[145] CEPHALOPODS OF NORTHEASTERN COAST OF AMERICA. 355 



it is probable that those of similar age keep together in schools for 

 mutual safety. 



12. Among the adult specimens of var. pallida, taken November 16 

 and December 7, at Astoria, there are several young ones, from 75 mm to 

 120 mm in length, with rudimentary reproductive organs. These may, 

 perhaps, be the young of the year, hatched in June. 



Distribution. 



This species is found along the whole coast, from South Carolina to 

 Massachusetts Bay. 



It is the common squid from Cape Hatteras to Cape Cod. In Long 

 Island Sound and Vineyard Sound it is very abundant, and is taken in 

 large numbers in the fish-pounds and seines, and used to a large extent 

 for bait. It is comparatively scarce, though not rare, north of Cape 

 Cod. The young were trawled by us in many localities in Massachusetts 

 Bay, in 1878. Large specimens were taken in the pounds at Province- 

 town, Mass., August, 1879. It was taken in considerable quantities, in 

 breeding condition, in the fish-pounds at Cape Ann, near Gloucester, 

 Mass., May, 1880 (var. borealis). It has not been observed north of 

 Cape Ann. Its southern limit is not known to me, but it appears to 

 have been found on the coast of South Carolina. 



In depth, it has occurred from low-water mark to fifty fathoms. The 

 eggs have often been taken by us in the trawl, in great abundance, at 

 many localities along the southern shores of New England, in five to 

 twenty -five fathoms. 



It is known to be a very important element in the food-supply of the 

 blue-fish, tautog, sea-bass, striped-bass, weak-fish, king-fish, and many 

 other of our larger market fishes. 



In the Gulf of Mexico this species appears to be replaced by another 

 species (Loligo Gahi D'Orbigny). Of this we have several specimens, 

 collected on the west coast of Florida, at Egmont Key, near Tampa 

 Bay, by Col. E. Jewett and Mr. W. T. Coons. This species is closely 

 allied to L. Pealei, but has a more slender form, with the caudal fin 

 shorter and narrower in proportion to the length of the mantle. The 

 pen has a shorter and broader shaft, and a narrower and more oblong 

 blade, which has parallel, thickened, and darker-colored portions be- 

 tween the midrib and margins (Plate XXVII, fig. 5). The tentacular 

 suckers have their horny rings more coarsely and equally toothed, there 

 being only a partial alternation of larger and smaller teeth. 



Along our southern coast, from Delaware Bay to Florida, a much 

 shorter and relatively stouter species (Loligo brevis Blainv.) occurs, which 

 might be mistaken by a careless observer for the present species. In ad- 

 dition to its shorter body, it has very different large tentacular suckers, 

 with the teeth on the horny rim coarser and all of similar form and size. 

 Its pen is also shorter and relatively broader, and different in structure 

 (Plate XXXI, figs. 4-6). 



