SKXI AL () ROANS. 45 



membrane of attaclimeJit. We know but little of the eggs of 

 Octopus : Aristotle describes them ns similar to those of Argo- 

 nauta, and attached within shells or similar concave surfaces I 

 figure a group of the eggs of Octopua punctatus. of Gabb, from San 

 Diego, Cal. Each lengthened, oblong, transparent and colorless 

 egg is attached separately to a stalk, and twenty-five may be found 

 in a cluster : their size is represented by the figure. I have also 

 figured a pair of lengthened cylindrical bodies, similarly attached, 

 and one-celled, collected by one of tlie Godett'roy Expeditions at 

 the Samoan Islands. These are labeled Egg-Cases of Octopus, 

 but they are probably those of a Sepioteuthis. 



In Sepia each egg is enveloped in a large, spindle-formed black 

 capsule, many of which, forming a close mass, are attached to 

 some marine body. 



Another form of egg-masses is that in which a number of eggs 

 are contained in a single large capsule (of which many are aggre- 

 gated into a mass), attached hy its pedicel to some submarine 

 object. In Loligo vulgaris, for example, each long bag-like 

 capsule contains thirty to forty eggs. The capsule of Sepio- 

 teuthis is similar, but shorter, and contains fewer eggs. 



During the summer of 187G I resided at Atlantic Cit}^ on tlie 

 New Jerse}- coast, and then enjoyed frequent opportunities for 

 observing the development of Loligo punctata De Kay ; masses 

 of egg-capsules of this species being thrown upon the beach in 

 considerable quantity throughout the season. Some of tliese 

 masses, when the embryos had attained considerable growth, had 

 grown to prodigious size and weight, being scA^eral times larger 

 than of the animal which deposited them. I have seen hundreds 

 of cjdindrical cases, each 3 to 4 inches long and half an inch in 

 diameter, composing a single, soft, jell} -like mass, which la}' 

 quivering on the beach, reflecting from its glistening surface 

 rainbow hues, and filled with almost innumerable, rapidly pul- 

 sating embryos; say at least 250 to each sack. The details of 

 "their form and the colored spots of their bod}^ were distinctl}^ 

 visible to the naked eye. Each embryo is enclosed in its sepa- 

 rate round, transparent egg-case, and during its development 

 the yolk-bag is attached to its mouth, and surrounded by its 

 arms. 



