68 HABITS OP THE CEPHALOPODA. 



water, there is no doubt, and it api)oared to me certain that it 

 coukl, moreover, take a good aim l)v directing- the tube or 

 siphon on tlie vnuler side of its body. From the ditficulty 

 which these animals have in carrying their heads, they cannot 

 crawl A\ith ease when placed on the ground. I observed that 

 one whicli I kept in the cabin was slightly phosphorescent after 

 daik." — Charles Darwin.^ 



V. The ordinary resting-place of this liideous sea-beast is 

 under a large stone, or in the wide cleft of a rock, where an Oc- 

 topus can creep and squeeze itself with the flatness of a sand- 

 dab, or the slipperiness of an eel. Its modes of locomotion are 

 curious and varied ; using the eight arms as paddles, and work- 

 ing them alternately, the central disk representing a boat, octopi 

 row themselves along with an ease and celerity comparable to 

 the many-oared caique that glides over the tranquil waters of the 

 Bosi)horus ; they can ramble at will over the sandy roadways, 

 intersecting their submarine parks. ;ui(l converting aruis into 

 legs, march on like a huge spider. Gi/mnants of tlie liighest 

 order, they climb the slippery ledges, as Hies walk up a window- 

 pane ; attaching the countless suckers that arm the lerrihie limbs 

 to the face of the rocks, or to the wrack and sen-weed, they go 

 about back downward, like uuirine sloths, or. elingilig with one 

 arm to the waving algie, perform series of trapeze movements 

 that Leotard might view with envy. 



I do not think, in its native element, an octopus often catches 

 prey on the ground or on the rocks, but waits for them just as 

 the sj)ider does, only the octoi)us (converts itself into a wel), and 

 a fearful one too. Fastening one arm to a stout stalk of the 

 great sea-wrack, stitiening out the other seven, oiu' would hardly 

 know it from the wrack amongst which it is concealed. Patiently 

 he bides his time, until presently :> shonl of fish come gaily on. 

 Two or thi-ee of them nil) agitinst the arms: Ihtal toucli ! As 

 though ;i poweifnl electric shock had passed through (he fish. 

 and suddeidy knocked it senseless, so does the arm of the 

 octopus |)aralyze its victim; then winding a gieat sucker-clad 

 cable round the palsied lish, draws the dainty morsel to the 



* Narrative of " Voyages of the Adventm'e and Beagle," iii, p. 6, 1839. 



