274' COLLECTIONS FROM MELANESIA. 



with two or three strong triangular teeth on its inner margin ; palm 

 about as long as the wrist, and with the lower finger almost trian- 

 gulate in shape ; the outer surface of the palm is divided by four 

 sulci into five longitudinal, smooth, rounded ridges, including the 

 rather less prominent line or ridge along the lower margin of the 

 palm ; the fingers are smooth, scarcely denticulated on their inner 

 margins, incurved at the tips, and have between them (when closed) 

 a more or less distiuct hiatus ; the first to third ambulatory legs 

 have the joints (except the last) armed with small tubercles or 

 prominences on their upper margins ; the dactyli have several 

 spinules on their lower margins. The colour (of spirit-specimens) 

 is white, faintly tinged or spotted with pink. Length 2| lines 

 (5 millim.) ; breadth a little over 2| lines (nearly 6 millim.). 



Two specimens (male and female) are in the first collection — one 

 obtained at Port Molle, 5-12 fms. (No. 118), and the other at 

 Albany Island, 3-4 fms. In the second collection are eight speci- 

 mens (male and female) obtained at Thursday Island in 3-4 fms. 

 (No. 177), 4-5 fms. (No. 165). Mr. Haswell records it also from 

 Holborn Island. 



This species cannot be confounded with any of the species of 

 Pachycheles mentioned by Dr. Stimpson in his very useful Synopsis 

 of the Anomura * ; and in its slenderer chelipedes approaches Por- 

 cellana, to which genus Mr. Haswell refers it. 



In two specimens from Prince of Wales Channel, 7 fms. (Xos. 

 142, 169), which are probably not distinct, the chelipedes are more 

 unequal and smoother. One example has the left chelipede much 

 enlarged, the ridges on the palm separated by wide interspaces, and 

 the fingers strongly arcuated. 



18. Porcellana nitida, Haswell, var. rotundifrons. 

 (Plate XXX. fig. P.) 



Carapace smooth, shining, everywhere striated ; the striae short 

 and interrupted. The front is rather prominent, transverse, and 

 very obscurely 3-lobed ; the median lobe very broad and rounded ; 

 the lateral lobes (or inner orbital angles) also rounded and small. 

 Behind the outer orbital angle, which is dentiform, is a second acute 

 tooth, and behind this a rounded prominence ; there is a small tooth 

 on the subhepatic region. The basal joint of the antenna; is very 

 short, the second and third longer, and the fourth very short ; the 

 flagellum naked : the ischium-joint of the outer maxillipedes has a 

 spine on its outer margin ; the inner margin of the merus is pro- 

 duced into a thin lobe at base, the following joint is robust. The 

 chelipedes are robust and elongated, the joints are smooth; the 

 arm and wrist have their inner margins cristiform and acute and 

 entire ; the arm is very short, the wrist somewhat longer ; the 

 larger palm (in an adult male) is robust and considerably elongated, 

 its upper margin rounded ; the fingers are shorter than the palm, 



* Proc. Acad. Nat, Sci. Philad. p. 225 (1858). 



