T. W. Kirx.—On a new Species of Palinurus. 818 
only seen a newspaper cutting, and have not been able to obtain par- 
ticulars. 
5. A fifth was found by Mr. Moore, near Flat Point, East Coast. A 
description was sent to Mr. Beetham, M.H.R., who, I believe, intends com- 
municating it to this Society. 
It will be seen by the above notiee that there are at least two species of 
“ Giant Cephalopods” on our coast, as the Waimarama specimen had only 
eight arms, while those captured at Cape Campbell and Wellington were 
true Decapods. 
I would take this opportunity of recording my thanks to the three young 
gentlemen who brought news into town of the stranding of the Lyall Bay 
specimen. 
Art. XLIV.— Description of a new Species of Palinurus. By T. W. King, 
Assistant in the Colonial Museum 
Plate XI. 
[Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 21st February, 1880.] 
Tue specimen described in this paper was obtained by Mr. J. Buchanan, 
F.L.S., in December, 1877, at Whaingaroa, a small harbour on the West 
Coast of the North Island. It was placed in the Colonial Museum, and 
until lately bore the label ** Palinurus hugelii var. tumidus," in the hand- 
writing of Dr. Hector, z whom it has since been entrusted to me for 
description. 
In general appearance, this fine species approaches very near P. hugelii, 
from the Indian Ocean, and might at first be mistaken for it; I have, 
however, carefully compared our specimen with Dr. Heller’s description of 
P. hugelii,* and it appears to me to possess characters sufficiently distinct 
to justify its elevation to the rank of a species. 
I therefore propose to retain Dr. Hector's MS. name, and designate the 
new species ** Palinurus tumidus,” although perhaps, giganteus, would be 
quite as appropriate, the total length from the tip of the beak to the end of 
the telson being 24 inches, the carapace very much swollen and measuring 
211 inches in circumference. 
Dr. Hector informs me that this is the common crawfish at the Sydney 
market, yet, strange to say, although so large and so common, it does not 
appear to have been described, the only attempt made to identify it being 
found in the Sydney Museum, where a specimen bears the label ** Palinurus 
hugelii ?." . 
* See Reise der Osterreichischen Fregatte Novara, Crustaceen, p. 96, tab. VIII. 
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