Description of Female

Length, 9 mm; depth, 2¾ mm; width, 2 mm. Broodpouch has 8 ova.

Antennae. First: Length about 1 mm, just teaching past 4th peduncle segment of antenna 2 Flagellum of 9 segments, 1st twice length of 2nd and 3rd. Peduncle, distal margins of 1st and 2nd segments spmed, a few spines on surface of 2nd, 3rd spined superiorly and distallv, a few spines on inferior margin distally. Second: Flagellum of 14 segments Peduncle 5th segment spined marginally and distally. Length, 3 mm.

Gnathopods. First: Ischium subrectangulai, a few spines on posterior margin and surface. Merus slightly more than ½ basos length; carpus width nearly ½ length, nearly as long as basos, maigins and surface spined, spines long and stout posteriorly. Propod narrower, as long as merus, narrowing distally to long curved dactylos; margins and surface spined, long curved spine below dactylos at least ½ dactylos length; dactylos ⅔ propod length. Second: Basos width ⅔ length, anterior margin spined, row of spines along posterior surface just inside margin Broodplate large, ovate, width slightly more than ½ length, has long marginal setae, reaches almost to ischium. Ischium has a few spines posteriorly, 1 anteriorly; merus subrectangular, spines on margins and surface, anterior margin contiguous with proximal ½ of carpus posterior margin; as long as ischium, ¼ basos length. Carpus ½ basos length, subtriangular, a few spines on anterior margin, posterior expanded to narrow pellucid flange with barely scabrous margin, about 3 spines along flange base. Propod slightly shortei than carpus, posteriorly produced somewhat past dactylos in scabrous pellucid lobe; double row of small spines down surface medially to short oblique palm. Palm minutely denticulate, has a few short spines; stout short dactylos is aquiline-tipped.

Peraeopods. Fifth: Basos as wide as long; merus width ½ length, length ⅔ basos; anterior margin more strongly spined than posterior. Carpus nearly as long as basos, narrower than merus. similarly spined, linear. Propod even narrower, as long as basos, long strong spines on margins. Long slightly curved dactylos more than ½ propod length.

Uropods. First: Peduncle ventral margin has 2 spines. Second: Inner ramus has only 1 ventral spine; outer has 2 spines dorsally Third: Peduncle has 4 or 5 stout spines.

Epimeral Plates. First: Anterior margin has only 3 spines, posterior 4.

Localities. Waiwera, Auckland (Chilton); Orouiti Beach, East Cape, 10/1/51, coll. D. E. H.; Kaikorai Stream mouth, stream side of dunes near St Kilda, Dunedin, Oct., 1953, coll. D. E. H.; “under estuarine conditions throughout New Zealand, near creek mouths, inside sand spits enclosing estuaries, and around temporary lagoons, enclosed or partly enclosed by sand dunes,” McIntyre (unpublished MSS.).

Hypotypes. Slides 98, male; 99, female, Orouiti, personal collection.

Remarks. The specimens here described were collected at Orouiti Beach, East Cape, North Island. They occurred in considerable numbers, burrowing in fine yellow sand around a stagnant pool well above high-tide mark. They were very active, many of them jumping into the pool when disturbed and swimming quite vigorously under they reached the shore. In contrast to Talorchestia quoyana which was found under high-tide seaweed nearby, the T. telluris were well away from seaweed.

The Kaikorai specimens were on the freshwater side of dunes fringing the entrance of a stream into the sea. This was the only place on the beach where I was able to find T. telluris. However, T. quoyana was present on the oceanic side of the dunes and right along the beach.

The expansion of the 5th peraeopod carpus, an extremely striking specific characteristic of the adult male seems to be an adaptation facilitating burrowing. Reid (1938) described the burrowing of T. deshayesii, briefly, as follows. The first gnatho-pods dig out the sand which accumulates beneath the head. The first peraeopods sweep it below the urosome, the 2nd and 3rd peraeopods brace the animal in its