166 Transactions. — Zoology. 



species of this last-mentioned family has been detected in New Zealand ; 

 and that is a small species of the genus Chelifer, (one closely allied to G. 

 cancroides) which, I think, I first detected in the neighbourhood of the Bay 

 of Islands, in 1838-1840, and of which early mention was published in 

 1848. :|: This animal, however, I now bring before you, making the second 

 found in New Zealand of that or some closely-allied family, is a very differ- 

 ent animal from that former one ; and although naturally allied to that 

 genus can scarcely belong to it as it is now constituted ; and is a very 

 puzzling creature. Indeed I do not know exactly to what known genus to 

 refer it, hence I have provisionally given it the rather peculiar name of 

 Phalangium (Phrynus) cheliferoides ; as, under the old Linngean classifica- 

 tion, this animal would be placed in his genus Phalangium ; but I have 

 good reasons for doubting its being placed there now ; the more modern 

 genus Phrynus (of all the genera taken out of the Linngean genus Phalangium 

 known to me) seems to be pretty near to it, but of this I am not quite 

 certain from lack of the necessary books of reference. 



Phalangium (Phrynus) CHELiFERorDES. 



Body 8J lines long, 2 lines broad, broad-oval, smooth, firm ; posterior 

 extremity 1 roundly-obtuse, terminating in a produced point ; anterior ex- 

 tremity truncate ; cephalothorax and abdomen in one, no perceptible separa- 

 tion ; shield, lateral and posterior margins thickened; abdomen cylindrical, 

 elevated, thick, slightly marked above and below with five transverse seg- 

 mental markings ; colour (general) when fresh, black ; after immersion in 

 spirits, dark brown-black. 



Eyes, 2, globular, small, prominent on an elevated cylindrical ridge on 

 the top of caput, but nearer to posterior margin of shield, one on each side 

 of the elevation, which is divided in the centre and muricated; clypeus broad, 

 studded with minute elevated black points. 



Falces very long, first joint 5 lines and second joint 6 lines long, stout, 

 cylindrical, largely chelate, thickly muricated, swollen, clavate or sub- 

 pyriform for 2 lines towards top ; claws (chelse) two-thirds of a line long, 

 arcuated, with a single large tooth in each, superior one overlapping, tips 

 black ; maxillary palpi 5-jointed 5 lines long, finely hairy throughout, 

 mostly so at the upper part ; colour pure white, red-pink at the bases and 

 blackish at tips, which are blunt and each bearing a single minute black 

 hook ; mouth underneath, nearly central, prominent ; maxilla semi-circular ; 

 lower Up notched and both slightly hairy. 



Legs, 8, very long, 21 inches and upwards, cylindrical, and finely filiform, 

 each with a single minute curved black hook at the tip, second pair of legs 



* In " Tasmaniau Journal of Natural Science," vol. ii., p. 300. 



