[7] FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 



The body is short, thick, well rounded, and rather blunt posteriorly. 

 The fins are broad and short, with posterior end very obtuse. The arms 

 are all short, the two upper pairs being much shorter than the two 

 lower. The tentacular arms have the "club" well developed. In the 

 female there is no tubercle on the buccal membrane for attachment of 

 spermatophores. The male has not been described, and consequently 

 nothing is known of the methods, periods, or times of spawning. The 

 adults are about 6 inches in total length, and sometimes larger. The 

 chromatophores are large, of a dark purple color, and are regularly 

 scattered on a pale ground-color. Above the eyes they are so closely 

 crowded as to form dark blotches. The under side of the caudal fin is 

 white. Though extensively distributed, this species is not very abund- 

 ant, nor of much importance economically. It is used as bait, and is 

 also sold as food in Kew Orleans markets. 



Architeiithis. 



Giant Squids. 



These Squids frequent the waters of Newfoundland and the New- 

 foundland Banks, but apparently do not exist in great numbers, as 

 Professor Verrill in his paper on the "Cephalopods of the Northeastern 

 coast of America" mentions but twenty-six specimens of which he could 

 obtain any definite knowledge. It is not unusual for them to be cast 

 up on the Newfoundland beaches after gales, and occasionally they are 

 found dead or dying on the surface of the water in the neighborhood of 

 the Banks. Verrill expresses the opinion that they inhabit the colder 

 fiords of Newfoundland, and are rarely seen at the surface unless dis- 

 abled or incapacitated by disease from iiursuing their customary life. 

 So few specimens have been obtained for study and so seldom have 

 these gigantic Squids been observed, that very little is known of their 

 anatomy, or biography and still less of their sexual characteristics. All 

 that is certain is that in many points they resemble the smaller species ; 

 that they swim by means of the jet of water from the funnel ; that they 

 have the ability to discharge large quantities of "sepia" or "ink," and 

 that they are probably carnivorous. Whenever found they are used for 

 bait, for dog-food and as manure. 



The model exhibited is of a specimen of ArcMteutMs princeiys, Yerrill, 

 cast ashore on the coast of Newfoundland in 1877. It is not the 

 largest specimen that has been seen, but was the one most i)erfectly 

 preserved when it reached the hands of scientific observers. 



Octopus punctatus, Gabb. 



Octopus, or Devil Fish. 



This species exists on the northwest coast of the United States, and 

 attains a large size, being probably the largest species of Octopus in 



