178 A. JE. Verrlll — North American Gephalopods. 



often vomit large fragments of them in such a condition as to be re- 

 cognizable.* The first reliable account, known to me, of specimens 

 actually taken in American waters by our fishermen and whalemen was 

 published by Dr. A. S. Packard, in 1 873.f In that article Dr. Pack- 

 ard described a portion of a jaw from a large specimen (our No. 1) 

 taken by the Gloiicester fishermen on the Grand Banks, and a very 

 large pair of jaws taken from the stomach of a sperm whale, (our No. 

 10). Soon after this, in 1873, a large living specimen was encoun- 

 tered by two fishermen in Conception Bay, and one of the tentacular- 

 arms, which was secured, was preserved in the museum of St. John's, 

 Newfoundland, by the Kev. Mr. Harvey and Mr. Alexander Murray, 

 (our No. 2). Both these gentlemen wrote good and interesting 

 accounts of this specimen, which were extensively copied in the 

 magazines and newspapers, while a photograph of the arm itself 

 was also secured and distributed. 



This important addition to our knowledge of these creatures was 

 followed, a few weeks later, by the capture of a nearly perfect speci- 

 men of the same species, near St. John's. Mr. Harvey and Mr. 

 Murray likewise secured this specimen and published detailed ac- 

 counts of it, which gave a more accurate idea of the character of the 

 genus and species than any previoiis descriptions. 



My own attention was specially directed to these large Cephalopods, 

 at that time, on account of being so fortunate as to secure for study 

 most of the preserved portions of all the specimens referred to above, 

 with some additional ones, detailed below. For these very interest- 

 ing specimens I am especially indebted to the zeal and kindness of 

 the Rev. Mr. Harvey, and to Professor S. F. Baird. To Dr. A. S. 

 Packard I am indebted for the use of the jaws of No. 10. Mr. Pour- 

 tales, of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, has also kindly sent 

 the specimens belonging to that museum, and Mr. W. H. Dull has 

 contributed his specimens and drawings of a species from Alaska. 

 Special acknowledgments to others will be foimd in connection with 

 the descriptions of the specimens. 



Although 1 have, in several former papers,]; given details of the 



* See Maury's Sailing Directions ; also articles by N. S Shaler, American Naturalist, 

 vol. vii. p. 3, 1873; by Dr. Packard, op. cit., p. 90; and by Mr. W. H. Dall, op. cit, 

 p. 484. 



■j- American Naturalist, vol. vii, p. 91, February, 1873. 



% American Jour. Science, vol. vii, p. 158, Feb., 1874; vol. ix, pp. 12:!, 177, Plates 

 11- V, 1875; vol. x, p. 213, Sept., 1875; vol. xii, p. 236, 1876; vol. xiv, p. 425, Nov., 

 1877. American Naturalist, vol. viii, p. 167, 1874; vol. ix, pp. 21, 78, .Jan. and Feb., 

 1875. 



