1919.] 
Chilton.—Boring Crustacea in New Zealand. 
7 
The method by which the Chelura excavates its borings seems to be 
only imperfectly known ; presumably the mouth organs, especially the 
mandibles, are the parts specially used, and possibly the modified antennae 
and uropoda are of service for clearing out the bore by sweeping out the 
small particles of wood. Bate and Westwood state they believe the posterior 
pair, or uropoda, are important organs in permitting the animal to effect a 
retrograde movement when in its chamber. 
This species appears to be quite as destructive to the timber of piles 
and other marine woodwork as the gribble, but as it is usually associated 
with that species it is difficult to distinguish the work of the two. This 
species has been introduced into Auckland Harbour, where it appears to 
be quite common. 
The fullest account of the habits of Chelura terebrans known to me is 
that given by Allman in 1847, who also gave a full description of its 
structure and of its place among the Amphipoda. Bate and Westwood 
(1863, vol. 1, p. 502) add little to the information already supplied 
by Allman ; and Sars (1895, p. 627), though giving a full diagnosis of 
the species, merely mentions its destructive habits and association with 
Limnoria. 
Damage done in New Zealand by Limnoria and Chelura. 
In reply to a question from me as to the amount of damage done by 
Limnoria and Chelura in Auckland Harbour, Mr. W. H. Hamer, M.Inst.C.E., 
Engineer to the Auckland Harbour Board, has very kindly allowed me to 
see a copy of a “ Report on the Deterioration of Timbers, &c., exposed to 
Sea-water Action in Auckland Harbour,” prepared by him for a com¬ 
mittee set up by the Institute of Civil Engineers at the request of the 
Imperial Government, and to make the following extracts from it. 
The damage is done by the three animals— Teredo saulii (the ship- 
worm, a Mollusc), and by the two Crustacea Limnoria lignorum (the gribble, 
an Isopod) and Chelura terebrans (an Amphipod). The two latter work 
together in the same piece of timber, and appear to be more recent 
importations than the Teredo. The timbers that have been tried as piles, 
braces, and walings, are given by Mr. Hamer as follows :— 
. 
Local Name. 
Botanical Name. 
Where from. 
Totara 
Podocarpus totara .. 
New Zealand. 
Blackbutt 
Eucalyptus pilularia 
New South Wales. 
Blue-gum 
Eucalyptus globulus 
Victoria and Tasmania. 
Turpentine 
Syncarpia laurijolia 
New South Wales. 
Ironbark 
(Probably the grey) 
Jarrah 
Eucalyptus marginata 
Western Australia. 
All of these except totara and turpentine would be destroyed in a year 
or two unless sheathed in copper, Muntz metal, or zinc, and if the sheathing 
is torn destruction commences rapidly, the Teredo entering the timber and 
boring down inside. For the last fifteen to twenty years no sheathing has 
been placed on timber, and only northern totara and turpentine have been 
used for buffer and fender piles. The totara used must be red heart grown 
