144 THE NAUTILUS. 
Sepia Hercules n. sp. 
Shell having the general form of that of S. esculenta Hoyle but 
more convex ventrally; chitinous margin narrow; dorsal surface 
tuberculate-rugose as in esculenta, but more coarsely so, the posterior 
part haying the tubercles very deeply separated, flat-topped, and 
leaning posteriorly ; dorsal surface evenly rounded, with no trace of 
a median longitudinal rib. Ventral surface as in esculenta, but the 
striation is much closer although the shell is triple the size. Last loc- 
ulus has an index of 22. Inner cone well developed, its limbs aris- 
ing about one-third the length of the shell from the posterior end, 
gradually rising along the sides, posteriorly reflexed and appressed 
on the outer cone, leaving below a narrow small cavity. The ante- 
rior edge of the inner cone does not form a shelf across the posterior 
end of the outer cone as is the case in esculenta, and the cavity is 
much smaller, shallower and narrower than in a specimen of esculenta 
155 mill. in length. Spine very stout, conical, its root excavated 
ventrally. 
Length 425 mill.; greatest breadth 160 mill.; length of spine 19 
mill. 
This species is the giant of the genus, tbeshell being about 16¢inches 
long. It is allied to S. esculenta Hoyle, but differs as above indicated. 
The dorsal slope does not descend abruptly to the spine as in that spe- 
cies. Of S. esculenta a good many specimens are before me collected 
by Mr. Stearns. They agree well with the “ Challenger” specimens. 
The size of esculenta is moderately constant, those seen by Hoyle, 
Appelloff and myself being from 155 to 163 mill. long (about 6+ 
inches). In color, S. Hercules is white in the middle, faint pink 
at the sides; whitish beneath. 
A second specimen from the Loo Choo Is. exhibits the same char- 
acters throughout. 
NOTES AND NEWS. 
The Rev. Geo. W. Taylor reports the appearance of Paludina 
Japonica Mart. in the Chinese Market at Victoria, B. C. These 
Mollusks are accounted dainties by the Chinese and are retailed to 
them at 25 cents a pound. The occurrence of this species in the San 
Francisco markets was noted by Mr. W. M. Wood in the Navrius, 
Vol. V, p. 114. 
