146 OCTOPID^E. 



ELEDONE CIRRO'SA*, Lamarck. 



Octopus cirrhosus, Lam. Mem . Soc. H. N. p. 2 1 , pi. 1 . f . 2 a, b. E. cirrhosus 

 F. & H. iv. p. 211, pi. KKK. f. 4, and pi. MMM. f. 1. 



BODY oval, contracted below the eyes, and rounded at the 

 base ; it is smooth or minutely granulated on the back, which 

 is slightly convex; colouring clouded, and closely sprinkled 

 over with small reddish-brown dots ; sides rounded, of a lighter 

 colour, and dotted; belly flattened, bluish-white, and also 

 sprinkled with dots, which, however, are larger, more distant, 

 and arranged in almost regular lines : eyes rather small, of a 

 beautiful orangecolour, resembling those of the toad, often 

 concealed by the skin being drawn over them ; eyelids white 

 and silvery, profusely dotted : arms fully one half longer than 

 the rest of the body, finely tapered, connected together at 

 their base by a membrane, which runs up the outer edge, 

 giving each arm a winged appearance ; suckers uniserial, large, 

 saucer-shaped, with a central hole annulated on the rim, the 

 rim being plaited in a radiating manner ; towards the base of 

 the arm they are longer and not in contact ; but they soon 

 become approximate, and (gradually lessening in size) are very 

 minute at the tips ; there are about 100 on each arm. (John- 

 ston). L. (exc. brach.) 4-6 ; br. 10-12. B. 3-4. 



HABITAT : Not uncommon on the coasts of Scotland, 

 Ireland, and the north of England, in rather deep 

 water ; Shetland (Maclaurin) ; Cheshire (Collingwood) ; 

 Devon (Montagu) ; Falmouth (Cocks). Norway and 

 Sweden (Miiller, Strom, and Loven) ; Faroe Isles (Sys- 

 selman Miiller, ^cfe Steenstrup). 



Strom says it was called " Suar " by the Bergen folk, 

 and that it sticks so fast to fishes as to be often taken 

 with them. " When at rest, this Octopod lies prone on 

 the belly, the arms spread out in front, with their extre- 

 mities disposed in spirals on the sides. It has in this 

 position a considerable likeness to a toad; and, often 

 raising the back and head, its aspect is really repulsive 

 and threatening. The changes of colour from reddish- 



* Curled. 



