SOME NEW AND RARE CEPHALOPODA. 105 
founded the genus, render it a matter of difficulty and doubt to refer subsequently dis- 
covered species satisfactorily to it. The desire expressed by M. de Férussac, that addi- 
tional observations should be made on the typical species, I shall therefore endeavour 
to fulfil to the best of my ability, from the specimen which Mr. Bennett has transmitted 
to me’. 
This specimen is smaller than the one described by Dr. Leach, but presents the same 
enlarged, expanded, flaccid bag-like form of the mantle, terminated at one extremity by 
a disproportionately minute pair of fins, and at the other by a head and arms of almost 
equally diminutive size; so that when the tentacles are retracted, as was the case in 
Mr. Bennett’s specimen, very little of the ordinary facies of a Cephalopod is presented 
to the observer. 
The dimensions of this specimen are as follows : 
Inches. Lines. 
From the posterior end of the body to the end of the tentacle out- 
stretched . 5a at) era eae ae 1 8 
————s root of the tentacle . i 
Length of the longest arm . UR ae 
———— shortest ditto 0 11 
SSS STS a 0 2 
Breadth of the two united fins whee re 0) 3 
Circumference of the thickest part of the body . rie a 0 
Leet ih 8 20 PsP A Ri a NAD ia 34 
The body or mantle is wrinkled and flaccid, in consequence of the very small space 
occupied by the viscera ; and these are situated at its anterior part, and not at the bottom 
of the sac, as in Loligopsis. It is probable that at the reproductive season the enlarged 
ovarium may fill more or less of the pallial cavity ; but in the ordinary state of Cranchia 
scabra the disproportion of the mantle to the contained parts is very remarkable, and 
unique in the class Cephalopoda ; but a similar disproportion between the viscera and pal- 
lium is found in some of the Pteropoda. 
The surface of the mantle in Cranchia scabra is uniformly beset with small round spots, 
' The following are the observations which M. Férussac makes on the distinguishing characters of the genus 
Cranchia :— Pour fixer toutes les incertitudes A l’égard du genre Cranchie, et pour lui rapporter sans hésitation 
l’espéce que nous faisons connaitre, il faudrait que celles qui ont été décrites par le Dr. Leach fussent retrouvées 
et mieux connues. Le caractére principal qui leur a été assigné consiste dans la forme et position terminales 
des nageoires. Sous ce rapport, ce genre se confond presque avec les Calmarets, mais ceux-ci en sont bien 
distingués par la forme de leurs bras tentaculaires, ] n’est séparé des Calmars que par la forme de ces mémes 
nageoires, qui sont réunies a leur extremité et semblent dépasser celle du sac. Dans les espéces que nous y 
Tapportons et que nous avons pu observer, le port et l'ensemble des formes les distinguent bien plus encore des 
Calmars ; mais nous ne pouvons faire la méme observation au sujet des espéces signalées par le Docteur Leach, 
parcequ’il a négligé de nous donner une déscription complete et détaillée, reproche qu’on peut faire quelquefois 
a cet habile observateur sans porter atteinte @ sa réputation bien acquise.”—Jbid., p. 346. 
pP2 
