784 AUSTRALIAN OCTOPODIDJE, 



habitat to my knowledge extends to a considerable distance 

 along the shores of the east coast of Australia, and also with the 

 faint hope of finding a specimen of Professor Owen's unique 

 species, I went, a few days ago, for a fresh supply, and which I 

 soon obtained by the capture of six or seven fine individuals. I 

 got these, as on former occasions, by a very simple process, 

 namely that of thrusting my bare arm into a likely place under 

 the overlapping ledge of rock, when surely enough the tempting 

 bait was eagerly grasped by those of an Octopod ; so that by 

 withdrawing slowly my arm, it gave but little trouble to effect tbe 

 capture of the clinging creature. Under such experience, I can 

 safely verify the truth of M. Verany's statement, that " the 

 action of the suckers of the poulpe (Octopus) upon the skin ; 

 the serpentine motion and muscular power of the arms ; and its 

 hideous aspect, have caused to be exaggerated the misdeeds of 

 the Cephalopod, which is stupid and incapable of harm.'''' 



The following is the description of one of the before mentioned 

 captured animals : 



Body granulated, of a livid purple, in length 8 inches, and 

 breadth 4^- inches ; head, prominent, in length 1^ inch, and 

 breadth across the eyes 2£ inches ; arms first pair in length, the 

 left, 1 ft. 7J in., the right was mutilated, 7 A- in. were only left of 

 the thick portion, and an additional 3 inches of a very thin arm, 

 minutely cupped ; second pair 2 ft. liin. ; third pair 1 ft. 11 in. . 

 fourth pair 2 ft. in. ; so that the formula, in this instance, 

 would be 2, 4, 3, 1, which does not agree with Gray or Tryon, 

 but Mr. Tryon says, ' ' In different individuals of the same species 

 I have found several different series of comparative lengths of 

 the arms, the lower cups either far apart or crowded, the body 

 either smooth, or granulated," — and, as far as my experience 

 goes, I believe him. Cups, the single series of the first pair are 

 in number three ; of second pair three ; of third pair four ; of 

 fourth pair 8 ; the remainder are in double sories, minute at tips 

 of the arms, and large towards the central portion, the largest 



