A. E. Vei'rill — North American Cephalopods. 321 



nets. They were particularly abmidant in the summers of 1871 and 

 18*73, in Vineyard Sound. 



These young squids are devoured in inconceivable numbers by 

 fishes of many kinds, and also by the adult squids of the same 

 species, and by the larger jelly-fishes, and many other marine ani- 

 mals. The larger sizes, and even the adults, are also greedily 

 devoui-ed by blue-fish, black-bass, striped-bass, weak-fish, mackerel, 

 cod, and many other kinds of fishes. Therefore these " squids "are 

 really of great importance as food for our most valuable market 

 fishes. They are extensively used as bait by the fishermen. 



Rate of Growth. 



I am not aware that any definite information has hitherto been 

 published as to the rate of growth or length of life of any of our 

 Cephalopods. By some writers it has been stated that the squids 

 are all annual, but this seems to be a mere assumption, without any 

 evidence for its basis. 



Therefore, I have, for several years past, preserved large numbers 

 of specimens of the young of Loligo Pealei, collected at different 

 seasons and localities, in order to ascertain, if possible, the rate of 

 growth and the size acquired during the first season, at least. One 

 of the following tables (I) shows some of the data thus obtained. 



There is considerable difficulty in ascertaining the age of these 

 squids, owing to the fact that the spawning season extends through 

 the whole summer, so that the young ones hatched early in June are 

 as large by September as those that hatch in September are in the 

 following spring. Owing to the same cause, most of the large lots 

 of young squids taken in mid-summer include various sizes, from 

 those just hatched up to those that are two or three inches long. 

 They are often mixed with some of those of the previous year, con- 

 siderably larger than the rest. Earlier in the season (in May and the 

 first part of June), before the first-laid eggs begin to hatch, the young- 

 est specimens taken (60 to 100"'™ long) are presumed to belong to the 

 later broods of the previous autumn, while those somewhat larger are 

 believed to be from earlier broods of the f)revious summer, and to 

 represent the growth of one year, very nearly. 



Taking these principles as a guide, I have arrived at the following 

 conclusions, from the data collected : 



1. The young squids begin to hatch at least as early as the second 

 week in June, on the southern coast of New England, and continue 

 to hatch till the middle of September, and perhaps later. 



