246 A. jEJ. Verrill — North American Cephalopods. 



The following species, although the specimens, when found, had lost 

 some of their most characteristic parts, appears to be nearly related 

 to Onychoteuthis, a genus having sharp claws instead of suckers on 

 the ' club ' of the tentacular-arms, and a cluster of small tubercles and 

 smooth suckers on its ' wrist,' to unite the arms together. It proba- 

 bly belongs to the group Lestoteuthis, characterized below. 



Onychoteuthis robusta (Daii). 



Ommastrephes rohustus (Dall, MSS.) Verrill, Americau Journal Science, vol. xii, p. 

 236, 1876. 



Plates XXIII and XXIV. 



This large and very interesting species* was discovered by Mr. W. 

 H. Dall, near lliuliuk, Unalashka I., off the coast of Alaska.f He 

 found three specimens thrown upon the beach, April 26 and May 8, 

 1872. He made descriptions, measurements, and some very valuable 

 drawings of them, while fresh. The specimens had all been more or 

 less mutilated by the ravens before they were discovered. He pre- 

 served the pharynx, beak, and odontophore of No. 1 ; part of the 

 'bone,' a piece of the caudal fin, and the basal part of one of the 

 ventral arms, with five of the suckers adhei'ing, from one of the other 

 specimens, (No. 2), and has generously placed them in my hands for 

 examination, together with his drawings, measurements and notes. 



The parts remaining of the largest specimen, No. 3, when found 

 had a total length of 427'"' (14 feet), but the ends of the tentacular- 

 arms had been destroyed ; length from tail to base of tentacular-arms, 

 SSQ'"" (8 feet, 6 inches) ; to front edge of mantle, 232*4^™ (7 feet, 7^ 

 inches); width across fins, 1 07'"' (42 inches) ; diameter of body, 45-7'^'" 

 (18 inches) ; slender basal portion remaining of tentacular-arms, 

 155'^" (61 inches); their diameter, 6*3'^'" (2-5 inches); short arms 

 (ends gone), 76 to 102*^^(30 to 40 inches); length of pen, 226'="' 

 (7 feet, 5 inches). 



Accordino- to Mr. Ball's notes the color was reddish, in fine red dots 

 on a whitish ground, with a darker stripe on the outer median line of 

 the arms. The eyes were bluish-black, furnished with lids, and with 

 a small sinus in front; diameter of the opening, 2-5'='" (1 inch). 



The mandibles retracted into a short, yellow, puckered muzzle, 

 which was included in a longer, plain, })roboscis-like tube, extending 

 an inch or two beyond. Siphon, short and thick.t Kegion of the eye 



* This is the species referred to as perhaps OnycJwteuthis Bergi by Mr. Dall in his 

 note upon large cephalopods, in the American Naturalist, vol. vii, p. 484, 1873. 



f The first specimen was found by Mr. M. W. Harrington, of Mr. Dall's party, on 

 the west shore of Amaknak Island. Captain's Harbor, Unalashka, April l*6th. 



X No valve is shown in Mr. Dall's sketches. 



