A LUMINOUS SQUID. 265 



finally my own observations on the physiological condition of both 

 males and females, affords convincing evidence that the inshore 

 nocturnal migration of the Madeiran Abralia is essentially of 

 reproductive significance and has to do with either the mating or 

 the spawning, or very possibly indeed with both. Such a con- 

 clusion finds the strongest possible confirmation in the detailed 

 observations of Ishikawa ('13) and Sasaki ('14) on a somewhat 

 nearly allied species of squid, Watasenia scintillans, the famous 

 Firefly Squid ("Hotaru-ika") of Japan. The parallel extends to 

 still further particulars, but so little information of consequence 

 concerning the habits and life histories of the smaller squids has 

 accumulated that the Japanese observations are almost the only 

 ones of any relevance to be found in the literature. Like the 

 Abralia, Watasenia "is a deep-sea animal, living during the day 

 in a depth of 100 or more fathoms, and when the night is at hand, 

 they approach to the coast, and after sunset they lay the eggs, 

 and as soon as they finish their spawning, go back to the deep sea" 

 (Sasaki, '14, p. 95). After the fixation of the spermatophores in 

 the nape of the female (in quite a different position, as it would 

 appear, from what is to be observed in Abralia veranyi}, the male 

 Watasenia is thought to perish. The season of this extraordinary 

 migration varies somewhat in different parts of the Japanese 

 Empire, but in Toyama Bay on the west coast it is late April and 

 May. Here the firefly squid comes inshore in such enormous num- 

 bers that their fishery is a considerable industry, the total catch be- 

 ing given by Sasaki as 1,000 tons. Due to the disappearance of 

 mated males, nearly the entire catch seems to be comprised of fe- 

 males (one count given is I cf to 79 9 9). No juvenals are found 

 with them, and only a small per cent, of those taken were found to 

 have food in the stomach. A net drawn up at 9 or 10 P.M. is said 

 to be better filled than one hauled in at 3 or 4 A.M., a circum- 

 stance which Sasaki suggests may be largely due to the fact that 

 the schools swim in from the deep when sunset approaches, lay 

 their eggs towards evening, and become entrapped in the nets on 

 their way back. The fact that the Abralia is to be seen soon 

 after the lights on the quay are illuminated may indicate that 

 something of a nearly similar nature goes on here. 



Sr. de Noronha's allusion to the enraged state of the animal 



