SEPIA. 6 



§ 2. Sepia, sepiol.a. — The Diminutive Cuttle Fish. — Plate II. Fig. 1. 



The preceding species is sufficiently common to admit opportunities 

 for the anatomist ascertaining its structure, and of the naturalist discover- 

 ing something of its habits. But, in this country, the sepiola is very 

 rare — insomuch that only three have fallen into my possession in the 

 course of twenty years — and these at considerable intervals. 



The general formation of the sepiola may be compared to that of 

 the octopus, under some organic exceptions in number and configuration ; 

 as well as in relative dimensions and proportions. 



Total length of the animal thirty lines, from the convexity of the 

 sac to the extremity of the tentacula : diameter seven lines. 



As before it may be divided into three portions, — the sac, with the 

 viscera; the head, with the eyes; and the tentacula, with the suckers. 

 On each side of the sac is a large elliptical fin, like a thin oar, originating 

 from the back, both being sometimes of such size that their edges would 

 overlap if folded backwards, and are fitted to influence the motions of the 

 animal. The tentacula are ten, being eight smaller and two much longer, 

 with broad extremities, studded with a number of suckers. The smaller 

 tentacula have two rows of suckers, at least the row seemed double, even 

 while the subjects were vigorous. Then, the suckers of all species are 

 cartilaginous, hard, expanding like a saucer. When globular, it is perhaps 

 from weakness. The eyes are very prominent, of a deep blue colour by 

 day-light, and of a fine green, set in a yellow orbit, — a tubular organ, as 

 in the preceding, issues from the sac. 



It is difficult to determine the true colour of the skin of this species — 

 variable alike as in the other. While vigorous, I have seen the whole 

 back transiently brown. Commonly it consists of a beautifully speckled 

 brown or dingy yellow. The darkest speckling is on the extremities of 

 the large tentacula. The specks are of every different form, and while 

 the body is coloured above it is pale below. 



The back of one of the specimens was at first chiefly a reddish brown, 

 in large patches, subsisting until the evening, when beautiful vermilion 

 speckling intermingled with them. 



