Mr. J. P. G. Smith on a living Octopus. 145 



While in the pool, it walked about occasionally on its arms, with a 

 spider-like movement. 



" The colour was fawn on the upper side of the body and exterior of 

 the arms, striated with darker hues, forming a sort of wrinkled net- 

 work ; beneath and inside the arms it is of an opalescent white : when 

 disturbed or touched, the fawn or reddish-brown colour changes to 

 a pallid-bluish hue. The eyes are very prominent and frog-like : by 

 day they remain nearly closed, with the exception of a narrow slit ; 

 but towards night they open wide, and show deep-black orbs, with 

 the inside of the eyelids tipped with gold : the lids and the skin 

 for some little distance beyond are of an intense blood-colour. The 

 animal has the power of extending the area so coloured, which is 

 largest at night-time and when disturbed ; while at rest it subsides 

 considerably, and the colour does not extend beyond the lids. The 

 arms are eight in number, united at their thicker ends by a web of 

 skin ; inside, and to their extremities, they are studded with numerous 

 suckers. The belly or sac has a wide valve-like opening beneath each 

 eye, through which the creature inhales water, and then, closing them, 

 drives it out with great force through one or other of the two 

 siphons, which are also situated below the eyes, and close to the 

 valves of the stomach. 



"While at rest, it coils the arms together beneath the sac-like 

 body, and remains, attached strongly by the suckers in the thick parts 

 of its arms, at the bottom of the vase, the eyes uppermost ; and the 

 back, gently expanding and contracting, is bent forward over the 

 arms ; at long intervals it draws two deep inspirations, driving out 

 the water through the siphons with great force. It uses only one 

 siphon at a time ; and the two inspirations follow in quick succession. 



Fig. 1. 



" I noticed the intervals of these deep inspirations as follows, 

 means that the right siphon, and L. the left, was used. 



h. m. s. 



R 10 3 15 



R 10 7 25 



R 10 10 40 



R 10 15 



R 10 20 



L 10 25 20 



R 10 30 15 



Ann. ^ Mag, N. Hist, Ser. 3. Vol. iv. 10 



