THE SHELL-FISH OF THE COAST. 13 
This habit appears to account for the numbers fre-* 
quently found stranded at the time of full moon, the 
animal, while gazing at the luminary, incautiously 
swimming backward 
and befouling itself 
on the sands. 
A word or two 
about the cuttle-bone. 
We frequently hear 
of this substance in 
connection with the 
keeping of canary- 
birds, but probably 
there are not many 
who associate it with 
a creature at all re- 
sembling our squid. 
If we slice open the back of our animal, 
or that side which lies opposite to the 
funnel, we observe embedded within 
the flesh a long, horny style, which is 
usually designated the ‘ gladius’ or pen. 
It may be said to constitute a sort of in- 
ternal skeleton, giving a certain amount 
of rigidity to the body; but its exact 
functions are not known. In some of the foun 
cuttle-fishes, notably those which have re- 
ceived the name of sepia, the gladius is replaced by 
a limy plate, which is in reality the cuttle-‘ bone’ 
of the canary-bird cage. 
It may be your good fortune in walking along 
the beach to stumble upon a very beautiful and 
2 
SEPIOLA ATLANTICA. 
