GIGANTIC C.JSPHALOPODS. 89 



terior tins, show it to have been OIK- ol' the decapods. Probably 

 the tentacular arms were cither delicient or were not seen.* 



The fishermen mention Hie almost yearly occurrence at the 

 Ishtncl of St. Paul. Indian Ocean, in the midst of schools of 

 lishes of ;in enormous cephalopod. the dimensions of which 

 exceed those of their boats, and which throws out of the water 

 io a great distance, two long arms, covered with cups. Fearing 

 to approach the crealnre. they hastily returned into the crater as 

 soon as they saw it.f 



\Ve add. that on the ~2(\ November, following an extremely 

 violent title, one of these monsirous cephalopods came ashore. 

 It did not measure less than *2'2 feet from the extremity of the 

 tins to those of (he tentacular arms. M. Ca/in immediately pho- 

 tographed the animal as it lay extended on the shore, and this 

 photograph we have reproduced. 



Ina preliminary report, addressed to the Academy of Sciences. 

 I have mentioned this great cephalopod, and identified it with the 

 genus Architeuthis of Steenstrnp. Its dimensions, its circular 

 cups, garnished with a finely denticulated corneous ring, their 

 dis|)osilion on the arms, seemed to indicate this ailinilv. but 

 certain oilier characters remove it ; in particular, the singularlv 

 bluiil form of the arms, which appear shortly truncated instead 

 of terminating in a point, as in all other cephalopods, as well as 

 ihe inferior termination, entirely different, of the dorsal bone. 

 It mns! cer.ainly constitute, amoii" 1 the ^i^antic Ommastrephes, 

 a new ovnns. which I hasten to dedicate to Commandant 

 Mouchez.J 



^'Oiino- individuals of Sepia. l)orn in summer, had not exceeded 

 the si/e of about an inch in three months, although adults are 

 known of the size of 18 inches and more. The great differences 

 in hulk of the same species indicate that, unlike the superior 

 vertebrates, their growth may continue during their life. The 

 common I'oulpe. nearly .10 feet long, seen by M. Ycranv. must 

 have been very old. Admitting these premises, the question 

 occurs, are the gigantic individuals abnormally si/ed specimens 

 of common species, or does their size indicate specific distinct- 



* Jour, de Conch., :M st-r., ii, p. 135, 18(52. 



f St. Paul is a volcanic island, the crater of which is submerged. 

 t Vel.iin. Archives Zool. Exper., vi, 83, 1877. 

 12 



