A. E. Verrill — North American Cephalopods. 
373 
When at rest it remained at the bottom of the vessel, adhering 
firmly by some of the basal suckers of its arms, while the outer portions 
of the arms were curled back in various positions; the body was held 
in a nearly horizontal position, and the eyes were usually half-closed 
and had a sleepy look ; the siphon was usually turned to one side, and 
was long enough to be seen in a view from above. 
When disturbed, or in any way excited, the eyes opened more 
widely, especially at night; the body became more contracted and 
rounded, and was held more erect ; the small tubercles over its sur- 
face and the larger ones above the eyes were erected, giving it a very 
decided appearance of excitement and watchfulness. 
It was rarely, if ever, observed actually to creep about by means of 
its arms and suckers, but it would swim readily and actively, circling 
around the pans or jars, in which it was kept, many times before rest- 
ing again. 
In swimming backward the partial web connecting the arms 
together was used as an organ of locomotion, as well as the siphon ; 
the arms and web were alternately spread and closed, the closing 
being done energetically and coincidently with the ejection of the 
water from the siphon, and the arms after each contraction were 
all held pointing straight forward in a compact bundle, so as to afford 
the least resistance to the motion (fig. 8). As the motion resulting 
from each impulse began to diminish sensibly, the arms were again 
spread, and the same actions repeated. This use of the arms and 
web recalled that of the disk of the jelly-fishes, but it was much more 
energetic. 
The siphon was bent in different directions to alter the direction of 
the motions, and by bending it to the right or left side, backward 
motions in oblique or circular directions were given, but it was often 
bent directly downward and curved backward, so that the jet of water 
from it served to propel the animal directly forward. This, so far as 
observed, was its only mode of moving forward. The same mode of 
swimming forward lias been observed in cuttle-fishes (Sepia) and 
in squids (Loliyo). 
This species was much more active and animated in the night than 
during the day, and is probably largely nocturnal in its habits, when 
at liberty. None of the specimens could be induced to take food, and 
none survived more than four or five days, although the water was 
frequently renewed to keep it cool and pure. They had been rather 
roughly handled by the dredges and trawls, without doubt. But the 
unavoidable exposure to the higher temperature of the water, near and 
