70 



THE OCTOPUS, 



Fig. 8. Sepiola Rondeletii. 



from a pale parchment dotted with pink, to a deep reddish brown. 

 In its habits this httle animal differs as much from the sepia as 



the latter from the octopus. It 

 naturally buries itself up to its 

 eyes in the sand ; but as sand is 

 apt to harbour impurities, which 

 in a bowl or tank become cor- 

 rupt, and generate poisonous 

 sulphuretted hydrogen, the bot- 

 tom of these receptacles is usually 

 covered with fine shingle. It is 

 most interesting to notice how, in 

 obeying its burrowing propensity, 

 the Sepiola adapts itself to its 

 circumstances, and entirely devi- 

 ates from its customary mode of 

 procedure. To make a sand pit for its hiding-place, it will 

 direct upon it strong jets of water from its funnef, and thus blow 

 out a cavity in which to seat itself, and allow the disturbed 

 particles to settle over and around it ; but, as the pebbles are too 

 heavy to be thus displaced by its blasting apparatus, it removes 

 them, one at a time, by means of its arms, which are large and 

 strong in proportion to its little short body. 



Now and again specimens of the " little squid " {Loiigo media) 

 are brought in. Their movements are very graceful and pleasing. 

 They are gregarious, like other squids, and keep close together. 

 By the action of their tail-fins, they can either "go a-head" or 

 *' turn astern ; " and it is very interesting to watch their 

 manoeuvres. We once had in one of the tanks four of these 

 " little squids " (which are only about four inches long), and I 

 was much amused by seeing them perform, in a most ludicrous 

 manner, the quadrille figure called La Trenise. Three of them 

 ranged themselves side by side, and advanced towards, and 

 retired from a solitary one, who, for some reason, was not received 



