286 " ENDEAVOUR " SCIENTIFIC RESULTS. 



Colour, of specimens preserved in formalin solution, in 

 general dark ; upper surfaces finely clouded with chocolate 

 and dark slaty gray, the slate tone predominating, all the 

 specimens further shomng traces of a system of small, pig- 

 mented oculations as described below ; oral surface of 

 umbrella a cloudy chocolate brown, in the larger specimens 

 more or less overshot with dark slaty purple, the color a 

 little paler around the mouth, deepest in the broad zone 

 next succeeding, thence rapidly paling to the edge of the 

 innbrella ; suckers and cirri light brownish, but the regions 

 immediately surrounding them not usually especially lighter 

 in hue than the interbrachial areas. Areolar spots of dorsal 

 surface small, their size, and inversely their prominence, 

 dependent upon their degree of expansion (PI. Ixxxi., figs. 

 4-5) ; typically showing a small, clear, sharjjly defined nucleus 

 surrounded by a narrow zone of dark chocolate, then a wider, 

 paler region, succeeded finally by a poorly defined zone of 

 bluish slate, somewhat darker than and blending off into the 

 general surface color of the surrounding integument ; in 

 specimens at hand exact arrangement of areolae difficult to 

 make out ; body itself apparently free of them, but two 

 series beginning on head between eyes extend along or nearly 

 along the upper side of the dorsal arms, one series to each 

 arm ; similar, but less numerous series extending along the 

 remaining arms as well, those corresponding to the ventral 

 pair appearing to originate near the bases of the fins, the 

 others anterior to this point ; correspondence to all the arms 

 usually more approximate than exact, owing to the soft, 

 loose integument and varying state of contraction of the 

 arms themselves. 



ence, has been described in detail by Ijima and Ikeda ( 1895, p. 7) for 

 Opisthoteuthis depresna, so further description is not necessary here. In the 

 largest specimens the extremities of the arms seem to extend past the web 

 somewhat, but in small specimens the webbing extends almost to the tips, 

 which are never excessively attenuate. 



In the type the umbrella between the dorsal arms is somewhat torn on 

 the right side at the margin where it joins the arm. The fragment remaining 

 attached to the arm is somewhat thickened, and at first glance reminds one 

 of the nodules which have been described in analogous positions on other 

 species of Cirroteuthidw by several observers, notably Hoyle and Verrill. 

 However, since no trace of anything similar is to be found upon the re- 

 maining specimens, I believe the explanation given is correct in this 

 instance. 



