QdUU-\w- 



OF CUTTLE FISH. 97 



This species is remarkable by its elongated, point- 

 ed, and very soft sac; by its bone, which is sub-equal 

 in its greater length anteriorly, and enlarged towards 

 the base, where it is terminated in an obtuse point. 

 The fins are united and oblong-cordate, entire at 

 base, and reading from the sac, which is narrow, 

 smooth, and, as well as the head and arms, covered 

 on every part with very large ocellations, which are 

 connected together by smaller intermediate ones. 

 General colour, deep carmine-brown; head small; 

 eyes large, prominent, and directed more forward 

 than laterally; neck narrow, short; arms very short, 

 furnished with two series of suckers, supported by 

 narrow pedicles, which are fixed upon the margin 

 •at the base of the membrane and towards the narrow- 

 est side of the sucker, which is truncated very ob- 

 liquely, the larger side being exterior, and the nar- 

 rower interior; they are also distant from each other; 

 the arms are destitute of lateral interior membranes; 

 the large arms are thin. 



I have not been able to ascertain whether this spe- 

 cies is armed with hooks or suckers. The tips of the 

 small arms, as well as the greater portion of the 

 larger arms, had been cut off by the fishermen; an 

 operation which they perform upon all they capture, 

 for fear of receiving injury from them. 



Length of the sac 10 inches. The figure repre- 

 sents the animal half its natural size; it was a female, 

 the oviduct of which was exserted and pendant, as 

 represented in the plate; it is an aggregation of small, 



IS 



