GIGANTIC CUTTLE-FISHES. 113 



Conception Bay squid are both referable to one species— Steen- 

 strup's Architeuthis dux. 



Excellent woodcuts from photographs of these two specimens 

 were given in the " Field" of January 31st, 1874, and December 

 13th, 1873, respectively. 



In the "American Journal of Science and Arts," of March, 

 1875, Professor Verrill gives particulars of several other examples 

 of great calamaries, varying in total length from 30 feet to 52 feet, 

 which have been taken in the neighbourhood of Newfoundland 

 since the year 1870. 



The following account of the still more recen^ capture of a 

 large squid off the west coast of Ireland was given in the " Zoolo- 

 gist" of June, 1875, by Sergeant Thomas O'Connor, of the Royal 

 Irish Constabulary : — 



"On the 26th of April, 1875, a very large calamary was met 

 with on the north-west of Boffin Island, Connemara. The crew 

 of a ' curragh ' (a boat made like the * coracle,' with wooden 

 ribs covered with tarred canvas) observed to seaward a large 

 floating mass, surrounded by gulls. They pulled out to it, be- 

 lieving it to be wreck, but to their astonishment found it was an 

 enormous cuttle-fish, lying perfectly still, as if basking on the 

 surface of the water. Paddling up with caution they lopped 

 off one of its arms. The animal immediately set out to sea, 

 rushing through the water at a tremendous pace. The men gave 

 chase, and, after a hard pull in their frail canvas craft, came up 

 with it, five miles out in the open Atlantic, and severed another 

 of its arms and the head. These portions are now in the Dublin 

 Museum. The shorter arms measure each 8 feet in length, and 

 15 inches round the base : the tentacular arms are said to have 

 been 30 feet long. The body sank." 



Finally, there is in the basement chambers of the British 

 Museum (irreverently called the " spirit vaults and bottle depart- 

 ment," because fish, mollusca, &c., in spirits are there deposited) 

 a tall glass jar, in which is preserved a single arm of a huge 



