318 A. JS. Verrlll — North American Gephalopods. 



A medium-sized male specimen, recently preserved in alcohol, 

 measured 145""" from the base of the dorsal arms to the posterior end 

 of the body ; length of body, 120""" ; length of caudal fin, 70""" ; 

 breadth of fin, 75"""; length of first pair of arms, 42""'; of second 

 pair, 50""" ; of third, 60™"' ; of ventral pair, 53™"' ; of tentacular 

 arms, 150'""'. (For other measui-ements see tables B to E.) 



Astoria, Long Island, 1870, (Robert Benner). 



This form has been received, hitherto, only from the western part 

 of Long Island Sound, where it is abundant with the schools of 

 menhaden, on which it feeds. 



Reproduction of lost parts. 



I have observed in this species, as well as in Ommastrephes illece- 

 brosKS, numerous instances in which some of the suckers have been 

 torn off and afterwards reproduced. In such examples new suckers 

 of various sizes, from those that are very minute up to those that are 

 but little smaller than the normal ones, can often be found scattered 

 among the latter, on the same individual. It seems to me jjossible 

 that some of the specimens having the suckers on the tentacular arms 

 unusually small, may have reproduced all those suckers, or siill more 

 likely, the entire arm. 



I have seen specimens of this species, and also of 0. illecebrosKS, 

 Avhich, after having lost the tips, or even the distal half of one or 

 more of the sessile arms, have more or less completely reproduced the 

 lost parts.* In such cases the restored portion is often more slender 

 and has smaller suckers than the normal arms, and where the old part 

 joins the new there is often an abrupt change in size. Probably this 

 difference would wholly disappear, after a longer time. 



An unquestionable and most remarkable example of the reproduc- 

 tion of several entire arms occurs in a small specimen taken off New- 

 port, R. I., Aug., 1880. This has the mantle 70""" long; dorsal arms 

 22'"'", 3d pair of arms 30""". The three upper pairs of arms are per- 

 fectly normal, but both the tentacular and both the ventral arms 

 have evidently been entirely lost and then reproduced, from the very 

 base. These four arms are now nearly perfect in form, but are 



* Perhaps the Dosidicus Eschrichtii Steenstrup is only an Ommastrephes or Sthenoteu- 

 tlds which had lost and pariiall}'' rejiroduced the tips of all the arms. Aside from the 

 solid cone of the pen, characters have not been given sufficient to distinguish it 

 generically. My former reference of this species (p. 250) to the Teuthidce, was an 

 error, due to tiiu brevity of ihe original description. 



