472 THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. [Vol. vii, 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



Capture op an enormous Cuttle-fish off Boffin Is- 

 land, ON THE Coast of Connemara — On Monday last the 

 crew of a curragh.* consisting of three men, met with a strange 

 adventure north-west of Boffin Island, Connemara. The capture 

 of a cuttle fish sounds little of an exploit. Ordinarily the fish is 

 of small size, a few inches in circumference, with projecting arms, 

 studded with suckers, by which it retains its prey — the body 

 containing a dark fluid, which it emits on being startled, and, 

 blackening the surrounding water, so eludes its enemy. Very 

 difi"erent indeed from this ordinary type was the creature in ques- 

 tion. Having shot their spillets (or long lines) in the morning, 

 the crew of the curragh observed to seaward a great floating mass 

 surrounded by gulls; they pulled out, believing it to be a wreck, 

 but, to their great astonishment, found it to be a cuttle-fish, of 

 enormous proportions, and lying perfectly still, as if basking on 

 the surface of the water. What rarely enough occurs, there was 

 no gaff or spare rope, and a knife was the only weapon aboard. 

 The cuttle is much prized as baft for coarse fish, and, their wonder 

 somewhat over, the crew resolved to secure at least a portion of the 

 prize. Considering the great size of the monster, and knowing 

 the crushing and holding powers of the arms, open hostility could 

 not be resorted to, and the fishermen shaped their tactics different- 

 ly. Paddling up with caution, a single arm was suddenly seized 

 and lopped off. The cuttle, hitherto at rest, became dangerously 

 active now, and set out to sea at full speed in a cloud of spray, 

 rushing through the water at a tremendous rate. The canoe 

 immediately gave chase, and was up again with the enemy after 

 three-quarters of a mile. Hanging on rear of the fish, a single 

 arm was attacked in turn, while it took all the skill of the men 

 to keep out of the deadly clutch of the suckers. The battle thus 

 continued for two hours, and while direct conflict was avoided, 

 the animal was gradually being'deprived of its offensive weapons. 

 Five miles out on the open Atlantic, in their frail canvas craft, 

 the bowman still slashed away, holding on boldly by the stranger, 

 and steadily cutting down his powers. By this time the prize 

 was partially subdued, and the curragh closed in fairly with the 



* These boats are a large kind of coracle made with wooden ribs, 

 and covered with tarred canvas. 



