A JET OF INK. 65 



its funnel a cloud of inky fluid to a distance of 

 several inches ; another and another discharge suc- 

 ceeded in rapid sequence, and it was not for some 

 time that the animal recovered its equanimity. It 

 did not appear to me that this fluid could be of much 

 service to the little creature in the way of conceal- 

 ment ; for, although the matter was tolerably copious 

 and densely black, it did not diffuse itself in the 

 water, but remained in masses, and when moved with 

 a stick was drawn into slimy strings. 



Perhaps the facts above recorded may not possess 

 to others the novelty that they had to me. Dr. 

 Johnston, in his admirable '' Introduction to Concho- 

 logy,^' has not included any species of Cephalopoda 

 in his enumeration of bmTOwing Mollusca ; nor have 

 I ever read of any that were known to possess the 

 habit. I ought to have said that it takes place to no 

 greater extent than to bring the animal just level with 

 the surface of the sand, which is in general thinly 

 spread over the posterior part. The eyes and the 

 dorsal edge of the mantle are always exposed ; and if 

 we carefully heap the sand over these parts, it is in 

 a moment blown away by the action of the funnel, or 

 removed by the undulation of the mantle-edge. 



It would be unfair, however, if I were not to allow 

 that the little Sepiole has some unamiable traits. 

 The pretty bright-eyed Robin that so confidingly 

 picks crumbs from the window-sill, sad to say, fights 

 spitefully with his fellows, and eats nasty spiders ! 

 And I am sorry to confess that my little pet can be 

 a real Cain at times. I saw one dart at an unoffend- 

 ing brother that was passing, and, seizing him with 



F 



