198 COLLECTIONS FEOM MELANESIA. 



fms. (Nos. 165-175). In the female the gastric region is less 

 convex than in the type specimens, which are from W. Australia, 

 Shark Bay. 



Mierohalimus deflexifrons, Haswell (*. e. p. 435, pi. xxv. fig. 2, 

 and Catalogue, p. 7, 1882), from Port Jackson, is very nearly allied 

 to this species, and may only be a variety of it ; it differs, however, 

 in the less hairy carapace with fewer tubercles and somewhat more 

 robust ambulatory legs, also in having a spine at the antero-external 

 angle of the basal antennal joint (in P. varians there is only a 

 small tooth). 



In my original notice of this species, I merely pointed out the 

 diagnostic characters distinguishing it from P. tenuipes, A. M.- 

 Edwards, which it closely resembles, on which account perhaps 

 Mr. Haswell may have omitted to note the affinity of his Micro- 

 halimvs deflexifrons with both. The diagnosis of the genus Miero- 

 halimus given by Mr. HasweU is scarcely sufficient for its proper 

 identification. 



18. Micippa thalia. 



Cancer thalia, Herhst, Naturg. Krahben u. Krebae, iii. Heft 3, p. 50, 



pi. Iviii. fig. 3 (1803). 

 Paramioippa sexspiuigera. White, List Crust. Brit. Mus. p. 9 (1847). 

 Mieippa tnalia, Oerstdcker, Arch. f. Naturg. xxii. p. 109 (1856) ; 



Alpi. M.-Edioards, Nouv. Archiv. Mus. Hist. Nat. viii. p. 238, 



jl. vi. fig. 1 (1872). 

 Mieippa thalia, var. caledonica, Kossmann, Zool. Ergebn. roth. Meer. 



Crust, p. 8, pi. iii. tig. 4 (1877). 

 Mieippa inermis, HasweU, Pr. lAnn. Soe. N. S. Wales, iv. p. 445, 



pi. xxvi. fig. 3 (1880) ; Cat. Austr. Crust, p. 24 (1882). 



A single female in the first collection, from Port Denison, 4 fms. 

 (No. Ill), is apparently to be referred to this species ; it is of small 

 size and densely pubescent. In the second collection is an adult 

 female from Thursday Island, 3-4 fms. (No. 175). Specimens are in 

 the British- Musetim collection from Swan Eiver {Bring), designated 

 by White P. sexspinigera, and from Pa-tchu-san (H.M.S. ' Sama- 

 rang ') ; they vary somewhat in the length of the spines of the 

 dorsal surface of the carapace. 



Mieippa inermis, Haswell, from Gloucester Passage, Queensland, 

 ani 'Boit'Demaon{ir.M.S. 'Alert'), scarcely differs except in the 

 uniformly tuberculated carapace, and must, I think, be united with 

 M. tJialia. 



19. Mieippa philyra (Herhst). 



A male and female from Thursday Island, 3-4 fms. (No. 175), 

 and another male and female from the same locality and depth, but 

 larger, in the second collection, are referred here. 



There are specimens in the British-Museum collection dredged 

 between Percy Islands and the mainland in 7 fms. (J. Maegillivray, 

 H.M.8. ' Rattlesnake ') ; Torres Straits {J. B. Jukes) ; W. Australia] 

 Shark Bay {Bayner, H.M.S. ' Herald ') ; Philippine Islands, Gui- 



