GIGANTIC CEP11ALOPODS. 87 



by a ship of this port whilst anchored on the coast of Angola. 

 A Poulpe of dreadful dimensions attached itself to the vessel 

 and attempted to sink it. Grandpre, author of a voyage to 

 Africa, certifies to the existence of monstrous Poulpes at a 

 certain distance from the land. Another sailor, Jean Magnus 

 Dens, was. according to Montfort. attacked by a gigantic 

 '' Encornet " during the passage between the island of St. 

 Helena and Cape Negro. 



Leaving these suspicious documents for the relations of those 

 more worthy of confidence, we find the following in Quoy and 

 Gaimard (" Toy. Uranie " I. 2d Part, 411) : 



In the Atlantic Ocean, near the equator, we collected the 

 remains of an enormous Calamary. What was left of it might 

 weigh 100 pounds, and it was but a longitudinal moiety deprived 

 of its tentacles, so that one can without exaggeration assign the 

 weight of 200 pounds to the entire animal. 



Hang (" Manuel des Moll., 11 &(>) is not less explicit. We have 

 encountered in the middle of the ocean, a species quite distinct 

 from the others, of a very dark red. having short arms, and the 

 size of a tun. 



Mr. J. S. George, of Nassau. N. P., Bahamas, mentions that 

 a monster Octopus was found dead upon the bench. It was 10 

 feet long, each arm measuring 5 feel; the weight was estimated 

 at bei ween 200 and oOO pounds. Mr. George adds "this is the 

 firs i specimen I have seen during twenty-seven years' residence 

 in Bahamas, but they are known here traditionally of immense 1 

 size.* 



On the oOUi of November. 1800. the French steamer Alecton, 

 commanded by Lieut. Bouyer. encountered, between Madeira 

 and Tenerill'e. an enormous Poulpe, which was swimming on the 

 surface of Ihe water. The animal measured 15 to 18 feet in 

 length, without counting the formidable arms, covered with 

 cups, which crowned its head. Its color was brick-red ; its eyes 

 had a prodigious development and frightful fixity. Its mouth, 

 like the beak of a parrot, could be opened to the extent of 18 

 inches. Its body, fusiform but much swelled towards 1 he centre. 



Am. Naturalist, vi, 772, 1873. 



