REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [176] 
being three or four times as broad, and have rows of small scale-like 
denticles around the rims. (Plate XX XIII, figs. 2a, 3a, 3b.) 
Pen small and very thin, soft, and delicate. It is angularly pointed or 
pen-shaped anteriorly, the shaft narrowing backward; a thin lanceolate 
expansion, or margin, extends along nearly the posterior half (fig. 2b). 
Upper jaw with a sharp, strongly ineurved beak, without a notch at 
its base. Lower jaw with the tip of the beak strongly incurved, and 
with a broad, but prominent, rounded lobe on the middle of its cutting 
edges (fig. 2, a, b). 
Odontophore with simple, acute-triangular median teeth; inner later- 
als simple, nearly of the same size and shape as the median, except at 
base; outer laterals much longer, strongly curved forward (fig. 2c, 2d). 
Color, in life, pale and translucent, with scattered rosy chromatopho- 
res. In the alcoholic specimens, the general color of body, head, and 
arms is reddish, thickly spotted with rather large chromatophores, 
which also exist on the inner surface of the arms between the suckers, 
and to some extent on the tentacular arms and bases of the fins; outer 
part of fins translucent white; anterior edge of mantle with a white 
border. . 
Length of body 25 to 30 millimeters. 
Twenty-seven specimens of this species were obtained, by Mr. A. 
Agassiz, on the “ Blake,” in 1880, from six stations, ranging in depth 
from 71 to 233 fathoms. It was taken, later in the season, in great 
abundance, by the U. S. Fish Commission, off Newport, R. I., in 65 to 
252 fathoms; and off the mouth of Chesapeake Bay, in November, by 
Lieut. Z. L. Tanner, on the “ Fish Hawk,” in 18 to 57 fathoms. In 1881 
it has also been dredged, at several stations, off Martha’s Vineyard, in 
45 to 182 fathoms. 
It is easily distinguished from the species of Rossia by the large size 
of the suckers along the middle of the lateral arms; by the inequality 
of the suckers on the tentacular clubs; and by the peculiar hectocoty- 
lized condition of the left dorsal arm of the male. The existence of large 
chromatophores on the inner surfaces of the arms, between the suckers, 
is also a good diagnostic mark, by which to distinguish it from all our 
species of Rossia, which have the corresponding parts whitish, or with 
few and very small chromatophores. 
The eggs of this species, containing, in several instances, embryos 
so far developed as to permit accurate identification, have been taken 
in August and September, by the U.S. Fish Commission, at many of 
the stations where the adults were obtained. They were especially nu- 
merous at stations 865-867, 872-874, in 1880; and at stations 922, 940, 
949, in 1881. These eggs are atten to the ee face of ascidians, worm- 
tubes, skate’s eggs, dead shells, ete., singly, but placed side by side, in 
smaller or larger groups. They are about 3™™ in diameter, pearly white, 
and nearly round, but are slightly flattened where attached, and have a 
small, conical eminence, on the upper side. 7 
