General Remarks.—I was at first unwilling to sacrifice Mr. Hind’s genus, Trilasmis, which is so neatly characterised by its three valves; moreover, the present species does differ, in some slight respects, from the other species of Pæcilasma; but under the head of P. fissa I have shown how that species, P. crassa and P. eburnea are tied together. The absence of terga, which are rudimentary in P. crassa, (and we shall hereafter see, in Conchoderma, how worthless a character their entire absence is,) and the arrangement of the spines in the upper segments of the posterior cirri, are the only characters which could be used for a generic separation.

Genus—Dichelaspis. [Plate II.]

Octolasmis.[32] J. E. Gray. Annals of Philosophy, vol. x, new series, p. 100, August 1825.

Heptalasmis. Agassiz. Nomenclator Zoologicus.

Valvæ 5, quæ ferè pro septem haberi possent, scuto in segmenta planè duo, ad angulum autem rostralem conjuncta, diviso: carina plerumque sursum inter terga extensa, deorsum aut disco infosso aut furcâ aut calyce terminata.

[32] From [Greek: dichêlos], bifid, and [Greek: aspis], a shield, or scutum. The name Octolasmis was given by Mr. Gray under the belief that there were eight valves. Leach (as stated in the ‘Annals of Philosophy,’) had proposed, in MS., the name Heptalasmis, and this is now used in the British Museum by Mr. Gray, and thus appears in Agassiz’s ‘Nomenclator Zoologicus.’ Although, strictly, there are only five valves, I continued to use, in my MS., the term Heptalasmis, until I examined the D. orthogonia, where it was so apparent to the naked eye that there were only five valves, the scuta in this species being less deeply bifid, that I was compelled to give up a name so manifestly conveying a wrong impression, and hence adopted the one here used.

Valves 5, generally appearing like 7, from each scutum being divided into two distinct segments, united at the rostral angle; carina generally extending up between the terga terminating downwards in an imbedded disc, or fork, or cup.

Mandibles, with three or four teeth; maxillæ notched, with the lower part of edge generally not prominent; anterior ramus of the second cirrus not thicker than the posterior ramus, not very thickly clothed with spines; caudal appendages uniarticulate, spinose.

Distribution.—Eastern and Western warmer oceans in the Northern hemisphere, attached to crustacea, sea-snakes, &c.

Description.—The capitulum appears to contain seven valves; but, on examination, it is found that two of the valves on each side, are merely segments of the scutum; these are united at the umbo, in three of the species, by a narrow, non-calcified portion of valve, where the primordial valve is situated; in D. orthogonia, however, the junction of the two segments is perfectly calcified, and of the same width as the whole of the basal segment. The capitulum is much compressed, broad at the base, and extends a little beneath the basal segments of the scuta. The valves are very thin, often imperfectly calcified, and generally covered with membrane. They are not placed very close together, and in all the species a considerable interspace is left between the carina and the two other valves: in the D. Grayii the valves are so narrow that they form merely a calcified border round the capitulum. The membrane between the valves and over them, is very thin, and is thickly studded, in some of the species, with minute blunt conical points, apparently representing spines. The valves in the same species present considerable variations in shape; in their manner or direction of growth, and in the position of their primordial valves, they agree with Lepas and Pæcilasma.