T. W. Kimx.—On the Occurrence of Giant Cuttlefish in N.Z. 811 
parts of our coast, and hope to show that, even in the matter of “ devil- 
fish," New Zealand can hold her own. 
1. The first to which I will direct your attention was cast ashore at 
Waimarama, East Coast. For the following description I am indebted to 
Mr. F. H. Meinertzhagen, who also very kindly presented me with the 
beak. 
Writing from Waimarama on 27th June last, Mr. Meinertzhagen says :— 
* In answer to yours of the 9th, I will furnish you with all particulars 
of the large cuttlefish found here. I must first tell you that it was obtained 
in 1870 (September), during my absence in England; the beak was secured 
for me, which I forward to you by post, and which is quite at your disposal. 
I enclose also the measurements, made by a friend of mine on whom I could 
rely, and an extract from his letter written to me at the time, which letter, 
though quite unscientific, seems to me to give a vivid idea of the dead 
Octopus. ‘The beast had eight tentacles, as thick as a man's leg at the roots; 
horrid suckers on the inside of them, from the size of an ounce bullet to 
that of a pea at the tip; two horrid goggle eyes; and a powerful beak 
between the roots of the arms. His head appeared to slip in and out of a 
sheath. Altogether he was a most repulsive-looking brute. All the natives 
turned out to see him; and the old men say it is a *taniwha'—a ‘wheke’ 
of that size never having been seen by them. They say that a ‘taniwha’ of 
this description attacked and swamped a canoe on its way to Otago; in fact, 
they do not hesitate to say that this is the identical animal that did the 
deed! They also say that these large “‘ whekes” are very apt to seize a man 
and tear his inside out. No more sea-bathing for me!’ Besides the above 
extract, I forward a little ink-sketch and measurements made by my friend.” 
The sketch represents an animal much the same shape as shown in the 
drawing now before you, but with only eight arms. Length from tip of 
tail to root of arms, 10 feet 5 inches. Circumference, 6 feet. Length of 
arms, 5 feet 6 inches. 
2. The beak of number 2 was deposited in the Colonial Museum by 
Mr. A. Hamilton ; the animal was captured at Cape Campbell by Mr. C. 
H. Robson, a member of this society, who very kindly furnished me with 
the following information. Writing on the 19th June, 1879, he says :— 
“ In reply to yours of the 12th, about the cuttlefish, I may state that, 
while stationed at Cape Campbell, I found several specimens of large size, 
all, however, more or less mutilated, except one, the beak of which I gave 
to Mr. Hamilton ; it was alive, and quite perfect, the body being 7 feet long, 
eight sessile arms 8 feet long, and two tentacular arms 12 feet. I am, how- 
ments, and I remember distinctly that the total length was close on 20 feet.” 
