VOL. L.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 287 



slender, and of an equal thickness for above 2-thirds of their whole length ; then 

 spreading into a form nearly like that of the shorter arms. Great numbers of 

 acetabula or suckers are placed somewhat irregularly on each of the shorter arms, 

 and on the spreading parts of the tentacula, where some of the suckers are a 

 great deal larger than the rest. The body of the cuttle-fish is broad and ilat, 

 having within it a broad friable white bone; that of the calamary is a sort of 

 cartilaginous case holding the intestines, of a roundish oblong shape, furnished 

 with 1 fins, and having within it a thin transparent elastic substance like 

 isinglass. The mouth of the pour-contrel, cuttle-fish, and calamary, is placed 

 in the fore part of the head, between the arms, having a horny beak, hard and 

 hooked like a parrot's, which some writers call the teeth. The eyes of them all 

 are nearly in the same position. 



As the subject under examination resembles in some particulars all the above 

 kinds of polypi, this short account of them may it is hoped render the following 

 description of it the more intelligible : and with the same view, Mr. George 

 Edwards, f.r.s. had been so obliging as to make drawings of the animal itself, 

 in 4 different positions, as in fig. 1, 2, 3, 4, pi. Q. Our polypus is of the 

 pour-contrel kind, and of that species called holy taena. In fig. 1 is shown the 

 anterior part of this animal, which has much the appearance of a star-fish. Here 

 are 8 arms about 3 inches in length, united at their roots, and placed circularly 

 at equal distances in the same plane, which has a considerable sinking towards 

 the centre. These arms diminish from their rise to their extremities, and end 

 exceedingly small. Near the head they are quadrilateral, but the under side 

 contracting gradually to an edge, they become towards the ends trilateral. On the 

 upper side of each arm are 2 rows of acetabula or suckers, standing in a beautiful 

 order, as close as they can well be placed, and beginning from the centre of all 

 the arms. These suckers are perfectly circular, with edges flat on the top, and 

 a round cavity in the middle of each. They are largest in the widest part of the 

 arm, and lessen as the arm diminishes, till they become so small as hardly to be 

 discernable. It is very difficult to tell their number : Mr. B. counted as far as 

 50 in a row, but there were many more ; and he thinks the 8 arms have more 

 than a thousand on them. They rise some height above the surface of the skin; 

 and wherever they are not, the skin of the arms (unless on the under-sidej is 

 granulated like shagreen. 



Fig. 2 represents the polypus so placed as to show the situation of the eyes and 

 the form of its body, and also in what manner the arms are turned back in the 

 specimen before us ; but we may suppose them thus disposed merely in the act of 

 dyeing, and that when alive they are moveable in all directions. Fig. 3 presents 

 another view of this polypus, its arms extended circularly with their under sides 

 next the eye, and the body so disposed as to show the transverse opening a, the 



