24 
SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 
there is no such ridge, the hand is comparatively insignificant, not 
greatly longer than its breadth, with a very oblique palm, the end 
of which is not reached by the finger, the tip of that joint closing 
against a palmar spine a little within the margin on the inner 
surface of the sixth joint. 
The endeavour to reconcile the Ceylon specimens with Dana’s 
species broke down under the comparison of the gnathopods with 
his figures and descriptions. It was possible to suppose that 
Dana had inadvertently transposed the sexes. But in speaking of 
his supposed female specimen he says, 44 Hand of second pair of 
moderate size, long obovate, apex sparingly oblique, finger short, 
shutting against lateral surface of hand,” and subsequently he 
says 44 the hand is naked.” Of the supposed male he says, 44 Hand 
of second pair oblong, sub-elliptical, back much flattened, densely 
hirsute below, palm not excavate, finger rather large,” and 
subsequently, 44 Hand of second pair about twice longer than 
broad.” According to his figures also the hand of the second 
gnathopod in the supposed female is quite small compared with 
that of the supposed male. But in the Ceylon form, just as in 
Melita palmata , it is the male that has the finger of the second 
gnathopod shutting against the surface of the hand, and it is these 
male gnathopods that are enormously larger than those of the 
female and much more hirsute. 
The first and second peraeopods are slender in both sexes, and 
in the female the three following pairs are not stout, but in the 
male they are decidedly robust, the fourth joint especially being 
much broader than the two following, all three being spinose. 
This robustness is not indicated in Dana’s figure of either sex. 
The finger is short, robust, with fine upward curved apex. The 
sixth joint of the fifth peraeopod is usually longer than that in 
the limb which happened to sit for its portrait. 
The inner branch of the third uropods is a little oval plate, 
flattened on one side, and carrying a spine at one corner. 
The small telson consists of two quite separated plates, which 
taper each to a blunt apex, the sides carrying four spines or 
spinules. 
The length of the male, not counting the antennae, is 7*5 mm. 
The colour in spirit is a light greenish brown, with a darker 
transverse stripe along the hind margin of each segment. 
The specific name refers to the place of capture. Though the 
suspicion may linger that Dana had before him this very species, 
or one closely allied to it, his name could only be applied on the 
supposition that under stress of circumstances he misrepresented 
by pen or pencil almost every one of its salient features. 
