384 
„ 1 . E. Verrlll — Xorth American Cephalopoda. 
arms, about •203 mni ; entire circumference of web, about 1218 mm , but 
its exact extent cannot be ascertained, because, in our specimen, the 
web between the ventral arms was badly torn. 
The only known example of this remarkable species was taken by 
C'apt. Melvin Gilpatrick and crew, schooner “ Polar Wave,” in X. lat. 
43° 54'; W. long. 58° 44', on Banquereau, about 30 miles E. of Sable 
I., X. S., in 250 fathoms. Presented to the U. S. Fish Commission, 
Sept. 1879 (lot 472). 
Xotes on the Visceral Anatomy. 
The anatomy of this species is very peculiar, but as the original 
specimen still remains unique, and is not in very good preservation, 
internally, I do not propose to give more than a few anatomical notes 
on this occasion. The ventral wall of the mantle cavity is exten- 
sively bound down to the visceral mass over a wide central area, by 
connective and muscular tissue, which does not form a definite sep- 
tum, found in most other Dibranchiata. This central area underlies, 
especially, the large nidameutal glands and oviduct. Farther back 
the two sides of the branchial cavity are in communication. 
The gills are very peculiar. Each one consists of a short and 
broad, ovate group or cluster of very much folded or convoluted 
lamella? attached directly to the inner surface of the mantle by one 
edge, and having the free edge much frilled and crisped. 
These lamella? have, however, a somewhat transverse arrange- 
ment, and one or two of those nearest the base of the gill, on each 
side of its median line, are more simple, and are separate from the 
rest, but those farther out become confluent across the median line, 
and lose their distinctness. There appears to be about four or five 
principal lamella? on each side of the middle line of the gill. 
The oviduct is single and nearly median, its orifice being a little 
to the left of the median line. A large nidamental gland, consisting 
of a posterior, yellowish portion, and a much larger, round, dark 
brown, anterior portion, surrounds the oviduct ; the portion behind 
these glands is thin, tubular, and contains large round ova. 
The anterior portion, in front of the glands, is large and much 
thickened, and terminates in a slightly bilabiate orifice, at the base 
of the siphon. From the portion of the oviduct in front of the large 
glands I took a large mature egg, covered with a hard, dark reddish 
brown case. This egg, seen endwise, has a broad elliptical outline, 
and while the two ends are truncated and smoothish, the sides are 
ornamented with numerous regular, roughened, elevated ribs. 
Greatest breadth of the egg, 1 l mm ; lesser breadth, 7 rmn ; length, 6 mm . 
The anal orifice is not raised on a distinct elevation. A small ure- 
thral papilla arises in front of the base of each gill. 
