774 AUSTRALIAN OCTOP0DID.E, 



been the most neglected bj' collectors, and consequently are but 

 very imperfectly known in regard to the number of genera and 

 species, and to those variations caused by growth. 



The vast extent of the Australian coast, combined with its 

 genial temperature, should, it is to be presumed, prove prolific 

 in producing many new and distinct forms of this peculiar family; 

 hitherto but a few species have been determined, and even of 

 these the descriptions are scattered either among those costly 

 works which are occasionally issued at the expense of Governments 

 or cf Societies, or are to be found distributed in the several records 

 of the collections made during the passing visits to our shores 

 of scientific Voyagers. 



Our Public Institutions are but ill supplied with works illus- 

 trative of natural history, and, besides, they cannot afford that 

 ready access for reference, so continually required for the accurate 

 examination of the specimens. 



Our amateur naturalists, to whom we already owe so much for 

 developing many portions of the fauna of our lands and seas, 

 are consequently thus placed under great difficulties in carrying 

 out critical investigations on a group so little known and so 

 disregarded as the Australian Octopods. 



To supply this want, I give annexed a carefully compiled 

 statement and descriptions, extracted from standard works, of 

 all the species of those Octopods said to inhabit the Australian 

 coasts, and likewise of those found on the shores of adjacent 

 lands. To this enumeration will be added references to the 

 plates which contain illustrations of these animals, and, more 

 especially, will be furnished a condensed list of the principal 

 synonyms, in order to afford a ready means for the adoption of 

 the correct name of each individual according to recent nomen- 

 clature. 



Should the subject of this paper bo deemed of sufficient 

 importance to be admitted in our publication, my object in 



