242 A. E. Verrill — JVorth American Ceplialo^wds. 



togetlier. The comparative distances between the suckers through- 

 out the whole length in each row are as follows : — between the first 

 and second sucker, \\ inch; halfway up the arm, 1 inch; at three 

 quarters of the entire length, h inch ; and within six inches of the 

 distal extremity, \ inch. The relative diameters of the suckers at 

 similar distances are : — at the base, extreme outside measurement f 

 inch, inside measurement of corneous ring \ inch ; and, tliose suckers 

 a little past tlie first few being the largest, halfway down \ inch 

 outside and \ inch inside measurement, at three quarters length \ 

 inch, and at 6 inclies from the extreme point \ inch outside measure- 

 ment, gradually diminishing from here to the size of a pin''s liead. 



The shape and structure of the suckers upon this British-Museum 

 specimen agree with those of (hnmastrephes todarus as given by 

 D'Orbigny, corresponding also with those figured by Harting, 

 referred by him to the same species, and anticipated by the same 

 authority to be also identical wath Prof. Steenstrup's Architeuthis 

 dux. More minutely they may be described as hemispherical in 

 shape, the stalk or peduncle being attached laterally at the base of 

 the hemisphere, the point of insertion of the same in the cup being 

 marked by a conspicuous pit-like depression. The horny ring is 

 obliquely set, and much deeper at the side opposite the insertion of 

 the stalk; the inner margin is serrated; and in most examples the 

 serratures bordering the deeper side are considerably larger than in 

 the other portions of the circumference; in some instances the 

 serratures, except at the particular point mentioned, are altogether 

 aborted, having the inner margin of the ring quite smooth; in other 

 examples, and more especially among the larger suckers, the teeth 

 or serratures are equal or subequal. The average number of the 

 teeth of the largest rings is twenty." 



Mr. Kent, unfortunately, does not state to which pair this arm belongs. 

 But from his description, it is, perhaps, a ventral arm. It evidently 

 belongs to an Architeuthis^ and is very near to our A. ])rinceps. 



Lieut. Bouyer, of the French steamer ' Ak'cton,' encountered a 

 huge cephalopod, in November, 1860, between Madeira and Teneriife. 

 Its body was estimated to be between 15 and 18 feet in length. A 

 long and laborious attempt was made to capture it, and a slipnoose 

 was passed around the body, but on attempting to hoist it on board 

 the rope cut through the soft flesh and the tail alone was secured. 

 A sketch of the animal was made by one of the oflicers, and Messrs. 

 Crosse and Fischer* have, from this figure and the narrative of the 



* Journal de Conchyliologie, 3d ser., vol. ii, p. 138, 1862. See also Tryon's Manual 

 of Conchology, vol. i, p. 87, Plate 59, 1879 (figure copied from the original). 



