SEPTA. 1H7 



A. MEGAPTERA, Verrill. 



Much smaller than tlie previously known species, the total 

 length of the body and head being but 1 9 inches. Body relatively 

 short and thick. Caudal fin more than twice as broad as long, 

 the length about half that of the bod}^ ; nearly rhombic, ventral 

 anterior edge of mantle concave centrally to a slight angle, 

 from which it is again concave to the sides ; dorsal anterior 

 margin produced into a prominent obtuse central angle. Eye 

 sockets large, oblong, with distinct lid-like margins ; eyes large, 

 oblong, naked. Short arms triquetral, upper ones somewhat 

 shorter and smaller than the others, which are nearly equal 

 in length, the second pair being the stoutest and a little longer. 

 Tentacles slender, elongated, expanded toward the tip, with suck- 

 ers much as in the gigantic species, even to the smooth edged 

 suckers and opposing tubercles, proximal to the larger suckers, 

 as in A. monachvK. The sucker-bearing portion is margined by 

 a membrane on each side. Large suckers of sessile arms very 

 oblique, with the rim strong, dark brown, with large, strong, 

 sharp, much incurved, unequal teeth on the outer side of the 

 rim ; inner margin entire. On the middle or lai'ger suckers of 

 the ventral arras, there are seven large teeth, the middle one 

 longest, while on either side there is one nearl}' as large, with 

 a smaller one each side of it. 



Total length, 43 inches ; length of tentacles, 22 and 24 inches ; 

 of arms 1, fi-5 inches; 2 and 4, 8 inches; 3, 8-5 inches. 



Cape Sable, Nova Scotia. 



A single specimen cast ashore several years since. The above 

 description made from it as preserved in alcohol in the Provin- 

 cial Museum, at Halifax. For the present it must be considered 

 a doubtful species. 



Family XL SFPIID.E. 



"/ Genus SEPIA, Linn. 



This genus is world-wide in its distribution, and includes also 

 ten fossil species from the Oxford Clay, Solenhofen, and a single 

 fossil species from Texas. Of the thirtj^ recent species, one- 

 third are known by the shell only, and in the arrangement which 

 follow^s, these are necessarily placed in accordance with their 



