OCTOPUS. 261 



with beautiful flat-spired shells, but that race of magnificent 

 molluscs is now extinct. 



All the cuttle-fish inhabit the sea_, but comparatively few 

 are found near our coasts. Those few are arranged in the 

 following order : — 



Family OCTOPODID-^. 



Octopus. — The 0. vulgaris lives among rocks, hidden in 

 crevices, watching for prey. When it observes a little animal 

 approaching, it puts forth its long arms to seize it. The 

 arms are eight in number, and are provided with prehensile 

 suckers, which make it extremely difficult for any unfortu- 

 nate creature, once encircled in the Octopodian embrace, 

 to escape. It will sometimes, when not provided with a 

 natural hiding-place, heap around itself a pyramid of peb- 

 bles, from which it can make its observations without being 

 seen. The eyes are supplied with eyelids. This species is 

 without any shell or pen. 



Eledone cirrJiosiis has an oval body, is smaller than 

 Octopus vulgaris, not exceeding four or five inches in length. 

 Like most of the species of the order, this animal changes 

 its colour and appearance according to the sensations of the 

 moment. 



