair of legs (see fig. a). The eyes are of 

 moderate length, corneas distinct ; the peduncles of the antennas are 

 rather robust ; the second joint somewhat longer than the first or 

 the third. The m eras-joint of the outer maxillipedes is about as 

 long as the ischium, truncated at its distal end, and without any 

 notch at its antero-external angle where the next joint articulates 

 with it. The chelipedes are subequal ; the merus has its upper 

 margin produced into a high arched crest, its inner surface is smooth 

 and polished, its outer pubescent, the inner and lower margin is 

 sharp-edged and entire ; the wrist and palm are also slightly cris- 

 tated above, and have their outer surfaces granulated and pubescent ; 

 the wrist has two larger tubercles or prominences at its distal end ; 

 the granules on the palm disposed in six longitudinal series ; fingers 

 somewhat shorter than the palm and meeting along their regularly 

 serrated inner edges when closed, excavate and naked at the apices. 

 The ambulatory legs are pubescent and moderately robust ; the 

 merus-joint of the first pair has its upper margin produced (as in the 

 chelipedes) into a high arched crest, in the next pair this joint is 

 not specially dilated and its upper margin is straight : the last two 

 legs terminate in a small curved claw, but the penultimate joint has 

 no terminal spiniform process. Colour (in spirit) greyish or cine- 

 reous. Length of carapace nearly | inch (19 millim.), breadth 

 8 1 lines (18 millim). 



The females were obtained in Prince of Wales Channel, 7-9 fms. 



This species is distinguished from P. granulata, iStimpson, the 

 type of the genus, from Kajosima, Japan, by the absence of a dis- 

 tinct supraocular tooth, and by the non-cristated merus-joint of the 

 third pair of legs, &c. It cannot be confounded with any of the 

 Australian Dromice described by Mr. Haswell (Catal. pp. 139-141). 



