FOOD 257 



Table 1 1 and the Antarctic data serve to rationalize the popular notion that sperm whales feed upon 

 squid of gigantic size. This does not mean that true giants among squids are never taken, and I was 

 fortunate to be on the platform at Horta on 4 July 1955 when a great specimen of Architeuthis sp. 

 was recovered intact from the stomach of a sperm whale (Plate II, fig. 2). The squid measured 10-49 m - 

 (34 ft. 5 in.) in total length, 4-96 m. (16 ft. 3 in.) in standard length, and weighed 184 kilos (405 lb.). 

 Further details have been published elsewhere (Clarke, 1955). It is well to mention that a hunted 

 sperm whale in the death struggle not uncommonly vomits, when the biggest squids may be lost from 

 the stomach. Off Capelo, Fayal on 11 August 1949 I saw a dying sperm whale (F21, 16-0 m.) vomit 

 the headless body of a squid which must have been about the same size as the specimen examined 

 in 1955 at Horta; and I have seen in Madeira in 1954 a photograph of another vomited squid* of 

 great size (Clarke, 1955). So it may be that these giants are taken less rarely than the evidence of 

 stomach contents suggests. Nonetheless, for the present, I consider that Table 1 1 and the Antarctic 

 data are representative enough of the size of the staple diet of sperm whales. 



Table 11. Food. Sizes of squids from stomachs examined at Horta in 1949 



Architeuthis, thought to be princeps, was first recorded from the Azores by Girard (1892, p. 214) 

 whose material came from fragments stranded on the north coast of San Miguel and recovered by 

 whalemen. A. F. Chaves told Girard that the remains of giant squids were not rare around the 

 Azores, being well known to the whalemen, who considered their presence to be a sign of the approach 

 of sperm whales; but this belief is not shared by Azores whalemen today, at least not by those of Fayal 

 and Pico, who say it is rare to find remains of Architeuthis. A whale killed off Terceira in 1895 (Monaco, 

 1896; Buchanan, 1896) yielded a large squid beak attributed by Joubin (1900, p. 46, plate XIV) to 

 Architeuthis sp. ?, although it differs in some respects from the beak of my specimen. 



Turning again to the squids collected in 1949 (Table 11), I found that, saving two very digested 

 individuals, all could be assigned to three species which were distinguished on the flensing platform 

 as types A, B and C according to general characters briefly noted below. Specimens of each in good 

 condition were preserved: Dr W. J. Rees of the British Museum (Natural History) has since kindly 

 identified them. 



(Type A) Histioteuthis bonelliana Ferussac. Plate II, fig. 6. This squid, the smallest and most 

 numerous of the three species encountered at Horta, was characterized by the shortness of the bluntly 

 conical body compared with the great development of the head and arms ; by the small fin set right 

 back ; by the digested remains of what had been a prominent interbrachial membrane ; and by the 

 conspicuous black light-organs scattered over the mantle and head and along the arms. The colour 

 in fairly fresh specimens was a deep magenta, almost purple, suffusing the body and growing paler 



* This specimen of Architeuthis has since been recorded by Rees & Maul (1956, p. 266). 



