314 



COLLECTIONS FROU MELANESIA. 



segment are slightly acute, and in the third segment nearly a right 

 angle ; the terminal segment or telson is subtriangulate, entire, 

 longer than broad, with the apex subacute. The eyes are black, 

 somewhat ovate in shape. The antennules scarcely equal in length 

 the head and first two segments of the pereion ; they have tbree 

 joints of the peduncle exposed, the first and second subequal in 

 length, but the first somewhat thicker ; the third joint slenderer 

 than the second and about half its length : fiagellum 13- or 14- 

 jointed. The antennae have the first joint (which is only partially 

 visible in a lateral view) short, subspherical, the second very short 

 and not more dilated than the third and fourth, which are elon- 

 gated ; the fourth a little shorter than the second ; fiagellum about 

 >■ jointed. The first pair of legs (gnathopoda) have their basus- 

 joints moderately dilated, with the posterior margins thin-edged 

 and hairy ; ischium and merus very short : carpus considerably di- 

 lated, and produced at its posterior and distal angle into a spine, 

 which extends along the posterior margin of the propus and reaches 

 to its distal extremity. The propus or penultimate joint is ovate, 

 the dactyl minute and articulated with it at its distal extremity. 

 In the second legs the carpus is very short, and produced along 

 the posterior margin of the propus for less than half its length : 

 the propus is subovate and large ; its posterior margin is armed 

 in its distal half with a series of small granuliform teeth, against 

 which the well-developed dactyl impinges. The third and fourth 

 legs are small and present nothing remarkable: the fifth to seventh 

 have the coxa? small, the basus-joint moderately enlarged and 

 rounded posteriorly : the following joints slender and nearly naked; 

 the fourth and fifth slightly produced at the posterior and distal 

 angles. The three posterior pairs of tail-appendages are biramose, 

 the rami lanceolate and acute ; in the posterior pair the outer is a 

 little shorter than the inner ramus. Colour (in spirit) whitish. 

 Length about 7-g- lines (16 millim.). 



A single specimen was obtained at Thursday Island, 4-5 fms. 

 (No. 165). 



This species is distinguished from L. spinicarpa,\aT. commensalis, 

 Haswell, and the closely allied species or varieties L. dierm nensis 

 and L. gracilis. Haswell, by the broader, more ovate propus or palm 

 and shorter dactyl of the first legs, and the more regularly and 

 evenly toothed palm of the legs of the second pair. The terminal 

 segment is shorter, less acute, and broader-triangulate than in the 

 specimen I refer to L. commensalis. 



L. novce-Jiollandice, Haswell, from Port Jackson, is at once dis- 

 tinguished by the broad truncated palm and the absence of a dactyl 

 to the anterior legs, by the shorter carpal process of the second legs, 

 and by other characters. Our species may be regarded as in some 

 sense intermediate between the first three and the last-mentioned 

 species. 



There are mutilated specimens both of L. novce-Jiollandice and 

 L. brevidigitata in the Museum collection from Yaucluse Point, 

 Port Jackson (./. B racier). 



