GYGE GALATHE^. 227 



considerably decrease in the dimensions of the prehensile 

 portion, and have the palm somewhat convex and 

 serrated, the dactylos short and thick. There appears to 

 be no distinct pleopoda or branchial appendages of any 

 kind, but the thin lateral extremity of each segment 

 appears to be considerably attenuated and to be traversed 

 by numerous channels, which must necessarily assist very 

 considerably in bringing the vital fluids into close approx- 

 imation with the oxidizing influence of the water. 



The female is oval, broad, but little more than half as 

 long again as the male. Anterior portion of the animal 

 only, unsymmetrical. Head partially fused with the first 

 segment of the body, first segment short, the second 

 scarcely longer, the five posterior segments subequal, longer 

 than the first two. Those of the tail (pleon) gradually 

 decrease until the sixth, which terminates in a small 

 forked extremity, being the rudimentary condition of the 

 posterior pair of pleopoda, which are so largely developed 

 in the larval condition. 



The eyes are wanting. The antennae are rudimentary, 

 each pair consisting of a single basal joint, not longer 

 than broad, and an apical small spine or second joint. 

 The oral organs converge to a point, and are situated 

 below and between the antennae ; these are covered and 

 protected by the maxillae, and the oral appendages deve- 

 loped in the form of large fleshy scales, somewhat similar 

 to but thicker than the ovigerous plates that spring from 

 the base of every leg. 



The pleopoda or branchial appendages consist of small 

 sacs attached close to the under surface near the extremity 

 of each segment, while a membranous ridge or fold 

 reaches from one extremity to the other. 



The young animal as it appears when just able to quit 

 the parental pouch, is dorsally arcuate, the cephalon 



Q 2 



