16 MOLLUSCA. CEPHALOPODA. 



form and substance to the bill of a parrot. It is with this powerful instrument that 

 the Sepije break the shells of crabs and shell fish. In the belly near the coecum is the 

 vessel which contains the black liquor, with which they darken the surrounding 

 water when they wish to conceal themselves or to escape from their enemies. 



S. ojficinalis, Lam. Body smooth on both sides ; pedunculate arms 

 very long ; dorsal bone elliptical. Inhabits the Atlantic and Me- 

 diterranean sea. Penn. Brit. Zool. iv. 117- 

 The spongy bone of this species was formerly used in medicine as an absorbent. 



S. tuberculata, Lam. Head and back tuberculate ; the peduncu- 

 lated arms rather short ; the dorsal bone spatulate. Inhabits the 

 seas of India Lam. vii. 668. 



Gen. 2. LOLIGO, Lam. Sepia, Lin. 



Body fleshy, contained in an elongated, cylindrical bag, pointed 

 at the base, and winged below ; an elongated, thin, trans- 

 parent, horny lamina inclosed within the body toward the 

 back ; mouth terminal, surrounded by ten arms furnished with 

 cups, of which two are longer and pedunculate. 



L. vnlgaris, Lam. Wings semirhomboid, distinct from the extre- 

 mity of the tail; the limb of the sac three-lobed, and the dorsal la- 

 mina narrowed anteriorly. European seas, Penn. Brit. Zool. iv. 

 pi. 29. 



This is the most common species, and one of the largest of the genus. The arms 

 are about the length of the body. 



L. sagittata, Lam. Wings triangular, not distinct from the tail ; 

 limb of the sac entire ; the dorsal lamina dilated anteriorly. In- 

 habits the Atlantic Lam. vii. 663. 



L. Sepiola, Lam. The body obtuse at the base ; wings rounded ; 

 dorsal lamina linear, and extremely small. Inhabits the Medi- 

 terranean sea Penn. Brit. Zool. iv. pi. 31, fig. 2. 



Gen. 3. LOLIGOPSIS, Lam. 



Body fleshy, oblong, contained in a bag winged beneath, and 

 slightly pointed at its base ; mouth terminal, surrounded with 

 eight sessile and equal arms. 



L. Peronii, Lam. Inhabits the South sea Lam. vii. 660. 

 Gen. 4. OCTOPUS, Lam. Sepia, Lin. 



Body fleshy, obtuse beneath, and contained in a sac, which is 

 destitute of wings ; no internal dorsal bone, or only a very 

 small one; mouth terminal, surrounded with eight simple elon- 

 gated arms, furnished with sessile cups. 



O. vulgaris, Lam. Body smooth ; cups widely set and arranged in 

 two rows. European seas. Penn. Brit. Zool. iv. pi. 30. 



O. granulatus, Lam. Body covered with sparse tubercles ; cups 

 closely set and arranged in two rows Lam. vii. 658. 



O. cirrhosus. Body round, smoothish ; arms compressed and spirally 

 twisted ; cups in a single row. Lam. vii. 658. 



