GIGANTIC CEPHALOPODS. 75 



and 30 feet long. The cavities with which they were strewn 

 resembled basins and could contain the quantity of a jar. The 

 teeth corresponded with its size. They kept what remained of 

 its body as a marvelous thing, and it weighed 700 pounds. It is 

 evident from this exaggerated statement of Pliny that he speaks 

 of a decapod, which is proven by the distinction he makes 

 between its feet and its two major arms. Besides, Pliny speaks 

 of the size of its suckers without mentioning any claws. All 

 these details confirm our opinion, and we think that Pliny's 

 animal is related to the Calamaries and the Ommastrephians. 



The fishermen of Cette captured a cephalopod nearly 6 feet 

 long and which forms part of the Collection of Montpellier. 

 M. Steenstrup has recognized in it a species described by him as 

 Ommastrephes pteropus. The same species exists in the Museum 

 at Copenhagen, after having formed part of the cabinet of M. 

 Eschricht, who obtained it at Marseilles. This specimen is the 

 type of Steenstrup's description. 



The Museum at Trieste possesses an analogous animal found 

 on the Dalmatian coast ; and, finally, M. Verany cites a Calamary 

 about 5^ feet long. These numerous facts do not permit us to 

 doubt the existence in the Mediterranean of very large cephal- 

 opods of the genus Ommastrephes. The development of the fin 

 and of the veliform membrane of the third pair of arms induces 

 us to believe that these animals only inhabit the high seas and 

 that they are very good swimmers ; which explains their rarity 

 -in collections. 



As to Octopus, its size can attain a very remarkable develop- 

 ment. Verany speaks of one that he had seen at Nice, over 

 9 feet in length and weighing 35 pounds. 



Fredol, in " Le Monde de la Mer," states that the famous 

 diver, Piscinola, who, at the desire of the Emperor Frederick II, 

 dived in the Straits of Messina, saw, with much alarm, enormous 

 poulps attached to the rocks, their arms several yards long, quite 

 capable of destroying a man. 



II. Of the great Cephalopods of the Northern Seas. The 

 traditions of the North are full of the existence in those regions 

 of an immense animal, the Kraken, which occupies the first rank 

 by its size (" The largest animal in the world." PONTOPPIDAN, 



