[5] FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 180 



of the smaller fishes aud crustaceans, and in turn are sought and eaten 

 by the blue-fish, tautog, sea bass, striped bass, king-fish, and many other 

 large market fishes, of whose food supply this squid forms an important 

 item. It is also secured, when possible, by the fishermen along the 

 coast and used for bait ; but in this particular it is not so important as 

 Ommastrcphes illecebrosa; its range, not much north of Cape Cod, being 

 more remote from the scene of the cod-fisheries. There are two varie- 

 ties of the Loligo pealii; viz., borealis and pallida. In the former the 

 only difference of much importance is the relatively smaller suckers. 

 In the latter (var. pallida), the distinguishing characteristics are a shorter 

 and stouter body, broader and larger caudal fin, and larger size of suck- 

 ers. It feeds, probably, upon the menhaden principally, and is, when 

 adult, like Loligo pealii, food for large fishes, and when young is like- 

 Avise devoured by numerous animals. The typical variety, Loligo pealii, 

 is the only one exhibited. 



Ommastreplies illecebrosa, Verrill. 



This is the most common squid north of Cape Cod. It is abundant 

 in Massachusetts Bay, the Bay of Fundy, and northward to Newfound- 

 land. It is also found along the coast as far to the southward and west- 

 ward as Newport, and in deep water as far south as Cape Hatteras. Its 

 range in depth is probably as great if not greater than that of Loligo 

 pealii it having been taken in 372 fathoms. It is known as the "short- 

 finned squid," the "sea arrow" aud the " flying calamary " and, like the 

 Loligo pealii, is one of the Decapods of the class Dibranchiata. The ex- 

 treme length of the adults, from tail to tip of tentacular arms, is from 12 

 to 17 inches, and the length of the body from 7 to 10 inches. The body 

 measures from 4 to 6-£ inches in circumference. The caudal fin is trans- 

 versely rhomboidal, or broad spear-shaped and is one-third wider than 

 long. The anterior margins are convexly rounded, and the fin is gener- 

 ally shorter and broader than in Loligo. The general appearance is long 

 and slender. In the male, either the right or left ventral arm is modified, 

 or hectocotylized, for purposes of reproduction. The ground color is of 

 bluish- white, with green, blue and yellow irridescence on the sides and 

 lower surface. The whole body, head, outer surface of arms and fins are 

 more or less covered with small, unequal, circular, orange-brown and 

 dark-brown spots, which are continually contracting and expanding, 

 the contraction darkening and the expansion lightening the colors. On 

 the lower surfaces the spots, or cromatophores, are less crowded than on 

 the upper surfaces, where they are frequently in different and partially 

 overlaying planes. The suckers on the arms are pure white. The eyes 

 are dark, blue-black, and are provided with lids. The changing tints are 

 described by Professor Verrill as passing over the body like a series of 

 blushes. They usually appear in the water of a reddish-brown color or 

 a pale, translucent bluish-white. 



The reproductive process of this species has not yet been studied, nor 



