siphon a portion of the highly concentrated ink 

 which spreads out cloud-wise in the water, much 

 in the same manner as the smoke screen so effi- 

 ciently employed by naval vessels — and to the 

 same end: for this darkening of its surroundings 

 not only disconcerts an attacking foe, it also allows 

 the squid to escape under the cover of its obscuring 

 density. 



But there is another remarkable function which 

 this peculiar organ seems to possess. Although such 

 a function cannot be ascribed with certainty to 

 the ink bag, it is not unlikely that it acts as a scent 

 gland. The strong odor of its contents and the 

 animal's highly developed olfactory organ par- 

 tially indicate this assumption. More convincingly 

 indicative, however, is the fact that squids are 

 well known to travel in great schools and close 

 formation even on the darkest nights and at depths 

 to which the light of day can never penetrate. 

 Moreover, solitary squids are seldom encountered; 

 invariably the presence of a single individual im- 

 plies that a numerous crowd is in the near neigh- 

 borhood. Now, notwithstanding that the sight of 

 the squid is keen, as an eagle's is keen, the struc- 

 ture of its eye is such that it precludes the possi- 



[34o] 



