H. B. Krrx.—On the Anatomy of Sepioteuthis bilineata. 145 
Art. VI.—On the Anatomy of Sepioteuthis bilineata, Quoy and Gaimard, 
By H. B. Kirx, M.A 
[Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 81st October, 1883.] 
: Plates III.-VIII. 
(Norz.—Owing to my having been unable, until within the last week or 
two, to obtain large and perfect specimens, I have not, as a rule, introduced 
other than relative measurements. The drawings, except those from the 
| microscope, are natural size; and with the exception of pls. v., vi., vil., 
fig. 1, and viii., figs. 5-9, are made from the specimen figured at pl. iii. I 
regret that I have been unable to replace all the drawings by those of large 
specimens. The largest specimen I have seen measures 14 inches along 
the posterior surface of the mantle, this length not including any portion of 
the fins. To avoid confusion of terms, I have described the animal as 
though it were in a walking position, head downwards; but have adopted 
the practice, sanctioned by Professors Nicholson and Huxley, of showing 
the drawings in the reverse position. The terms anterior and posterior are 
applied to the so-called “ dorsal " and “ ventral ” surfaces respectively.) 
The distribution of Sepioteuthis bilineata is given by Professor Hutton 
(Manual of N.Z. Mollusca, 1880) as from Wellington to Auckland. In 
Wellington Harbour it is tolerably abundant during late spring and 
summer; but, with the exception of a few small ones in July, I have 
never seen a specimen during the winter months, Professor Hutton points 
out that there is nothing in Dr. Gray's description of S. major that does 
not apply to this species. The habitat of S. major is given as Cape of 
Good Hope (Catalogue of Mollusca in the British Museum); but Dr. Gray's 
description is very brief. Moreover, he gives S. bilineata in his catalogue. 
External Characters. 
The body is elongated and somewhat cylindrical in shape, but is flat- 
tened on the posterior surface, and still more so on the anterior surface. 
Its widest part is immediately above the base of the mantle, thence it 
narrows regularly to its extremity, where it is rounded. The edge of the 
mantle forms a complete collar round the ‘‘neck.” On the anterior aspect 
of the animal the mantle-border is produced into a marked angle on the 
median line, this angle lodging the anterior extremity of the internal shell. 
From this point it recedes towards the posterior aspect, rising slightly on 
either side of the funnel, but immediately falling away in a well-defined - 
curve at the base of the funnel. The two slight angles formed by L 
duction of the posterior mantle-border mark the tips of the “ articular " 
cartilages, adapted to fit into the “ hinge” cartilages of the funnel. 
