62 E. LÖNNBER«, ON THE CEPHALOPODS. 



this paper. The grosses ecailles» are no scales but only 

 subcutaneous papillte from which the covering skin lias been 

 removed by the influence of the digestive fluids of the stomach 

 of the sperm whale. Mr. Joubin himself makes it clear that 

 these organs cannot in any way deserve such a name nor be 

 conipared with the scales of ganoids as he describes their 

 structure in the following way: »Sur des coupes on voit que 

 ces ecailles surraontent le plan musculaire dermique, et qu'elles 

 consistent en un tissu transparent, spongieux, contenant un 

 tres grand nombre de fibres elastiques et des faisceaux muscu- 

 laires; parmi ces derniers on en remarque de circulaires faisant 

 le tour de l'ecaille et servant probablement ä augmenter sa 

 saillie». This description of »Lepidoteuthis* resembles essenti- 

 alia the one I have given of the corresponding parts of 

 Onychoteuthis ingens and there can be no doubt that these 

 structures in both animals are identical and serve the same 

 purpose. The animals themselves however do not belong to 

 the same species, or perhaps not even genus. The shape of 

 the fins are entirely different. But Joubin also teils us that 

 in the same spermwhale was found »une enorme couronne 

 tentaculaire d'un Cephalopode» and he supposes that this 

 might have belonged to some representative of the genus 

 Cucioteuthis Steenstrup. Not knowing the measurements of 

 this »couronne tentaculaire ^ I cannot of course express any 

 opinion, but the question might arise: Does it not belong 

 to either of the two bodies of -»Lepidoteuthis», which were 

 found at the same time? and thus the remarhable -»Lepido- 

 teuthis» be reduced to some less peculiar Onychoteuthis. 



The larger of the two Onychoteuthis ingens the mantle- 

 cavity of which I have opened is a male, but its arms do 

 not show any trace of hectocotylisation, all the arms bearing 

 completely normal suckers even in the extreme tips. As the 

 specimen was perfectly full-grown and mature as will be found 

 from the details related below, this species certainly does not 

 have any hectocotylisation of the arms. 



The mantle-cavity is large. The valve of the funnel is 

 broad. The funnel-organ is well developed, and has the same 

 shape as in the Ommatostrephini (Todarodes) with the median 

 portions anteriorly confluent, posteriorly divergmg and 

 extending comparatively far down on the musculi depressores 

 infundibuli. The length of this portion is 50 mm., the width 



