OCTOPUS. 19 



Genus OCTOPUS, Cuvier. 



Arms with two rows of cups. Body round, without 

 fins. No aquiferous cells between the bases of the arms. 



Ex. O. tuberculatus, Blainville, pi. 1, fig. 1. 



The Octopus is an excellent swimmer, propelling itself 

 rapidly backwards by repeatedly striking forward the 

 whole of its webbed arms at the same instant ; it can 

 walk, likewise, at the rate of seven feet in a minute, and 

 when wishing to accelerate its speed, it inflates the body 

 like a distended bladder, lets go its hold, and rolls over 

 and over with great velocity. The Octopi are held in 

 detestation by the Mediterranean fishermen, on account 

 of the havoc they commit among the most esteemed 

 species of lobsters and crabs, which appear to constitute 

 their favourite food : we have taken bruised bivalves and 

 turbos from the stomachs of trojpical species. 



Species of Octopus. 



aculeatus, UOrb. Cyanea, Gray. 



^gina, Gray. didynamus, Rafin. 



aranea, UOrh. Eudora, Gray. 



arcticus, F7'osch. Fang Siao, D'Orh. and Ferus. 



areolatus, De Haan. Favonia, Gray. 



Berenice, Gray. Fontanianus, UOrh. 



Boscii, Lesueur, frayedus, Rafin. 



brevipes, D'Orh. Geryonea, Gray. 



brevitentaculatus, Blainv. granosus, Blainv. 



cserulescens, Peron. Hardwickei, Gray. 



Carena, Verany. heteropodus, Rafin. 



Cassiopea, Gray. horridus, UOrh. 



Cephea, Gray. Kcillikeri, Verany. 



cocco, Verany. longipes, Leach. 



Cuvieri, UOrb. lunulatus, Quoy and Gaim. 



