268 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [58] 



of a giant Cephalopod which has been long- preserved in the British 

 Museum, but of which the origin is'unknown. He states, in the first 

 article, that it is just 9 feet long and 11 inches in circumfereuce at the 

 base, tapering off to a fine point. There are about 150 suckers in each of 

 the two alternating rows, those at the base being .75 of an inch in 

 diameter. 



In his second article he refers this arm doubtfully to Ommastrephes 

 todarus, and gives the following description : 



"The length of this arm, from one extremity to the other, is just 9 

 feet ; the circumference at the base 11 inches ; and from this it grad- 

 ually decreases, terminating in a fine point. The suckers are arranged 

 in two rows throughout the extent of the arm, numbering, approxi- 

 mately, 150 to each row, or a total of 300 to the whole organ. Forty- 

 three suckers only are stationed on each side in the first or proximal 

 half of the arm ; one hundred on each side occupy the whole length, 

 with the exception of 14 inches, this smaller length including the re- 

 maining fifty on each side, which are very minute and crowded together. 

 The comparative distances between the suckers throughout the whole 

 length in each row are as follows : Between the first and second sucker, 

 1£ inches ; half way up the arm, 1 inch ; at three-quarters of the entire 

 length, £ inch; and within 6 inches of the distal extremity, ^ inch. 

 The relative diameters of the suckers at similar distances are : At the 

 base, extreme outside measurement, $ inch; inside measurement of 

 corneous ring, i inch ; and, those suckers a little past the first few being 

 the largest, half way down, £ inch outside and £ inch inside measurement; 

 at three-quarters length, ^ inch; and at 6 inches from the extreme 

 point, £ inch outside measurement, gradually diminishing from here to 

 the size of a pin's head. 



" The shape and structure of the suckers upon this British Museum 

 specimen agree with those of Ommastrephes todarus, as given by D'Or- 

 bigny, corresponding also with those figured by Harting, referred by 

 him to the same species, and anticipated by the same authority to be 

 also identical with Professor Steenstrup's Architeuthis dux. More mi- 

 nutely they may be described as hemispherical in shape, the stalk or 

 peduncle being attached laterally at the base of the hemisphere, the 

 point of insertion of the same in the cup being marked by a conspicuous 

 pit-like depression. The horny ring is obliquely set, and much deeper 

 at the side opposite the insertion of the stalk ; the inner margin is ser- 

 rated ; and in most examples the serratures bordering the deeper side 

 are considerably larger than hi the other portions of the circumference ; 

 in some instances the serratures, except at the particular point men- 

 tioned, are altogether aborted, having the inner margmof the ring quite 

 smooth ; in other examples, and more especially among the larger suckers, 

 the teeth or serratures are equal or subequal. The average number of 

 the teeth of the largest rings is twenty." 



Mr. Kent, unfortunately, does not state to which pair this arm 



