24 loliginid^. 



Family LOLIGINIDJE. 



LoLiGO (Pliny), Lamarck, 1801. 



Galamary. Syn. — Pteroteuthis, Blainv. 



Distr. — 31 sp. ; all seas, Norway, United States, New Zealand. 

 L. Pealii, Lesueur (xxv, 20-22). 



Body long, with posterior rtiombic fins united behind ; mantle 

 supported by a cervical ridge and by cup-like cartilages on the 

 base of the funnel or siphon; siphon valved, attached by bands 

 to the head ; arms with two rows of suckers provided with horny, 

 dentated rings ; tentacular arms with four rows of suckers on 

 their clubs. Fourth left arm hectocotylized at its extremity. 

 Gladius feather-like, its shaft keeled on the ventral side. 



The calamaries are good swimmers ; they are found in all parts 

 of the world. Owen mentions that the pens are sometimes 

 duplicated in old specimens, several being found packed closely, 

 one behind another. The suckers on the margins of the pro- 

 jections of the buccal membrane are doubtless additional prehen- 

 sile organs very useful in assisting in holding the food to the 

 mouth. There appear to be two types of form in the gladius or 

 internal shell : that in which the wings are expanded, with convex 

 margins, and that in which they are narrow, with nearly straight 

 margins. 



The so-called artificial eyes of the ancient Indian mummies of 

 Arica, Peru, are, according to Tschudi, the dried eyes of Loligo 

 gigas inserted in lieu of the natural organs. According to 

 Yerrill, numbers of the young of the American Loligo Pealii are 

 often found in the stomach of the red jelly-fish. Of L. pallida, 

 a closely allied or identical species, Mr. Verrill says : " These 

 squids are eagerly devoured, even when full-grown, by many of 

 the larger fishes, such as blue-fish, black-bass, striped-bass, etc. 

 When young they are preyed upon by a still larger varietj^ of 

 fishes. It is often taken in the seines in large numbers with 

 menhaden, upon which it probably feeds." 



On the 30th of November, 1860, the French steamer Alecton, 

 commanded by Lieut. Bouyer, encountered, between Madeira 

 and Tenerifi'e, an enormous Poulpe, which was swimming on the 

 surface of the water. The animal measured 15 to 18 feet in 

 length, without counting the formidable arms, covered with 

 cups, which crowned its head. Its color was brick-red ; its eyes 

 had a prodigious development and frightful fixity. Its mouth, 

 like the beak of a parrot, could be opened to the extent of 18 

 inches. Its body, fusiform but much swelled towards the centre, 

 presented an enormous mass, the weight of which has been esti- 

 mated at more than 4400 pounds. Its fins, situated at the 

 posterior extremity, were rounded in two fleshy lobes and of 



