CURIOUS USE OF THE FUNNEL. 63 



purpose, were performed. The jet in front I readily 

 attributed to the action of the fleshy funnel projecting 

 from beneath the mantle on the breast ; but I did not 

 see how this could blow a stream directly backwards. 

 I therefore put one of my pets into a vessel with glass 

 sides, which was furnished with the requisite sand and 

 water. I at once saw that the funnel was indeed the 

 organ employed, and the only one, in every case ; and 

 perceived its beautiful adaptation for the work it had 

 to do, in its extreme flexibility. This organ is very 

 protrusile, and being perfectly flexible, its orifice can 

 be, and is, at will pointed in any direction, so as to 

 blow the jet of water forward, backward, or to either 

 side at pleasure. 



It frequently occurs, of course, that small stones are 

 mingled with the sand, or the animal may find it con- 

 venient to burrow in the loose gi-avel. In either case 

 the arms come to the aid of the funnel ; the sucking- 

 disks with which they are furnished being made to 

 adhere to the stones, which are dragged out and throAvn 

 aside.* You may suppose this to be a clumsy expe- 

 dient, but you would think difi'erently if you saw it : 

 the rapidity with which the arms are thrust under 

 the body, and drawn out, bearing pieces of stone of 

 comparatively large size, and the graceful ease with 

 which they are then thrown forward, discharging and 

 dropping the burden, impress the mind with admira- 



* It is interesting to see that the removal of stones by means of 

 the Cuttle's suckers had been observed by Homer : — • 



" * Cls 8' OTe irovXvTTodos ^aAa^uTjs €^e\KOix4voio 



Ilpds KOTvXvdovocpiv TTvKivui Aaiyy€s e^ovTai." 



Od. 6. 432. 



