122 MR. OWEN'S DESCRIPTIONS OF 



The Decapod here described presented the second type of the generative organs. The 

 ovarium was of an elongated form, and of great extent ; it was filled with reticulate ovi- 

 sacs, containing ova in all stages of development, and must have occupied nearly the 

 whole of the posterior half of the abdominal cavity. The single oviduct came off from 

 the middle of the left side of the ovary, and descended obliquely to the bottom of the 

 ovary, where it was dilated by a cluster of smooth and polished ova ; it was then bent 

 suddenly upon itself, and near the anterior extremity of the ovary entered the terminal 

 gland, which was expanded at its commencement, and after suddenly contracting, gra- 

 dually tapered to its free extremity. The ova presented an oval form, and were three 

 lines in length. The first or membranous portion of the oviduct had thin, semitrans- 

 parent, and very dilatable coats. The two detached nidamental glands were of a longer 

 and narrower form than in the Sepice, but thicker, and of greater relative size, than in 

 the Loligines. They presented the usual transversely laminated structure and anteiior 

 longitudinal fissure, in which the glutinous secretion is moulded into the thread-like form, 

 adapted to connect the ova together as they escape from the true oviduct, with which 

 these glands have often been confounded. But besides the above parts, which are evi- 

 dently subservient to the generative function, I found two small, round, flat, fleshy bo- 

 dies attached to the anterior extremity of each of the two nidamental glands. They 

 had no cavity, and were destitute of any duct or outlet, and had no other connection 

 with the nidamental glands than by the cellular tissue. Their texture was compact, 

 with a few minute cellular cavities about the centre : they were of an orange colour. 

 In the Cuitle-fisli there is a corresponding body, similarly situated, but single and 

 trilobate, consisting of two lateral slightly compressed conical portions, united by a 

 middle oval lobe (see fig. 19. pi. XXL). The dorsal surface of the lateral lobes is flat- 

 tened ; the opposite side excavated to receive the superincumbent extremities of the 

 ovarian glands : to these glands the trilobed body is attached by a tough connecting 

 membrane. On making a section of a lobe of the body in question (as in fig. 20.), its 

 texture appears to be dense, and somewhat granular, with minute cells at the centre, which 

 contain a caseous substance. In Sepiola the corresponding body is single, as in the 

 Sepia, and is similarly attached to the anterior extremities of the nidamental glands. 

 In the Loligines, and in the Cephalopod taken by Captain Ross on the shore of Boothia, 

 and which, being the type of a new genus, I have described under the name of Rossia\, 

 there are two fleshy bodies, as in Mr. Geo. Bennett's Cephalopod. Each body in Rossia 

 (see fig. 18. h h pi. XXI.) is attached by cellular tissue to the anterior part of the corre- 

 sponding nidamental gland {g g), and is excavated by a deep groove, situated close to 

 the aperture of the gland. Fi'om this structure, and the position of the glands, we 

 might infer that they assisted in moulding the nidamental secretion, or in applying it to 

 the ova. 



If we take into consideration the texture of these enigmatical and hitherto undescribed 



' Zoological Appendix to Capt. Sir John Ross's Voyage. 



