ftome l^prciesofVix^-Amw^w?.. 39 



sp{y\ifer in tlie number of the pectinal teetli, and I have little 

 doubt the two are synonymous. 



But to complicate the matter still further Dr. Thorell subse- 

 quently referred to P. Petersii a number of specimens obtained 

 by Sig. Fea and Comotto in Burma, which specimens had 

 been previously identified by Mons. Simon as P. hengalensis 

 (C. Koch). But both these identifications are, I think, erro- 

 neous ; for, in the first place, hengalensis of C. Koch is a true 

 Scorju'o, as is shown by examples in this Museum, and, in 

 the second place, the Burmese specimens above referred to 

 seem to be different from the type of Petersii that Thorell 

 described from Singapore. 



The first assertion needs no justification ; the second is 

 based upon the following facts. 



Whilst collecting in various parts of Burma Mr. E, W. 

 Oates obtained literally many hundred examples of a species 

 of Palamnaus, which is undoubtedly the Burmese form that 

 Dr. Thorell identified as P. Petersii. But amongst those 

 collected at Rangoon there are three examples which are at 

 once to be recognized from the rest. These are of larger size, 

 with the inner border of the hand beset with spiniform 

 tubercles ; the vesicle is clear ferruginous, and the chelte or 

 palpi of the male have almost the same form as in the female. 

 In the others, on the contrary, the size is smaller, the inner 

 border of the hand is thickly granular and not spicular, the 

 vesicle is generally of about the same tint, though sometimes 

 a little paler than the rest of the tail, and the chelte of the 

 male are more slender and longer than in the female, the 

 manus being especially narrow. Of this latter kind the 

 British Museum has those quantities of specimens that were 

 generously presented by Mr. Oates, and, in addition, one 

 example obtained by Sig. Comotto at Minhla — an example, 

 by the way, that was kindly given to the Museum by the 

 Marquis G. Doria, and which is one of those above referred 

 to as having been identified as Petersii by Dr. Thorell. But 

 of the former kind, in addition to those just mentioned from 

 Eangoon, the Museum has very many examples from India, 

 East Indies, Bengal, Mergui, Perak, Penang, Singapore, and 

 BiJliton Island. This species is, I think, spinier (Ehrb.) 

 and Petersii of Thorell. 



There is nothing in Ehrenberg's figure and description to 

 refute this view. On the contrary, it is clearly shown that 

 the inner border of the hand is armed with spiniform tubercles 

 and that the vesicle is ferruginous. The specimen, moreover, 

 came from India, whence this Museum also has examples. 

 Furthermore, the Museum, as already stated, has specimens 



