28 



THE OCTOPUS. 



habits of at least a hundred individuals of this species, yet have 

 only three or four times seen them progress, when swimming, by 

 powerful contraction of the web-like membrane, and then but for 



Fig. 5. The Octopus swimming. 



a very short distance. Still less frequently does the octopus 

 reverse its usual course ; but I have twice seen one swim with its 

 arms extended in advance of it, by bending the syphon tube 

 beneath its body so as to present the orifice in a direction exactly 

 contrary to its normal position. 



M. Hugo forcibly refers to the remarkable property of rapidly 

 changing its colour possessed by this animal. He writes : — 



*' Its under surface is yellowish ; its upper, earthy. Its dusty hue can neither 

 be imitated nor explained : it might be called a ' a beast made of ashes, which 

 inhabits the water.' Irritated, it becomes violet. It is a spider in form, a 

 chameleon in coloration." 



When quiescent, the general tone of colour of the octopus is a 

 mottled brown, but it assimilates itself as much as possible to the 

 rock to which for the time it inay be holding. The moment it 



