MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY. 107 



Octopus Bairdii Verrill. 



Octopus Bairdii Verrill, Amer. Jour. Sci., V. p. 5, Jan. 1873 ; XIX. p. 294, 1880. 



American Naturalist, VII. p. 394, figs. 76, 77, 1873. 



Am. Assoc. Adv. Sci. for 1876, p. 348, PI. I., figs. 1, 2, 1874. 

 G. 0. Sars, Mollusca Regionis Arcticae Norvegiifi, p. 339, PI. 33, figs. 1-10 (9), 



PL XVII. figs. 8» to 8* (dentition and jaws), 1878. 

 Tryox, Man. Conch., I. p. 116, PI. XXXII. figs. 37, 38 (description and figures 



from the papers by A. E. V.). 

 Verkill, Trans. Conn. Acad., V., PL XXXIII. figs. 1, la ; PL XXXIV. figs. 5, 



6 ; PL XXXVI. fig. 10 ; PL XXXVIII. fig. 8; PL LI. figs. 1,1a. 



Plate U. Fiers. 4, 4>. Plate IV. Figs. 1, la. 



Several specimens of this species, agreeing with the ordinary northern form, 

 are in the collection. They are mostly of small size. 



This species proves to have a very extensive range, both geographically and 

 in depth. It is one of the most common and characteristic inhabitants of the 

 bottom, in 100 to 500 fathoms, along our entire coast, from South Carolina 

 to Newfoundland. It was taken in the trawl, by the U. S. Fish Commission, 

 in 1872, 1873, 1874, 1877, 1878, 1879, and 1880, in depths ranging from 50 to 

 500 fathoms, at numerous localities, from off Halifax, N. S. and the Bay of 

 Fundy to the region 90 to 100 miles south of Newport, R. I., where it is com- 

 mon and of large size. 



In November it was taken by Lieut. Z. L. Tanner, on the "Fish Hawk," off 

 the mouth of Chesapeake Bay, in 157 to 300 fathoms. 



The Gloucester fishermen have brought in many specimens from the banks, 

 off Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. 



Professor G. 0. Sars has taken it, off the Norwegian coast, in 60 to 300 

 fathoms. 



One of the specimens obtained by Mr. Agassiz is remarkable for the length 

 and slenderness of the cirrus above the eyes (Plate IV. fig. I). This is an im- 

 mature male, and does not appear to differ in any other way from ordinary 

 specimens of similar size. The appendage of the hectocotylized arm is small, 

 and not fully developed (as is always the case in young males), and has? an 

 ovate-triangular form, slightly concave surface, and only a few transverse 

 lamellae. 



SPECIMENS EXAMINED. 



No. Stat. Locality. 



1 303, N. Lat. 41° 34' 30", W. Long. 65° 54' 30'' 



2 332, N. Lat. 35° 45' 30", W. Long, 74° 48" 

 3, 6 327, N. Lat. 34° 0' 30", W. Long. 76° 10' 30" 



4 310, N. Lat. 39° 59' 16", W. Long. 70° 18' 30" 



5 336, N. Lat. 38° 21' 50", W. Long. 73° 32" 



8 321, N. Lat. 32° 43' 25", W. Long. 77° 20' 30" 



9 306, N. Lat. 41° 32' 50", W. Lat. 65° 55' 



