210 OCTOFODID^. 



other species. It is covered with flattened tubercles, and 

 all who have described its appearance when alive state that, 

 when irritated, unequal prominent tubercles appear upon 

 it, symmetrically arranged. Its colour is tawny grey 

 above, with brownish spots marking the position of the 

 warts. The intensity of its hues, as in other cuttle-fishes, 

 is exceedingly variable and transient. The back of the 

 arms and the head are similarly coloured, but beneath and 

 around the funnel it is bluish white. The head is 

 large, warty, with prominent eyes, above which (though 

 not marked in Sowerby's figure) three cirrhi are placed. 

 The pupil of the eye is round. The arms are thick, and 

 gradually tapering: on their inner surfaces are seen the 

 sessile suckers arranged in double rows. Near the mouth 

 these suckers become smaller. Dr. Grant remarks that 

 there are about 240 suckers on each arm, 1920 in all. The 

 bases of the arms are strongly webbed together. The 

 length of the arms is about thrice that of the body, or a 

 little more. This species grows to a considerable size. 

 Verany mentions his having once seen a specimen three 

 metres in length. This excellent observer states of its 

 habits, that it lives among rocks, hidden in holes and cre- 

 vices, where it watches for the approach of the animals 

 upon which it preys. Sometimes it inhabits sandy ground, 

 establishing itself in the midst of a sort of crater of peb- 

 bles, piled up for a hiding-place. 



The first recorded British specimen was taken by Mr. 

 Richard Phillips at Dover. Dr. Grant states that he had 

 met with it in the Frith of Forth. Dr. Robert Ball 

 procured it at Plymouth in 1841. 



The reputed Irish localities are very doubtful. 



The Octopus tuber xulatus, of Blainville, distinguished by 

 its shorter arms, short globular body, and dark violet 



