552 ME. W. F. LAHO HESTER OX THE [Dec. 3, 



prominent ridging in the case of the second than of the third 

 segment of the abdomen. One female carries a stalked cirripede, 

 of the genus Dichelaspis, on the carapace just behind the front. 



Dim. S 49 x 45. d 43-5 x 40. tf 39 x 36. rf 39 x 36. 

 J 35x32-5. rf 29-5x27. $35x32-25. $35x32-5. $33-5x 

 31-5. $ 30x28. $29x27-75. $22x21. 



49. Matuta banksii Leach. 



Matuta banksii, Leach, Zool. Misc. hi. p. 14(1317); Miers, 

 Trans. Linn. Soc. (2) Zool. i. p. 245, pi. xl. tigs. 1-2 (1877); Lan- 

 chester, P. Z. S. L900, p. 762. 



Matuta picta, Hess. Arch. f. Naturg. xxxi. p. 158 (1865). 



hoc. Pnlau Bidan, Penang. 



Seven males and nine females. 



I have already (t c. supra) noted the absence, in some females 

 of this species from Malacca, of the crimson patches on the 1st, 

 2nd, and 4th pairs of ambulatory legs. Here, too, they are 

 absent in the females ; but yellow patches, more or less distinct, 

 may be seen in the same positions ; so that it seems possible that 

 the crimson coloration fades in spirit more readily, for some 

 reason, in the females than in the males. One of the females 

 shows the reticulate markings, characteristic of M. picta Hes^., 

 very clearly ; there is a slight tendency in another female and a male 

 to reticulation anteriorly. The strongly reticulated female has 

 the six tubercles on the carapace more rounded and obscure ; the 

 others, too, show variation in a similar direction of this character. 



The front I should still describe (vide t. c.) as distinctly einar- 

 ginate. 



Major Alcock has identified 31. picta, in his synonymy of 

 31. banksii, with the latter species (J. A. S. B. Ixv. 2, p. 158). 

 Dr. de Man (Notes Leyd. Mus. hi. 1881, p. 116) has noted the 

 close similarity of the two species, apart from their coloration, 

 and has further mentioned the still closer similarity of female 

 31. picta with female 31. banJcsii ; and Dr. Nobili considers 31. picta 

 as a variety of 31. banksii (Ann. Mus. Civ. Stor. Nat. Genova, 

 xx. p. 251, 1899). 



From what these authors have remarked with respect to the 

 markings of the carapace, it is evident that they are variable — 

 simple spots, groups of two or three spots, spots arranged in curved 

 lines, and so to definite reticulations. And the crimson patches 

 on the legs, which seem to be characteristic of 31. Ixudcsii, are 

 also variable, the variation, however, being apparently confined 

 to the females, and perhaps not extending further than a relatively 

 readier solubility of the pigment under certain conditions — that, 

 at least, is as far as the evidence goes. I do not know how far 

 the sharpness or obtuseness of the fourth spine on the outer ridge 

 of the hand is a definite character {vide de Man, t. c. p. 116 ami 

 p. 120); but the relative length of this spine to the second, and 

 consequently its own relative obtuseness, is distinctly different 

 in the different individuals of this series. 



