410 A. E. Verrill — Mollusea of the Nev) England Coast. 



not very far apart, the head being narrower tlian in most of the re- 

 lated forms. The gill-opening is a small, rounded pore, with a thick- 

 ened margin, situated about opposite the eyes. The siphon is not 

 visible ; it may have been broken off, or may be retracted. The 

 whole texture is extremely soft and gelatinous. The color of the 

 external surfaces is translucent dull bluish gray; the inner surfaces of 

 the arms are tinged with chocolate-brown. 



The total length is about 125™'"; posterior end of body to gill- 

 opening, 20'"'" ; breadth of body at fins, 14""'" ; breadth across eyes, 

 14°""; diameter of eyes, 6"'"'; length of fins, 12'"'"; breadth at base, 

 gmm. length of longest arras from center of eye, lOV'"™; to edge of 

 web, 74"'"'; length of cirri, about 10'"'". 



Station 2,180, N. lat. 39° 25' 50", W. long. 71° 49' 30", in 523 

 fathoms, bottom temperature, 39° F, (No. 39,965). 



Eggs of Cirrhoteuthis or Stauroteuthis. 



Very peculiar eggs, belonging to cephalopods of this group, have 

 often been dredged by us in deep water. They are usually attached 

 to the stem or branches of Acanella Nortnani or other gorgonians. 

 Similar eggs were often found attached to the same corals brought 

 in from the deep water of the northern fishing banks by the Glouces- 

 ter halibut fishermen, since 1879. None of these contained embryos 

 sufliciently developed to render their identification possible, until 

 some were dredged last summer, at station 2209, in 1,080 fathoms 

 (No. 39,961), containing well-formed embryos, so far developed as to 

 show that they belong to Cirrhoteuthis or some closely allied genus. 

 These embryos have a well-developed body, rounded behind, with 

 relatively large, rather broad lateral fins, having the outer ends 

 broadly rounded, situated far forward and as long as the breadth of 

 the body. The eyes are relatively large and prominent, or some- 

 what stalked. The arms are slender, rounded, with a simple close 

 median row of small suckers. The web is but little developed, the 

 arms being free nearly to the base. The siphon-tube is prominent 

 and the gill-opening is siini)le and small, but relatively larger than in 

 Stauroteuthis syrtensis. It is probable, therefore, that this embryo 

 belongs to one of the species of Cirrhoteuthis described above. 

 The eo-gs may belong to more than one species, but show no tangible 

 external differences. 



These eggs are contained in a strong but flexible case, about an 

 iueli lono-j elliptical' in form, but often sonxewhat irregular on the 



