SCIENTIFIC TAXIDERMY FOR MUSEUMS. 391 



frequenting shallow seas, living in the vicinity of the land, and specially affecting 

 rocky bottoms, others (such as Tremoctopus, Sepiola, Argonauta, Spirula, Architeu- 

 this, Onychoteuthis, etc.) arc pelagic animals, living in the open ocean, often far 

 from land, and swimming at or near the surface. Though more varied as regards 

 their specific and generic types in the warmer seas of the globe, cuttlefishes are 

 found in almost all seas, and are sometimes extremely numerous individually even 

 in the colder oceans. It seems also certain that our present knowledge as to the 

 pelagic forms is only very imperfect. As to their dimensions, none are extremely 

 minute, and some attain truly gigantic dimensions. Not to speak of the fabulous 

 accounts of colossal cuttlefishes given by many of the older writers, such as Pon- 

 toppidan and Olaus Magnus, Ave arc now acquainted through the observations and 

 descriptions of scientific witnesses, such as Banks and Solander, Quoy, and Gaim- 

 ard, Steenstrup, Yerrill, etc., with various huge cuttlefishes, inhabiting both the 

 Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Some of these, though only known by imperfect spec- 

 imens, certainly attain a length of 15 feet or upwards to the body and head, and 

 from 30 to 40 feet or upwards in the long tentacles. All these giant cuttlefishes 

 appear to belong to the suborder of the Decapoda.* 



These gelatine easts are not only accurate and beautiful objects to 

 be placed in the cases of any museum, but they, by being kept under 

 the protection of glass doors, will last for almost an indefinite length 

 of time, unaltered in color or form. The range of the applicability of 

 the gelatine cast is well-nigh infinite. I have seen tish, frogs, ser- 

 pents, lizards, and similar animals tints reproduced, and so perfectly 

 that their faithful portrayal of the original subjects was truly marvelous. 

 As to fruit of all kinds, it can be imitated so closely that sometimes, 

 by the aid of the eye alone, one can not correctly decide between the 

 original and the copy thus made. 



For the presentation of form, color, and general character, such 

 reproductions of animals as the common Squid, shown in Plate XVI, and 

 the Histioteuthis, shown in Fig. 4, leaves but little to be desired along 

 such lines. No oue can for a moment doubt but what a great deal is to 

 be hoped for from this department of animal preservation, and the en- 

 couragement of it is to be most highly recommended. 



Other line successes in this direction are shown in Plate xvni, Fig. 1, 

 Plate xvni, Fig. 2, and Plate xix. Plate xvni, Fig. 1, of a specimen of 

 Polynoe leucohyba (somewhat enlarged), and likewise the Gastrolepidia 

 clavigera, shown in Plate xvni, Fig. 2 (somewhat enlarged), are from 

 Schmarda, both being very instructive representations of the originals. 

 As is known, these low forms belong to the Annelida, each being genera 

 in the order Potychceta of that group. 



Another beautiful reproduction of an interesting annelid is shown in 

 Plate xix. This is also from a photograph of the gelatine cast in the 

 collections of the IT. S. National Museum and represents a specimen of 

 Bonellia viridis of the Mediterranean Sea. It is greatly enlarged, and 

 the model based upon the drawing given us of this form by Lacaze- 

 Duthiers, who has rendered an account of this marine worm in a paper 



Nicholson, H. A. Art. "Cuttlefish." Encyl. Brit. 9th ed. vol. vi., pp.739, 740. 



