40 SEPIID A. 
Mecareutuis, Hilgendorf, 1880. 
Distr.—M. Martensii, Hilg. Japan. 
Differs from Ommatostrephes in the greater length of the 
eight arms, which are longer than the mantle, in the thinness of 
the tentacular arms, and in the greater width of the pen, which 
is double that of Ommatostrephes, without rib and somewhat 
flabby. 
Founded on portions of two individuals of a very large cepha- 
lopod. The length of one of them, including the outstretched 
tentacles, was about twenty feet, of which the head and body 
measured about seven and a half feet. 
Famity SEPIIDA. 
Sepia, Linn., 1758. 
Cuttle-fish. Syn.— Paleoteuthis, Roemer; Sepiella, Gray, 1849. 
Distr.—Littoral, world-wide. S. officinalis, Linn. (xxvii, 48, 
49), S. elongata, Orb. (xxvii, 50). 30 species. Fossil: 10 sp. 
Oxford Clay, Solenhofen ; Miocene of Italy. 
General characters those of the family (p. 13); under the eyes 
a lid-like fold, over them lachrymal openings; six aqueous 
pores in the buccal membrane; arms short; tentacles long; 
suckers long-pedunculated ; siphon with very large valve. Fourth 
left arm hectocotylized to its base. 
A few species are known only by the shell (cuttle-bone) ; which 
is a calcareous lamina lodged in the back of the pode, very thick 
in front, concave internally behind; terminating in a prominent 
mucro. The thickened part is composed of numerous plates, 
separated by vertical fibres, which render it very light and porous. 
It was formerly used as an antacid by apothecaries. 
The cuttle-fishes live near shore, and the mucro of their shell, 
d’Orbigny thinks, is intended to protect them in the frequent 
collisions to which they are exposed in swimming backwards. 
According to Verany, this animal prefers rocky localities in 
the Mediterranean, where it is fished by means of a dredge called 
a balancelle, and is also taken at night with the trident. During 
the month of March the fishermen use a living female Cuttle 
fastened to a rope, or an imitation of one formed of wood, and 
made attractive to the male sex by being ornamented with bits 
of glass; this latter enveiglement is called by the Sicilians a 
Fumedda, and fishing with either of them is very productive and 
amusing, especially on a moonlight night. These animals may 
weigh several pounds; their flesh is much esteemed and abounds 
in the Italian markets at all seasons of the year. Out of the 
water the Sepia dies quickly, with violent efforts. At Rome the 
pigment sepia is still manufactured from the ink of this animal. 
