SEPIA. 13 



three days, nor any of those from the smaller spawn, which were not 

 two-thirds of their size, surviving more than a few hours. 



The ink is discharged soon after exclusion. To judge by the young 

 there is no substantial ground for distinguishing the race as cephalojjode, if 

 to be rigidly interpreted. The tentacula, in as far as developed, are never 

 employed as feet. The animals either lay Hat at the bottom of their 

 vessel or ascend the water, seeking the light by jerks from collapse of the 

 body. I have sometimes, though rarely, taken similar nascent animals in 

 the sea, which display the like peculiarities. 



I have heard that some of the Cuttle Fish found in the jestuary of 

 the Forth are esteemed a delicacy. It is certain that such is the case 

 with those of the Mediterranean Sea ; and it is said that at Naples vari- 

 ous means are adopted to allure them into a net. They are reckoiied 

 the principal food of the Spermaceti whale, — a creature itself of gigantic 

 dimensions. 



Mr Beale mentions one, on the shore of theBonin Islands, having 

 affixed itself to him, of which he got ft-ee with some difficulty. The 

 body was about the size of the hands clenched, while the tentacula ex- 

 tended two feet. — Natural History of the Sperm Whale. 



Others are said to have the faculty of springing out of the sea, with 

 such force as to alight on the deck of a vessel, as mentioned by Mr 

 Bennet, vol. i. p. 209 ; vol. ii. p. 290. 



Large dimensions, those probably much exaggerated, have been 

 ascribed to the Cuttle Fish, such as the body of some being the size of a 

 cask, and the arms capable of clasping a man's body. 



Mrs Broughton, in her entertaining account of a residence at Algiers, 

 says,— 



It was the custom of the family to bathe in a natural cave on the 

 sea-shore. " On one of these occasions we were all seized with the 

 greatest alarm, by my dearest mother screaming out, that something 

 had seized one of her feet and was dragging her down into the water." 



Being rescued, a large Cuttle Fish was discovered to have entwined 

 its arms around her foot and leg, from which the attendants had some 

 difficulty in releasing her. 



