402 A, EF. Verrill—Mollusca of the New England Coast. 
in the middle portion, becoming gradualiy a little wider to the ante- 
rior end, which is thin and pen-like in form. The posterior tip is 
imperfect in the specimen dissected. 
The connective cartilages on the sides of the mantle are simple, 
elongated, broadest posteriorly, tapering anteriorly, and somewhat 
curved downward in the middle, with a long, narrow, simple central 
fosse. ‘The connective cartilages on the sides of the mantle are low, 
simple, longitudinal ridges, running back from the lateral angles of 
the mantle-edge. In the female there are two pairs of oblong, flat- 
tened nidamental glands, one pair on the ventral side below the 
heart, the other pair a little farther forward, lying between the gills 
and intestines and surrounding the oviducts, which are symmetrically 
developed, one on each side. The ovary is large, occupying the pos- 
terior ventral portion of the body-cavity. 
This interesting genus shows, in several respects, marked embry- 
onic or primitive characters, recalling the young stages of Omma- 
strephes and Loligo. These are seen especially in the small size, 
posterior position and form of the fins ; in the form of the body, head 
and mantle; in the small short arms, with the dorsal pair shortest ; 
in the small simple suckers; in the want of differentiation of the 
tentacular club and the uniformity of its minute suckers. The affini- 
ties of the genus are probably with the group represented by 
Ommastrephes, as shown by the distinct eye-lids and sinus, and by 
the character of the connective cartilages of the mantle. The pen, 
however, is somewhat like that of Zoligo in form, but the form of 
the pen appears to be of little value in determining the affinities of 
the squids. 
Benthoteuthis megalops Verrill, sp. nov. 
PLATE XLIV, FIGURE 1. 
Body rather short, thick, rounded, tapering slightly from the ante- 
rior margin backward; posterior extremity bluntly rounded ; fins 
small, situated close to the end of the body, attached by rather short 
bases to the sides of the body, nearest the dorsal side, but not united 
to the end of the body posteriorly. The fins are somewhat rounded 
in outline, projecting both forward and backward beyond their basal 
or attached portion, the free posterior margin extending backward as 
far as or beyond the end of the body, which shows, in a dorsal view, 
as a rounded lobe between the fins. The anterior margin of the 
mantle extends far forward over the back of the head, which it 
partially conceals; on the dorsal side there is a slightly prominent, 
