104 OCTOPUS. LOLIGO. SEPIA. 



section contains animals without shells. Octopus 

 vulgaris is common in the European seas. In 

 hot climates it grows to a very large size. The 

 animal has sufficient strength to draw a boat 

 under water. 



'^ Lotigo also is found in our seas ; the thin, 

 transparent rib, called the dorsal hlade^ you may 

 probably find on the shore, the flesh that covered 

 the blade being cleared entirely from it. Thecolour 

 is either white or brown. It is called sea-sleeve. 



'' The bone of the cuttle-fish, Sepia officinalis, 

 is so frequently thrown on shore by the waves, 

 that few persons visiting the sea-coast can be ig- 

 norant of its form. You have a large collection 

 there I see, Lucy ; and you are doubtless aware 

 that this calcareous bone affords the pounce of the 

 stationers, when finely pulverized : it also forms 

 one ingredient of tooth-powder. 



" The ink of this marine animal is contained 

 in a bag : the use of the fluid is to colour the 

 water around, in order to conceal itself from 

 hostile attack. The flesh of some of these ani- 

 mals is used for food, and is frequently seen in 

 the market at Naples. In the British isles it is 

 not put to any culinary purpose. The ink of Sepia 

 can be prepared for a pigment, or paint. 



" The fifth and last order of the twelfth class 

 is Heteropoda^ which contains only a few genera, 

 one of which I shall notice. 



