CEPHALOPODS OF WESTERN NORTH AMERICA. 



289 



Distribution; Shelikof Strait, Alaska; Gulf of Georgia, British Columbia; Monterey Bay, California, 

 in rather deep water. 



Foiu" specimens have been seen, all obtained by the Albatross. 



After comparison with such specimens, figures, and descriptions as have been available, I have 

 been unable to refer the four specimens upon which I have based this species to any of the named 

 forms either from the west coast of America, from the Hawaiian Islands, or from Japan. From all its 

 congeners in this region it differs strikingly in the carinated membrane siurounding the body and in the 

 remarkable smoothness of its skin. The shortness of the arms relative to the body, their formula, and 

 the reduction of the umbrella between the ventral arms are also to be noted. Probably none of the 

 specimens at hand are quite mature. As there are imfortunately no males in the collection, the character 

 of the hectocotylization and other sexual featiues are not yet known. 



The smallest specimen, having a total length of but 32 mm., exhibits all the characters of the adult, 

 although in a juvenile way. It is in every way more delicate, and the chromatophores are fewer, darker, 

 and much more distinct. 



Polypus (sp.) juv. 



There is a small specimen in the Albatross collection (my register no. 141) which is of uncertain 

 identity, though clearly not the young of any of the species described in this paper. 



It has a small ovoid body, more or less pointed behind, ornamented above with a few obsciu-e, 

 roimdish, flattened papills; mantle opening wide and full. Head small; eyes large; funnel broad, 

 compressed. Arms rather short, subequal, connected at the base by a delicate umbrella. Suckers 

 elevated, in two rows. The tip of the third right arm appears to show faint traces of future hectocotyli- 

 zation . 



Chromatophores numerous, of various sizes, verj- distinct; especially minute and dot-like on the 

 ventral sinface, where they are relatively fewer in number and show a bilaterally symmetrical arrange- 

 ment; two alternating rows of similar small ones appear on the ventral arms. Parts of the animal show 

 a slight metallic luster. 



Total length, 28 mm.; length of body, n mm. 



From Albatross station 4550, 50-57 fathoms, Monterey Bay, California, bottom of green mud and 

 rock. 



The specimen shows certain resemblances to one in the University of California collection from 

 Catalina Harbor, California, which has already been noted by me (1911a, p. 303), but I doubt if they 

 are identical. "■ 



o I am not acquainted with the Polypus digueli ( Perrier and de Rochebrtme), which I have treated as extralimital for the 

 purposes of the present paper. The principal portion of the original description is as follows (1894. p. 770); 



"octopus digueti e. perr. et rochbr. 



"Corps bursiformc. court; t^te modcrcraent large, assez brusquement tronqu^e en avant. au-dessus des yeux; ccux-ci d'une 

 extrteiepetitcsse; bras tous d'^gale longueur, subquadrangulaires, se tenninant en point aigue; ombrclle <5troite. envoyant des 

 prolongements mince's jusque vers la premise moiti^ exteme des bras; ventouses dispos^es sur deux rangs, ccllc de la base des 



