498 PROF. J. E. DUERDEN ON CRABS [ Dec. 12, 
found them on the under surface of blocks of coral. When 
kept in the laboratory they would sometimes come from under 
the corals and wander over the living polyps. 
The following observations were made upon the two specimens 
of Melia, and a few notes are added upon an example of Poly- 
dectus—another crab obtained which likewise bears actinians in 
its claws. 
The first Melia collected carried a Bunodeopsis in each claw. 
One of the actinians was fully grown, while the other was a mere 
fragment having two or three large tentacles and several im- 
perfect members. The polyps were held across the column, the 
tentacular dise directed upwards and the aboral disc downwards ; 
so that when at rest the crab presented the appearance depicted 
in fig. 74, where, however, the tentacles have been increased to 
their usual number. Usually the crab travelled with its claws 
extended a little forwards, sometimes waving them and the 
actinians from side to side. 
Melia tessellata from the Hawaiian Islands, bearing an expanded actinian in each 
claw. When food is placed on the disc of the actinians, the first ambulatory 
limbs of the crab reach over and abstract it and pass it to the crab’s mouth. 
The actinians were grasped rather loosely, the claws of the crab 
being about halfway open, and with a little care it was possible to 
free them, though sometimes the minute spines on the inner side of 
the claws (text-fig. 75, p. 500) would penetrate and tear the polypal 
wall as described by Mobius. The claws seemed very feeble and 
during the operation remained open, making none of the attempts 
to close and grasp objects, such as one usually experiences when 
experimenting with crabs. The imperfect polyp was torn during 
its removal, a minute fragment being left on the chela; but the 
larger piece quickly recovered from its injuries and expanded its 
tentacles to their full degree. 
The second Melia held two small sagartiids, these actinians 
being of an altogether different type from the unodeopsis. 
Both polyps were of about the same size, and were likewise held 
across the middle of the column in a partly expanded condition. 
The fact that the two specimens of Melia held different forms of 
