28 SEPIOLIDiE. 



Mr. Alder says of S. Sejnola., the common European species : 

 " This is an odd fish, crouching generally at the bottom like a 

 toad, with its great goggle-eyes half closed, and sometimes 

 crawling along by means of its suckers, putfing the water 

 through the funnel all the time. When it does take to swimming, 

 it darts very quickly through the water, and is difficult to catch. 

 When taken out of the water and placed on the hand, it had 

 . recourse to an odd mode of progression, turning two or three 

 somersets in tumbler-fashion, first laying hold with its arms, 

 turning over and laying hold again until it managed to get back 

 into the water." It is said by Mr. Gosse, to burrow in the sand 

 by blowing through its funnel, and using its arms, with their 

 suckers, to remove small stones and gravel. They spawn 

 towards the end of May or beginning of June. The eggs are 

 arranged in the centre of a bluish gelatinous mass, as if around 

 an axis, and fifteen to thirt}'^ of these masses, each containing 

 from forty to one hundred and thirt}' eggs, are united, each by 

 a basal stalk, to form a group attached upon some submarine 

 bod3\ The fry is hatched in twent3^-two to twenty-five days. 

 They visit the Algerine coast in numerous troops during the 

 month of May, for the purpose of spawning. In the Mediter- 

 ranean it is found at depths of 60 to 200 metres, where it lives 

 in company with the Eledones. Largel}^ consumed as food in 

 Italy ; it is much esteemed for the delicacy of its flesh. 



S. Penares, Gray, the type of Gray's genus Fidenas, does 

 not appear to possess any distinctive characters, except that 

 the suckers are long-peduncled,and the peduncles are constricted 

 on the upper part. The only specimen is in spirits, and is in a 

 mutilated state. 



RossiA, Owen, 1834. 



Dedicated to Capt. John Ross, the Arctic voyager. 



Syn. — Heteroteuthis, Gray, 1849. 



Distr. — 10 sp. Arctic Seas, Great Britain, Massachusetts 

 Bay, Mediterranean. R. Oioenii, Ball ''xxv, 27). 



Generally like Sepiola, but the mantle is supported cervicallj'- 

 by a ridge ; arms with two or four rows of sessile suckers. 

 First left arm and middle of first right arm hectocotylized. 

 Shell lancet-form, small. 



Owen thinks that the eyelids discovered in Bossia palpehroaa, 

 and from which it derives its name, are a peculiar organization 

 designed as a defense for the eyes against the spicular ice 

 crystals, which, in the summer season, crowd the northern waters. 



The eggs of Rossia are laid singly, one alongside of another, 

 and fixed solely by their viscous surface. 



Sepiadarium, Steenstrup, 1881. 

 Distr. — S. Kochii, Steenstrup (xxv, 29'. Japan. 



