OMMASTREPHES. 17 1 



that are caught in the pounds and weirs mostly enter in the 

 night, and evidently when swimming along the shore in schools. 

 They are often found in the morning stranded on the beach in 

 immense numbers, especially when there is a full moon, and it is 

 thought by many of the fishermen that this is because, like 

 many other nocturnal animals, they have the habit of turning 

 toward and gazing at a bright light, and since they swim back- 

 wards, they get ashore on the beaches opposite the position of 

 the moon. This habit is also sometimes taken advantage of by 

 the fishermen, who capture them for bait for cod-fish; they go 

 out in dark nights with torches in their boats, and by advancing 

 slowly toward a beach, drive them ashore. VERRILL.* 



* Body opaque, fleshy, smooth above and below. Cups of sessile arms equal, 

 moderate. Typical. 



f Second and third pairs of sessile arms without any membranaceous fringe 



on the inner edge of the ventral side, but replaced by a row 



of small, conical tubercles. 



\ Tentacles with eight rows of numerous small cups near the end of the club. 



O. SAGITTATI s. Lam. PL 7S. tigs. 341. :>42. 345; pi. 79. figs. 



343. 344. 340. 



Head large. body elongate, cylindrical; fins broad, together 

 regularly rhomhoidal. nearly half the length of the body ; arms 

 thick, long, length 3. '2. 4. 1 ; tentacles as long as the body, 

 compressed, the club scarcely enlarged, the lower cups in two 

 series, the central MI four, the upper in eight series, teeth of the 

 rings obtuse. Shell narrow, elongate, its lateral ribs the largest, 

 the apical cone large. Length. to 12 inches. 



tit'-i'ope ; Great Britain to Mediterranean ; 



Newfoundland; New England Coast. 



This species is migratory, so that it is sometimes taken in 

 great quantities; it is called Calamaio by the Italian fishermen, 

 and is sold in the markets ; but only to the poorer classes, as its 

 flesh, although tender, has an unpleasant taste. The female is 

 shorter and stouter than the male. I figure 0. illecebrosa, 

 Lesueur (fig. 342), the American representative of this species : 

 it is considered distinct by some naturalists. 



* Report U. S. Fish Commissioner for 1873, p. 441-2. 

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