34 JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. 



(2) " On two new species of Cumacea," by Geo. M. Thomson, F.L.S. 

 The author pointed out that no Crustaceans of this group had previously 

 been found in New Zealand. The two species described and figured 

 belong respectively to the genera Cyclaspis and Diastylis and were taken 

 with the dredge in the Bay of Islands. Small specimens of the Cyclaspis 

 were also taken with the surface-net in Otago Harbour. 



The genus Cyclaspis was originally founded on a deep-sea form G. 

 longicaudata, found by Professor Sars off the Coast of Norway and 

 again at great depths in the Atlantic. A second species was subse- 

 quently found in the Mediterranean, and the " Challenger " Expedition 

 brought back three more, all belonging to the Australian seas. The 

 New Zealand species though very distinct from all the others appears 

 to be most nearly allied to the Australian C. pusilli. 



The genus Diastylis is largely represented, especially in the 

 Northern Ocean. The local species appears to be quite distinct from 

 any of the 31 species previously described. 



(3) "Notes on the New Zealand Squillidce" by Chas Chilton, 

 M.A., B.Sc. In this paper it was shown that the two species of 

 Squillidce given in Miers' " Catalogue of the N.Z. Crustacea," viz : — 

 Squilla nepa and Gonoclaclylus trispinosus — are not represented from 

 New Zealand in any colonial collection, and that it is very doubtful 

 whether they really belong to the New Zealand fauna. The only 

 species actually known from New Zealand are Squilla armata recorded 

 from Wellington by Mr. T. W. Kirk, and Lysiosquilla spinosa, the 

 latter being taken to include Coronis spinosa Wood-Mason, Squilla 

 indefensa Kirk, Squilla Icevis Hutton, and Squilla tridenlata Thomson. 

 This species is widely distributed over New Zealand and the adjoining- 

 islands. Both sexes are fully described and measurements for 

 comparison with the species described by Brooks in the " Report on the 

 ' Challenger ' Stomatopoda," are also given. The peculiar structure 

 found on the endopodite of the first abdominal appendage of the male is 

 also described and figured. 



(4) "On the changes in form of a parasitic Isopod (JVerocila)," by 

 Chas. Chilton, M.A., B.Sc. This paper contained a few notes on a 

 parasitic isopod — Ncrocila macleayii, Leach, of which A. novcti-zealandice 

 Schiijdte and Meinert, is considered a synonym. The younger forms 

 which differ from the adult females in the breadth of the body, eyes, 

 prominence of epimera, &c , are described and compared with the adult, 

 and figures of each are given. 



(5) " On the origin of the Sternum," by Professor T. Jeffery 

 Parker, F.R.S. The author contrasts the two forms of Sternum found 

 in Vertebrata, the costal sternum of Amniota and the omo-sternum (pre- 

 and post-omo-sternum) of Amphibia, and attempts to show how, in spite 

 of their different ontogeny, they may be genetically connected. He also 

 describes the shoulder-girdle of Natidanus indicus and draws attention 

 to the fact that its mid-ventral portion is formed by two distinct cartila- 

 ginous elements, apparently the pre- and post-omo sternum. This 

 appears to be the first instance hitherto recorded of the occurrence of 

 a sternum in fishes. 



