of the suckers. The battle thus continued for two hours, and while 

 direct conflict was avoided, the animal was gradually being deprived of its 

 offensive weapons. Five miles out on the open Atlantic, in their frail 

 canvas craft, the boatmen still slashed away, holding on boldly by the 

 stranger, and steadily cutting down his powers. By this time, the prize 

 was partially subdued, and the curragh closed in fairly with the monster. 

 Such as remained of the ten great arms slashed around through the air 

 and water in most dangerous but unavailing fashion. The trunk 

 of the fish lay alongside, fully as long as the canoe, while in its 

 extremity, the mutilated animal emitted successive jets of fluid, which 

 darkened the sea for fathoms around. The head at last was severed 

 from the body, which was unmanageable from its great weight, and 

 sank like lead to the bottom of the sea. Of the portions of the mollusk 

 taken ashore, two of the great arms are intact and measure eight feet 

 each in length, and fifteen inches around the base. The two tentacles 

 attain a length of thirty feet. The mandibles are about four inches 

 across. The head, devoid of all ap- 

 pendages, weighed about six stone 

 (about forty-eight pounds), and the 

 eyes were about fifteen inches in 

 diameter. 



" It is evident, from the supine 

 condition of this monster, that it was 

 very sick or in a dying condition 

 when attacked ; otherwise it w r ould 

 have escaped capture readily by 

 diving." 



A familiar object to most canary- 

 bird fanciers is the cuttle-bone placed 

 in the cages of these birds for them 

 to sharpen their beaks upon. The 

 cuttle-bone is the internal support 

 or shell of the cuttlefish, Sepia 

 officinalis, and is homologous with 

 the pen of the squid. The animal of Sepia is short and rounded, with 

 a large head surrounded by a row of eight short and two very long 

 tentacular arms, the latter ending in expanded clubs armed with power- 

 ful suckers. Like the Octopus and squid, the cuttlefish is capable 

 of many changes of color by the changes in its pigment cells. They 

 are found throughout the world, living near the shore, but the species 

 found about the European coasts are the best known. The cuttlefish 



141 



Cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis. The cuttle- 

 bone is shown to the right of the figure. 

 (Tryon.) 



