146 OCTOPIDiE. 



Eledone cirho'sa'^, Lamarck. 



Octopus cirrkosus, Lam, Mem. Soc. H. N. p. 21, pi. l.f.2a,b. E. cirrhosus 

 F. & H. iv. p. 211, pi. KKK. f. 4, and pi. MMM. f. 1. 



Body oval, contracted below the eyes, and rounded at the 

 base ; it is smooth or minutely granulated on the back, which 

 is slightly convex; colouring clouded, and closely sprinkled 

 over with small reddish-brown dots ; sides rounded, of a lighter 

 colour, and dotted; belly flattened, bluish-white, and also 

 sprinkled with dots, which, however, are larger, more distant, 

 and arranged in almost regular lines : eyes rather small, of a 

 beautiful orangecolour, resembling those of the toad, often 

 concealed by the skin being drawn over them ; eyelids white 

 and silvery, profusely dotted : arms fully one half longer than 

 the rest of the body, finely tapered, connected together at 

 their base by a membrane, which runs up the outer edge, 

 giving each arm a winged appearance ; suckers uniserial, large, 

 saucer-shaped, with a central hole annulated on the rim, the 

 rim being plaited in a radiating manner ; towards the base of 

 the arm they are longer and not in contact; but they soon 

 become approximate, and (gradually lessening in size) are very 

 minute at the tips ; there are about 100 on each arm. (John- 

 ston). L. (cxc. brach.) 4-6 ; br. 10-12. B. 3-4. 



Habitat : Not uncommon on the coasts of Scotland, 

 Ireland, and the north of England, in rather deep 

 water; Shetland (Maclaur in) ; Cheshire (Collingwood); 

 Devon (Montagu); Falmouth (Cocks). Norway and 

 Sweden (^liiller, Strom, and Loven) ; Faroe Isles (Sys- 

 selman Miiller, ^c?e Steenstrup). 



Strom says it was called ^' Suar '^ by the Bergen folk, 

 and that it sticks so fast to fishes as to be often taken 

 with them. " When at rest, this Octopod lies prone on 

 the belly, the arms spread out in front, with their extre- 

 mities disposed in spirals on the sides. It has in this 

 position a considerable likeness to a toad; and, often 

 raising the back and head, its aspect is really repulsive 

 and threatening. The changes of colour from reddish- 



* Curled. 



