88 (ilUANTIC CEPHALOPODS. 



presented an enormous mass, the weight of which has been esti- 

 mated at more Hum 4400 pounds. Us (ins. situated at the 

 posterior extremity, were rounded in two fleshy lobes and of 

 very largo size. The commander of ihe vessel on perceiving it. 

 halted upon his course and made preparations for capturing the 

 monsier. (SJtins were charged and harpoons hastily prepared ; 

 but a I the first discharge of the former, the animal dived under 

 the ship and immediately appeared on the other side. Attacked 

 again with harpoons, it disappeared .wo or three times, and. 

 each time that it reascended to the surface, its ^ long arms 

 writhed. The ship followed or arrested its course according to 

 the movements of the animal. This chase lasled more than three 

 hours. The commander of the A lee, on was determined to 

 capture this new kind of enemy; nevertheless he did not dare 

 to lower a boat, for a single arm of this cephalopod would sullice 

 to overturn it. The harpoons which were launched at il pene- 

 trated the flabby flesh and came out without success; several 

 balls Ira versed it also unsuccessfully. Nevertheless it received 

 one of them which appeared to wound it badly, causing ii to 

 vomit a. great quantity of frothy matter and blood mixed wiih 

 vise-id mailer which spread a strong odor of musk. It was at 

 this instant that they succeeded in lassoing ilio animal, but the 

 roi)o slid along the clastic body until anes\cd by the tins. 

 Attempting to haul their pri/e aboard, they had already raised 

 the greater part of the animal from the water when its enormous 

 weight caused the rope to penetrate the tlesh and separate the 

 posterior portion of the body which was drawn on board, 

 whilst the rest disappeared in the sea. 



The above is condensed from a let lei 1 addressed io M. Moqiiin 

 Tandon. bv M. Sabin Bertholet, consul of France, at the Cana- 

 ries, who saw the fragment alluded to. and received ihe relation 

 of the commandant of the vessel. One of the olliccrs made a 

 skeldi of this animal, which, in con June! ion \vi! h lie description, 

 is considered by Messrs, ('rosso and Fisher sufficiently exact to 

 war ran i them in dcicrmimiig it to belong to a new species of 

 Luligo. which they name //. /><>// //crt. The figure and descripiion 

 show but eight arms, but the elongated form of the body. Un- 

 proportional shortness of ! he arms and the presence of Ihe pos- 



