ON CEPHALOPODA. 285 
by rendering itself invisible. He adds that it will then seize 
very large fish, and even mullets. Unfortunately, this ob- 
servation, although many authors have adopted it, which has 
rendered the sepia yet more celebrated than its congeners, has 
no other foundation than the authority of the Greek philoso- 
pher, and has not been confirmed by any modern naturalist. 
The animals of this genus do not probably live in troops, 
and still less ina social state. But it appears that this is not 
the case as regards individuals of different sexes; and Aris- 
totle attributes to the male a sentiment of friendship for its 
female sufficiently strong to induce it to come with courage 
to her assistance if she has had the misfortune to be har- 
pooned. But as this sentiment is not reciprocal, it is pro- 
bable that Aristotle alludes to the means of procuring a 
number of male sepiz, still employed in the Mediterranean, 
and of which we shall presently speak. 
The internal differences which characterize the sexes we 
have explained in our general article, and many of them had 
been already noticed by Aristotle. We must add here, that 
the males are more brightly coloured, and the spots, or zebra- 
like stripes of the back, are much blacker and more numerous 
than in the females. 
It would appear that it is at the end of the spring or the 
commencement of summer that the season of love takes place 
with these animals, and that they fecundate, if we may judge 
at least by the period in which eggs are found containing 
young ones; this most usually happens in August or September. 
Aristotle, however, in one place says that the sepiz reproduce 
at all seasons of the year, though he adds a little further on, 
that they are full in the spring. 
We are ignorant of the generative relations of these ani- 
mals, or even if there be any true sexual intercourse pre- 
viously to the female laying her eggs. No modern observer 
appears to have afforded any information on this subject; and 
