A. K Verrill — North American Gephalopods. 2*75 



edges, and a strong midrib, composed of the united marginal ribs of 

 the anterior portion ; the thin edges are incurved, so as to give a 

 canoe-shaped form to this portion, and near the tip, the edges unite 

 beneath into a short hood-like tip. Anteriorly the lateral ribs show 

 two grooves on the venti-al side, and appear to be composed of three 

 united ribs. 



The ground-color of a specimen taken by me, in 18Y0, at Eastport, 

 Maine, when first caught, was pale bluish-white, with green, blue and 

 yellow iridescence on the sides and lower surface ; the whole body, 

 head, and outer surfaces of arms and fins were more or less thickly 

 covered with small, unequal, circular, orange-brown and dark brown 

 spots, having crenulate margins ; these spots were continually chang- 

 ing in size, from mere points, when they were nearly black, to spots 

 ^mm ^Q ]^ .5111111 j,^ diameter, when they were pale orange-brown, becom- 

 ing lighter colored as they expanded. On the lower side of body, 

 head, and siphon the spots were more scattered, but the intervals were 

 generally less than the diameter of the spots. On the upper side the 

 spots were much crowded and in diflerent planes, with the edges often 

 overlapping, thus increasing the variety of the tints. Along the mid- 

 dle of the back the ground-color was pale flesh-color, with a distinct 

 median dorsal band, along which the spots were more crowded and 

 tinged with green, in fine specks. Above each eye there was a broad 

 lunate spot of light purplish red, with smaller and much crowded 

 brown spots. The upper surface of the head was deeply colored by 

 the brown spots, which were here larger, darker, and more crowded 

 than elsewhere, and situated in several strata. The under sides of the 

 arms and fins were colored like the body, except that the spots were 

 smaller and much less numerous. The suckers were pure white. The 

 eyes were dark, blue-black, surrounded by an iridescent border. 



The colors change constantly, when living or recently dead, by 

 means of the continual contraction and dilation of the chromato- 

 phores. The different tints pass over the surface like blushes. 



In specimens recently preserved in alcohol, the same pattern of 

 coloration is usually visible. The dark dorsal band on the body and 

 head, and the dark patches above the eyes, as well as smaller dark 

 patches in front of the eyes, can be plainly seen. In these darker 

 parts the chromatophores are much crowded, and have a purplish 

 brown color, varying to chocolate-brown in specimens longer pre- 

 served. On other parts of the body the chromatophores are more 

 scattered and usually reddish brown in color, with a circular or ellip- 

 tical outline ; when expanded, the larger ones are about 1'"" in diam- 

 Trans. Conn. Acad., Vol. V. 34 June, 1880. 



