REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [184] 
which are mostly separated by spaces less than half their diameter; 
margins of suckers soft and much thickened. The three lower pairs of 
arms are very nearly equal in length and size; the dorsal ones are a 
little shorter and smaller. A thin web unites all the arms for about one- 
fourth of their length, and runs up along their Sides for about half their 
length. The male has the third right arm (Plate X LIV, fig. 3, 3a) hecto- 
- ecotylized at the tip; the modified tip is preceded by 45 suckers, and is 
bordered ventrally by a broad membrane, having a white groove along 
its inner surface; the terminal organ (fig. 3a) consists of a small, ovate- 
triangular, fleshy disk, with its inner surface slightly concave and finely 
wrinkled transversely, and terminating proximally in a small point. 
Color dark purplish brown, darker purple beneath. Chromatophores 
small and densely crowded. 
The female is considerably larger than the male, and has the warts 
over the back and around the eyes relatively smaller, but of the same 
character. The arms appear to be larger than those of the male, but 
this is probably due to the fact that the male has become more con- 
tracted by the stronger alcohol in which it was, placed. 
This female specimen illustrates well the uselessness of the attempts 
to divide the species of Octopus and allied genera into groups or sections 
according to the relative lengths of the arms, as J. E. Gray and others 
have done, for-in this and many other cases the proportions of the arms 
of the right side would throw it into one section; those of the left side 
into another. The male would have to be put into a third section. 
The two known examples of this species were both taken by Mr. A. 
Agassiz, while dredging on the United States Coast Survey steamer 
“ Blake,” in 1880. 
Measurements in millimeters. 
No. 13. Female. 
ale. 
Right side. | Left side. 
Wotal length .- ooo sit asco csstac ac decane cease cane neces se sees 202 1 BB O0r Ht. ease ite 
End of body to center of eye.-.-:-.------ 222-0 eee =n -- eee ee eee e eee: 58 Uti devel) Aas onic 
Breadth of body... -2-.ce:secssscoen = sehourceeeeemeemessou st cecers 55 O52 s)-scetueee see 
BTA ACLOSS CY ES - ---- =. Tose oe eee eee Eee caretrice se WU oeeasee soe an Rees sodas 
ength of dorsal arms, from mouth ~<-2-.-paceeee ee sees see San. oie 135 255 260 
Rength of second pair of arms s<.--.'-'-). tee et deen Sanebie=is ot d- a= 155 260 235 © 
Woeneon OL third pair of arms .:...2--.6s5c cere eee here en ee daeme ne 2 ecesee oe ae 225 240 
Lenpthjof hectocotylized:arm . .: 22.) 2cnasssbeesehs eee sc-teecens 180i Jan “SepeeeeeE nak Bee 
Genet OF Modified tip... ..-..05-s+0.-,caceeteeenaeeenemee ease sr «ls 4D enacseemecl esos me eee 
Eenpih of ventral arms, : o.oo: cht. ac enkb eee eeedeae te ules ce eis 145 210 225 
Greatest breadth of lateral arms.......... Bee oad sess cateeeee 12 18 18 
Diameterof largest suckers \.w2 J 25g. Ho Nae ee kek ee 3 5 5 
Specimens examined. 
Specimens. 
Locality. When 
No. | Stat. ocality Fath.| -eceived. 
* | No. } Sex. 
12 305°} IN. Tat. 410033! 15/4 W slong. 65°51!) 25! 2. pce eecckenvceecrs 810 1880 1 fos 
13 | 312 | N. lat. 39° 50’ 45”; W. long. 70° 11’.........---s-sccseeecer ence 466 1880 1] @ 
