218 TEUTHIDiE. 



in front, and joined to the head above by a broad band. 

 Two large ovate fins flank its sides, and are inserted rather 

 towards the dorsal aspect. The head is rather short, 

 broad, centrally depressed, bulging over the large eyes. 

 The eight arms are unequal, stout and tapering ; the 

 suckers on their inner surfaces are about two-rowed, rather 

 small and gradually diminishing. The terminal suckers 

 of the lower pair of arms suddenly diminish and become 

 many-rowed. The tentacular arms have rather stout 

 peduncles, and do not reach as far back as those of the 

 next species ; their tips are slightly dilated and bear ex- 

 ceedingly minute suckers. The colour of a specimen deli- 

 neated from the life by Mr. Alder is pale purplish brown, 

 with dark purple ocellated spots, which, however, extend 

 but a little way upon the fins ; the eyebrows are tinged 

 with dark green : the tentacles and head are speckled 

 with large purple spots ; the under surface of the arms 

 is white. An example kept by us alive at Skye, when 

 at rest in its own element and in the open air, became 

 of an intense spotted red brown ; the specks becoming 

 smaller on the fins and arms, which were tinged some- 

 what with tawny. The eyebrows shone with golden- 

 green reflections. When taken into a dark place it always 

 became pale. The suckers and funnel were white. The 

 most persistent portion of its colouring was that of the 

 eyebrows. When swimming, and often when at rest, it 

 flapped its fins rapidly, in the manner of a Pteropod. 



Respecting this species, Mr. Alder writes us as follows 

 from the Menai Straits : — " Miss Hughes has supplied 

 me with three specimens of different sizes. This is an 

 odd fish, crouching generally at the bottom like a toad, 

 with its great goggle eyes half closed, and sometimes 

 crawling along by means of its suckers, puffing the water 



