(ilCi ANTIC CEl'IIALuroDS. 80 



ti'i-ioi' liiis. show it to li:i\i' hccii oiu' of the (k'raixjds. Pr(jl);il)l_\ 

 the teutacuhii- anus wwv I'lihcr delicieiit or were not seen.* 



The iisliernien mention the almost yearly oeeiinenee at the 

 Ishtnd of SI. Paul. Indian Oeean. in the midst of sehools of 

 lislies oC an t'noiinous eeplndoixxl, the dimensions oT whieii 

 e.xeeed those ol" tiieir boats, and whieii tiirows out of tlie water 

 to a g-reat distanee, two long- arms, covered with cups. Fearing 

 to approach the creature, they hastily returned into the crater as 

 soon as they saAv it.f 



We add. that on the 2d ]Sovend)er, following an extremely 

 violent tide, one of these monstrous cephalopods came ashore. 

 It did not measure less than 22 feet from the extremity of the 

 lins to those of the tentacular arms. M. Cazin immediately pho- 

 tographed the animal as it lay extended on the shore, and this 

 I)hotograi)h we have reproduced. 



In a preliminary report, addressed to the Academy of Sciences, 

 I have mentioned this great cephalopod, and ident ihed it Avitli the 

 genus Architeuthis of Steenstrup. Its dimensions, its circular 

 eu|)s. garnished willi a llnely tlenticidated corneous ring-, their 

 dis[)osition on tiie arms, seemed to indicate this aflinity, hut 

 certain other characters remove it ; in particular, the singularly 

 l)lunt form of the arms, which appear shortly truncated instead 

 of terminating in a point, as in all other cephalopods, as Well as 

 the inferior termination, entirely' dilferent, of the dorsal l)one. 

 It must certainly constitute, among the gigantic Ommastrephes, 

 a new genus, which I hasten to dedicate to Commandant 

 Mouchez.J 



Young individuals of Sepia, born in summer, had not exceeded 

 the size of about an inch in three months, although adults are 

 known of the size of 18 inches and more. The great differences 

 in bulk of the same species indicate that, imlike the superior 

 vertebrates, their growth may- continue during their life. The 

 common Poulpe, nearly 10 feet long, seen by M. Verany, must 

 have been very old. Admitting these premises, the question 

 occurs, are the gigantic individuals abnormally sized specimens 

 of common species, or does their size indicate specific distinct- 



* Jour, de Conch., 3d ser., ii, p. 135, 1863. 



t St. Paul is a volcanic island, the crater of which is submerged, 

 t Velain. Archives Zool. Exper., vi, 83, 1877. 

 12 



