776 AUSTRALIAN OCTOPODID^E, 



vervator of the Con chological section of the Academy of Natural 

 Science of Philadelphia, U.S., of which the first volume, recenthy 

 received, is wholly devoted to the consideration of all the known 

 genera and species of the class Cephalopoda. To this carefully 

 compiled monograph, the best indeed extant, I am greatly 

 indebted for information which I could not otherwise have 

 acquired regarding the Australian Octopods, and so impressed 

 am I with the value of this manual, that I Avould strongly recom- 

 mend our Public Institutions, and our professional and amateur 

 Conchologists to possess themselves with copies fcr the classifi- 

 cation of the Mollusca in their cabinets. 



In this treatise on the Cephalopods, Mr. Tryon follows, in part 

 the synopsis, and system of arrangement of the species as 

 originally proposed by the late Dr. J. E. Gray of the British 

 Museum, and I shall imitate his example in the present paper. 



Early in 1849 Dr. Gray published on behalf of the Trustees 

 his Synoptical Catalogue of the Cephalopoda and proposed a 

 systematic arrangement of the species, paying great attention to 

 the descriptions, measurements, and habitats of each. This 

 Synopsis, although far from being perfect, is still the one usually 

 followed, but its value as a guide is greatly depreciated by the 

 absence of illustrations and by many of the descriptions being 

 taken from animals preserved in spirits, rendering the recognition 

 of species almost impossible. Dr. Gray in the prefatory remarks, 

 states that the Monograph of the Cephalopoda by M. D'Orbigny 

 and Baron Ferussac has been of great use to him during the 

 compilation of the Catalogue. 



The splendid monograph mentioned by Dr. Gray, was published 

 in Paris during the years 1835 to 1848, under the title, " Histoire 

 Naturelle des Cophalopodes, vivant et Possiles," and will for ever 

 stand as a monument to record the ability of these labourers in 

 Science. The beautiful illustrations and the carefully executed 

 scientific dissections of the various parts of tho animals must 



