93 



proximal region of the arms and ike mouth. The dorsal- 

 most pair of arms was loosely thrown back over the head, 

 and while the ventralinost was pressed against the ventral 

 posterior part of the body, the lateral pairs were thrust 

 into the mantle cavity, and appeared to press vigorously 

 against the visceral mass. Then the arms were all 

 twisted about in the water in an extraordinary spiral 

 manner. After these preliminary indications of great 

 excitement, and preparation for spawning, the Eledone 

 seemed to settle down, the small circumoral suckers were 

 approximated and extended so as to form a closed chamber 

 over the region of the mouth. Then the siphon was 

 inserted into this chamber, and a number of eggs passed 

 in. Next the circumoral suckers began to press 

 the very sticky glutinous substance which accompanied 

 the ova against the glass. 



The proximal part of the bunch of eggs, together 

 with the adhesive disc, could now be seen, but the distal 

 part of the bunch was still hidden by the bases of the 

 arms. Next the suckers in this region moved the eggs 

 about and appeared to arrange them in their final con- 

 dition as described above. When first spawned the eggs 

 have no definite central cord, but appear to be held 

 together merely by the glutinous mass which accompanies 

 them. Then the two ventral arms press the bunch firmly 

 against the glass, and seem to test the tirmness of the 

 adhesion. The whole process, after the Eledone conies to 

 rest before spawning, occupies from fifteen to twenty 

 minutes. 



Eledone very rarely spawns when in captivity — 

 possibly as a result of living under artificial conditions. 

 Hence the fact that it is never kept in aquaria throughout 

 the winter may possibly be explained as the result of 

 becoming egg-bound, as well as of too low a temperature. 



