OCTOPODS I HAVE XJVOJVA. 9 



the progress of our knowledge of them, and to note the develop- 

 ment of our ideas concerning them, and the change of sentiment 

 with which they are regarded. I saw lately a dead octopus, 

 which had acquired " a very ancient and fish-like smell," kicked 

 about by boys in the carriage-way of a Brighton street without 

 attracting attention ; but, so strongly was public interest excited 

 by " the dog-fish and octopus case," that the press teemed with 

 paragraphs on the " tragic fate of an octopus," and even in the 

 London daily papers appeared brilliantly written and kindly 

 sympathetic leaders on the subject. The concluding paragraph of 

 one was as follows : — " Thus was an end put to a most distinguished 

 and useful life. Octopuses doubtless die every day, but seldom 

 has there been an octopus who will be so much missed as the 

 octopus at Brighton." This was prophetic. For nearly two 

 months the loss was not repaired. Golden tench from Aldermas- 

 ton, trout from Byron's Newstead, red mullet and other rarities, 

 could not suffice to fill the void. At length, on the ist of J^Iarch, 

 a fine specimen was received from Mevagissey, Cornwall. Then 

 Brighton was herself again, and the officials of the Aquarium jubi- 

 lant. As the spring advanced, facilities for procuring these animals 

 increased. Specimens were sent from the French coast, and others — 

 a dozen at a time— from the Channel Islands, until it appeared not 

 impossible that the octopus would become so abundant, that the 

 very dog-fishes would be satiated with them, like the appren- 

 tices with salmon,"" and parodying the school-boys' grace 



" Mutton hot, mutton cold. 

 Mutton new, mutton old, 

 Mutton tender, mutton tough, 

 Of mutton we have had enough — " 



would refuse to eat one oftener than once a week. 



* The story of apprentices stipulating with their masters that they should 

 not be required to eat salmon on more than a specified number of days in a 

 week— a familiar illustration of satiety producing not only indifference but 



