1384 Rev. A. M. Norman’s Notes on British Amphipoda. 
must be referred to the following species if that form is to 
retain specific rank. 
In both obtusata and gladiosa the armature of the fourth 
segments is alike and much more constant than that of the 
other segments. This segment is furnished with three dorsal 
teeth, the laterals considerably exceeding the central in size: 
the fifth segment varies greatly in armature; sometimes there 
are two teeth, one behind the ether on each side, the poste- 
rior being the larger; sometimes one tooth and an articulated 
spine ; sometimes no tooth and only the spine; rarely smooth, 
without either tooth or spine. The armature of the second and 
third segments also varies greatly, sometimes the second has 
three teeth, the third one, a rare condition ; sometimes one on 
the second and one on the third, when it is typical obtusata ; 
sometimes one on the second, but none on the third; sometimes 
these two segments are unarmed, when it is the typical prowima 
gand Alderi¢. I have never met with a specimen in which 
the second segment has been unarmed, and the third armed, 
though probably such a variety will sometimes occur. 
The hinder corner of the epimera of the third segment is 
much produced, acute, and upturned, and either quite smooth 
on the margins or with very few serrations. 
Hab. Shetland; the Minch; Firth of Clyde; North- 
umberland; Roundstone, Ireland: Mus. Norm. Liverpool 
Bay (G. H. Fowler). 
Distribution. South and West Norway (Boeck) ; Sweden 
(Bruzelius) ; Denmark (IMetnert) ; Holland (Hoek); Northern 
France (Guerne); Western France (Chevreaur dc.). 
3. Melita gladiosa, Bate. 
1862. Melita gladiosa, Bate, Cat. Amphip. Brit. Mus. p. 185, pl. xxxiii. 
fig. 6, ¢ (example figured abnormal), 
1862. Melita obtusata, Bate, l. c. p. 183, pl. xxxiii. fig. 3 (partim), ¢. 
1862. Melita gladiosa, Bate & Westw. Brit. Sessile-eyed Crust. 
p- 346, dg. 
1862. Melita obtusata, iid. ibid. p. 341 (description, not figure). 
1876, Melita gladiosa, Stebbing, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. ser. 4, vol. xvii. 
p. 77, pl. iv. fig. 2, 
For notes on synonymy see the last species. 
M. gladiosa is usually characterized by three largely deve- 
loped teeth on the first four segments of the pleon, but some- 
times the first is without teeth*. These teeth are of large 
size except that the central tooth of the fourth segment is 
* The figure of M. obtusata given in Cat. Amphip. Brit. Mus. appears 
to have been taken from such a specimen of JL. gladiosa, 
