REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [ 220 ] 
as in some of the other examples. All the sessile arms have lost more 
or less of their tips, so that the actual length cannot be given, and 
many of their suckers are either injured or lost; the tentacular arms 
are also injured and most of the large suckers of the clubs are de¬ 
stroyed; the caudal fin was not only torn by handling, but one-half of 
it had, apparently, been destroyed and the wound healed before the 
death of the creature,* so that its true form cannot be determined; the 
eye-balls were burst, and most of the pen was gone. 
The head, eye-lids, siphon, and front edge of the mantle are, however, 
in fair condition, and as these parts have not been well preserved in any 
of the previous examples, some new and valuable facts were learned in 
regard to the structure of these organs. 
Many of the following characters are of generic value: The eye-lids 
were large, not much thickened, and only slightly angulated, and with 
a shallow sinus; diameter of opening about 120 ,nm (4.5 to 5 inches). The 
transverse nuchal crests, behind the eyes, are distinct, but only slightly 
elevated; of the longitudinal ones, only one, on each side, is distinct, 
but it is short and not very high; the others (unless they had been rubbed 
off) are rudimentary. The siphon is large and broad; aperture, 102 mm 
(4 inches) broad, slightly bilabiate, with a broad valve within; dorsal 
bridles moderately developed. Siphon-pit shallow, smooth. Connective 
cartilages, on base of the siphon, simple, long-ovate, slightly oblique, and 
only a little concave. Connective cartilages on the sides of the mantle 
short, and close to the front edge, very simple, consisting of a short, 
slightly raised, longitudinal ridge. The dorsal angle of the mantle- 
edge projects forward considerably beyond the sides, as an obtuse angle ; 
the lateral angles are also distinct. The body is large and broad in the 
middle and anteriorly, but tapers very rapidly to the base of the caudal 
fin, which is relatively small. 
This specimen, when examined by me, measured as follows: Length 
of mantle, to the lateral angles of the front edge, 4.1G feet; from edge 
of mantle to inner base of ventral arms, 1.25 feet; circumference of 
body, 4 feet; length of caudal fin, tip to anterior end of lobe, 21 inches; 
breadth of one-half of fin, median line of tail to outer edge, 8 inches; 
length of tentacular arms, 15 feet; of club, 2 feet; from first of the large 
median suckers to the tip, 20 inches; length of ventral arms (minus tips), 
4.6G feet; their circumference at base, 8.5 inches; length of the dorsal 
arms (minus tips), 4.5 feet; their circumference, 7.5 inches; circumfer¬ 
ence of second pair of arms, 7.5 inches; of third pair, 8.5 inches; diame¬ 
ter of largest suckers of sessile arms, .75 of an inch. 
The arms have a stout appearance, especially toward the base, and 
do not differ very much in size. In the form of the arms and in the 
structure of the suckers this specimen agrees essentially with those that 
* Owing to this fact, which was not understood by those who saw and figured it 
at first, some of the cuts that have been printed give the tail very peculiar and re¬ 
markable forms. 
