CUTTLE-FISHES. 171 
This species when full-grown is over a foot in length, though 
most of those taken are smailer. It is very abundant in Vine- 
yard Sound and Long Island Sound, and is taken in great quanti- 
ties in the seines and fish-pounds. 
The eggs of this and the allied species are contained in many 
elongated gelatinous capsulés (see fig. 56), which are attached by 
one end to some common support, from which they radiate in all 
directions. These clusters are 
often six or eight inches in di- 
,ameter, containing hundreds of 
the capsules each of which is 
from two to four inches long, and 
Fig. 57. 
these eggs contain embryos in 
different stages of development 
(see fig. 57). ' 
Even at this early period some 
of the pigment vesicles are al- 
ready developed in the mantle 
Embryo of L. Pealii.* 
to the greater transparency of the skin in the embryos. They are, 
therefore, beautiful objects to observe under the microscope. At 
_ this stage of development the eyes were brown. In these embryos 
the yolk is finally absorbed through the mouth, which corresponds, 
therefore, in this respect, to an “umbilicus.” The more advanced 
of these embryos were capable of swimming about, when removed 
from the eggs, by means of the jets of water from the siphon. 
During July and August the young, from a quarter of an inch to 
an inch in length, swim free at the surface, and may often be taken 
_ in immense quantities with towing nets. They were particularly 
_ abundant last:summer, in Vineyard Sound, where large numbers 
oa ta’, a"', a’, a’, the right “arms” belonging to four pairs; 6, the side of the head; 
the eye; f, the caudal fins; h, the heart; n, the mantle in which e Se 
oe heen ng colors; o, the internal cavity of the 
_ already developed and capable of changing ek Cort Ps = 
ag ai ~~ re oy eP $ 
