434 PERCY SLADEN TRUST EXPEDITION 



It may be taken for granted that this animal does not "fly" in the strict sense 

 of the word, i.e. it does not maintain itself or effect progress by repeated muscular 

 efforts out of the water. It should more coi-rectly be called the "leaping squid," as it is 

 pretty clear that by the action in question it merely projects itself from the water by a 

 single effort. It has been suggested that the occurrence of the animal out of the 

 water may possibly be merely accidental. It is a powerful swimmer and it is possible that 

 in a rough sea it might accidentally shoot out of the water when swimming close to the 

 surface. From D'Orbigny's account (4), however, in which he describes the considerable 

 altitude (15 — 20 feet) to which it leaps and the way it is preyed on by sea-birds, I am 

 inclined to think it executes the characteristic leap voluntarily in order to escape from its 

 enemies. D'Orbigny says the habit has been observed in some species of Sepioteuthis as well. 

 He is of opinion that it is effected by the well-developed fins on the arms; but, however 

 much the latter may facilitate the leap, they can scarcely initiate it. The latter function 

 is probably performed by the powerful trunk muscles exercising an abnormal pressure on 

 the contents of the mantle cavity. It is possible that the power is possessed by a good 

 many other squids, but has only been observed in S. hartramii by reason of its plentiful 

 occurrence. 



LiocRANCHiA GAEDiNERi: Fig. 1, Mandibles; Fig. 2, Radula. A. Admedian tooth. (Cam. y\r nom. imm. x 6oc.) 



Family 11. Chiroteuthidse. Chiroteuthis. Subgenus Doratopsis. 



Chiroteuthis (Doratopsis) exophthalmica Chun. Deutsche Tiefsee-Expedition. 

 Bd. 18, T. i. p. 290, 1910. 



A single specimen, sex indeterminate, from between Peros and Salomon, Chagos, 

 600 fms. (1535). 



Distribution previously know7i : Madeira and South Indian Ocean. 



The specimen is very much damaged, only the head, tentacles and a small part of the 

 body remaining. The identification is provisional. 



Family Cranchiidse. Liocranchia. 



Liocranchia gardineri, n. sp. (Plate 65, fig. 1 and Text-figs. 1 and 2.) 

 One example, sex indeterminate, from oflfDesroches Atoll, 200 fms. (1530). 



It is very much to be regretted that only a single specimen of this interesting form 

 was obtained, as owing to the size and structure it is impossible to dissect out any of the 

 internal organs or even to open the mantle cavity without seriously damaging the specimen. 



