84 THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGEE. 



The three specimens upon which this species is founded were much damaged owing 

 to the pressure to which they had been subjected in packing ; it was, however, possible 

 by careful comparison of aU three to make out characters distinguishing them from all 

 hitherto known species. 



Octopus vitiensis, Hoyle (PI. VII. figs. 6-8). 



1885. Octopus vitiensis, Hoyle, Diagnoses I., p. 226. 

 1885. „ „ Hoyle, Prelim. Eep. I., p. 100. 



Habitat. — The Reefs, Kandavu, Fiji. One small specimen, ? . 



The Body is nearly oblong, but becomes somewhat narrower posteriorly. The 

 mantle-ope7iing extends nearly one-third round the body, and terminates some distance 

 below and behind the eye. The si])hon is long and acutely pointed, and extends about 

 halfway to the umbrella-margin. 



Tlie Head is broader than the body, with large laterally prominent eyes. 



The Arms are subequal, the two lateral pairs being a little longer than the others ; 

 on an average they are nearly three times as long as the body, and taper rather rapidly 

 about the middle of their length and then more gradually to fine points. The umbrella 

 extends nearly one-third up the arms, least along the dorsal pair. The suckers are 

 sunken, comparatively large, with a dark margin and very well-marked radial grooves 

 (PL VII. fig. 8). The first two in each arm are in a single series, owing to compression 

 of the arms laterally (fig. 7) ; there are no enlarged suckers on the lateral arms. The 

 only specimen being a female, no hectocotylus is developed. 



The Surface of the dorsum of the body bears minute warts scattered here and 

 there ; over each eye there is a rather large branched cirrus, with a few small ones 

 scattered round it. The internal surface of the arms is covered with minute hemi- 

 spherical warts, so as to resemble shagreen (fig. 8). 



The Colour is very dark grey, almost black on the dorsal surface and outer surface 

 of the arms ; paler grey below and on the inner surfaces of the arms. The dark warty 

 character of the integument is not continued over the inner surface of the membrane 

 uniting the two dorsal arms. 



Dimensions. 



Length, total, 



End of body to mantle-margin, 



Length of first arm, .... 



Length of second arm, .... 

 Length of third arm, .... 

 Length of fourth arm, .... 



1 Mutilated. 



60 



mm. 



15 



„ 



Eight. 



Left. 



40 mm. 



40 mm. 



45 „ 



43 „ 



40 „ 



43 „ 



25 1 „ 



40 „ 



