1874.] GIGANTIC CEPHALOPODS. 493 



served in the British Museum, which may prove of service to Prof. 

 Verrill for comparison with the fine series to which he enjoys facility 

 of access. 



The length of this arm, from one extremity to the other, is just 9 

 feet ; the circumference at the base 1 1 inches ; and from this it 

 gradually decreases, terminating in a fine point. The suckers are 

 arranged in two rows throughout the extent of the arm, numbering, 

 approximately, 150 to each row, or a total of 300 to the whole organ. 

 Forty-three suckers only are stationed on each side in the first or 

 proximal half of the arm ; one hundred on each side occupy the 

 whole length, with the exception of 14 iuches, this smaller length 

 including the remaining fifty on each side, which are very minute 

 and crowded together. The comparative distances between the 

 suckers throughout the whole length in each row are as follows : — 

 between the first and second sucker, 1^ inch; halfway up the arm, 

 1 inch ; at three quarters of the entire length, | inch ; and within 

 six inches of the distal extremity, j inch. The relative diameters 

 of the suckers at similar distances are : — at the base, extreme out- 

 side measurement J inch, inside measurement of corneous ring | 

 inch ; and, those suckers a little past the first few being the largest, 

 halfway down | inch outside and | inch inside measurement, at 

 three quarters length | inch, and at 6 inches from the extreme 

 point 1 inch outside measurement, gradually diminishing from here 

 to the size of a pin's head. 



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

 specimen agree with those of Ornmastreph.es 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 with 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. 



We may further mention, then, in conclusion, that the arm 

 preserved in the British Museum belongs to a species apparently 

 identical with Ommastrephes todarus of D'Orbigny, which, accord- 

 ing to M. Harting, is synonymous with Prof. Steenstrup's Archi- 

 teuthis dux. A comparison of the form and armature of the suckers 

 of this example with the Newfoundland series will therefore be 

 of much service towards ascertaining whether any identity exists 

 between the two, although, from the evidence already adduced, this 



