CANCROIDEA. 227 



species, and but little oblong in the cupuli/er; moreover they neatly 

 close up the buccal area. It appears to be most closely like the Can- 

 croidea, and may come near Pilumnus, or near Halimede. Still it 

 differs widely from Halimede, as already explained. 



The specimen from which our figure and description were taken, 

 was lost, with others of the same region, in the wreck of the Peacock ; 

 and we cannot, therefore, resolve our doubts with regard to the cha- 

 racter of the palate, which would definitely fix its true place. It is 

 probable that the genus should form a subfamily distinct from any 

 other described Cancroidea, and so we have made it; but its place with 

 the Cancridse rather than the EriphidaB is hypothetical. 



POLYDECTUS VILLOSUS. 



Carapax pedesque densissimb villosi, pilis plumiformibus, fronte mar- 

 gineque antero-laterali integris. Digitus mobilis paris antici duabus 

 spinis elongatis re?notis et alter spinis tribus arrnatus. Antennae- ex- 

 ternal fronte vix longiores, flagello 10-articulato. 



Carapax and feet with a dense villous coat, the hairs of which are 

 plumiform ; front and antero-lateral margin entire. Moveable finger 

 with two remote slender spines within, and the thumb with three 

 spines. Outer antennae as long as the front, flagellum 10-jointed. 



Plate 13, fig. 3 a, female, enlarged; b, under view; c, hand; d, abdo- 

 men of female ; e, one of the plumose hairs of the villous coat. 



Found under stones along the shallow shores of Raraka Island, 

 Paumotu Group. 



Length, four lines. Colour, pale ashy yellow. The hands in the 

 specimen procured were overgrown with a kind of sponge, which had 

 grown around and enclosed the fingers, as shown in the figure of the 

 hand on the right. The form in the figure is not exactly the form of 

 the carapax, but that due to the position of the villous covering. The 

 flagellum of the outer antennae has two or three short hairs at the 

 apex of each of its joints. The last two joints of the base are much 

 smaller than the first. Third and fourth pairs of legs the longest. 

 Legs of the first pair equal. The fingers are like long, slender claws 



