40 SEPIIBiE. 



4 



Megateuthis, Hilgenclorf, 1880. 



Dintr. — M. Martensii, Hilg. Japan. 



Differs from Ommatostrephes in the greater length of tlie 

 eight arms, which are longer than the mantle, in the thinness of 

 the tentacular arms, and in the greater width of tlie pen, which 

 is double that of Ommatostrephes, without rib and somewhat 

 flabby. 



Founded on portions of two individuals of a very large cepha- 

 lopod. The length of one of them, including the outstretched 

 tentacles, was about twenty feet, of which the head and bodj^ 

 measured about seven and a half feet. 



Family SEPIIDJE. 



Sepia, Linn., 1758. 



Cuttle-fish. Syn. — Paljeoteuthis, Rcemer ; Sepiella, Grray, 1849. 



Distr. — Littoral, world-wide. S. officinalis^ Linn, (xxvii, 48, 

 49), S. elongata, Orb. (xxvii, 50). 30 species. Fossil: 10 sp. 

 Oxford Clay, Solenhofen ; Miocene of Italy. 



General characters those of the familj^ (p. 13) ; under the eyes 

 a lid-like fold, over them lachrymal openings ; six aqueous 

 pores in the buccal membrane ; arms short ; tentacles long ; 

 suckers long-pedunculated ; siphon with ver}^ large valve. Fourth 

 left arm hectocotylized to its base. 



A few species are known only by the shell fcuttle-bone) ; which 

 is a calcareous lamina lodged in the back of the body, verj^ thick 

 in front, concave internally behind ; terminating in a prominent 

 mucro. The thickened part is composed of numerous plates, 

 separated by vertical fibres, which render it very light and porous. 

 It was formerly used as an antacid by apothecaries. 



The cuttle-fishes live near shore, and the mucro of their shell, 

 d'Orbigny thinks, is intended to protect them in the frequent 

 collisions to which they are exposed in swimming backwards. 



According to Yerany, this animal prefers rock}^ localities in 

 the Mediterranean, where it is fished by means of a dredge called 

 a balancelle, and is also taken at night with the trident. During 

 the month of March the fishermen use a living female Cuttle 

 fastened to a rope, or an imitation of one formed of wood, and 

 made attractive to the male sex by being ornamented with bits 

 of glass ; this latter enveiglement is called hy the Sicilians a 

 Fumedda, and fishing with either of them is ver3^ productive and 

 amusing, especially on a moonlight night. These animals maj'^ 

 weigh several pounds ; their flesh is much esteemed and abounds 

 in the Italian markets at all seasons of the year. Out of the 

 water the Sepia dies quickly, with violent efibrts. At Rome the 

 pigment sepia is still manufactured from the ink of this animal. 



