h2 BZ. WOODWARD ON A CRAB FEOM THE NEW-ZEALAND TERTIARY. 



and gastric regions ; the surface of the posterior half of the carapace 

 is very finely granulated ; but the anterior half is nearly smooth. The 

 rostrum is short and bicuspid, as in other Harpactocarcini ; the orbits 

 are shallow and rounded ; the space between the orbits measures 

 15 millims. 



The hepatic margin, at first partially obscured by matrix, now 

 presents a nearly smoothly rounded border, a blunt and rounded 

 denticle marking the lateral angles of the epibranchial border, as in 

 H. quadrilobatus. 



The divisions between the branchial, cardiac, and gastric regions 

 are faintly indicated by a shallow undulation of the surface of the 

 carapace, and a slightly roughened and incised line of short oblique 

 markings on the sides of the gastric intumescence. 



The external jaw-feet, or maxillipeds, are well preserved*. The 

 endopodite is broad and straight-sided, and divided by a suture near 

 its anterior third ; the surface is marked by a longitudinal furrow ; 

 the exopodite is straight and narrow : both take their rise from a 

 common basal joint. 



The choke, or first pair of true limbs, are robust and, as is com- 

 monly the case among the Canceridfe, very unequal in size, the right 

 being considerably larger than the left hand. 



Tbe ischium measures 8 millims. in length, the arm 31 millims. ; 

 these, with the short basal joint, are concealed beneath the carapace ; 

 the carpus is a short strong joint 26 millims. long, and having its distal 

 end broadest (measuring 30 millims.) and armed at each angle with 

 a stout short spine. Its proximal end contracts greatly at its articu- 

 lation with the arm, giving it a triangular form. The length of the 

 larger hand is 6o millims., breadth 30 ; length of the smaller hand 

 53 millims., breadth 21. The chelate ends of the limbs are consider- 

 ably recurved, as in other Canceridae. 



The abdomen has nearly all flaked off; but a sufficient portion 

 remains attached to the plastrosternum to show that the fossil crab 

 was a female. In general form the plates of the plastrosternum 

 agree with those of Harpactocarcinus. The four. pairs of simple mono- 

 dactylous feet are broken off short, but they present no characters 

 dissimilar to those of other Cancerines. 



I propose to name this interesting fossil Harpactocarcinus tumidus. 



The presence of this Crab alone would sufficiently attest the near- 

 shore character of this deposit at Woodpecker Bay; but, besides 

 another specimen of Harpactocarcinus tumidus obtained from this 

 deposit, a number of portions of chela? of other Cancerine claws, with 

 remains of an extinct gigantic Penguin, attest the correctness of this 

 opinion. 



For the present, however, I will refrain from generalizing on the 

 exact horizon of this fossil from New Zealand as compared with the 

 beds containing Harpactocarcini in Europe ; but Dr. Hector has 

 added a few remarks to my paper ; and as he has visited the locality 



* Tbe entire underside has been carefully worked out by Mr. Barlow, the 

 intelligent and able mason attached to tbe geological department of the British 

 Museum. 



