372 LOWER INVERTEBRATES. 



tioii, and the eyes were usually half closed and had a sleepy look. . . . When dis- 

 turbed, or in any way excited, the eyes opened more widely, especially at night ; the 

 small tubercles over its surface, and the lai-ger ones above the eyes, were erected, 

 giving it a decided appearance of excitement and watchfulness. 



"It was rarely, if ever, observed actually to creep about by means of its arms and 

 suckers, but it would swim readily and actively, circling around the pan or jar, in 

 which it was kept, many times before resting again. In swimming backward, the pai'- 

 tial web connecthig the arms together was used as an organ of locomotion, as well as 

 the si|)hon ; the web and the arms were alternately spread and closed, the closing being 

 done energetically and coincidently with the ejection of the water from the siphon ; 

 and the arms, after each contraction, were all held pointing forward in a compact 

 bundle, so as to afford the least resistance to tlie motion. As soon as the motion re- 

 sulting from each impulse began to diminish sensibly the arms were again spread and 

 the same actions repeated. This action of the web and arms recalled that of the disc 

 of the jelly-fishes but it was more energetic. 



"The sijihon was bent in different directions to alter the direction of the motions,, 

 and, by bending it to the right or left side, backward motions in oblique or circular di- 

 rections Avere given, but it was often bent directly downward and curved backward, so 

 that the jet of water from it served to propel the animal directly forward. This, so 

 far as observed, was its only mode of moving forward. The same mode of swinnuing 

 forward has previously been observed in cuttle-fishes (Sepia) and in squids {LoUgd).'''' 

 It was much more active in the night, and in freedom is probably nocturnal. In caj)- 

 tivity they could not be induced to touch food. 



One sj)ecies of Eledone (a genus in which the arms bear but a single row of suckers) 

 is found in our waters, but of this but two specimens have as yet been found. 

 Professor Verrill has called it E. verrucosa, in allusion to its warty .appearance. In 

 the European seas three species are found, one of which is named E. vioschata, in al- 

 lusion to its musky odor, which, however, is shared by some other cephalopods. In 

 confinement, this species, when tranquil, is yellowish in color, and holds itself in ranch 

 the same j)osition as that described for Octopus bairclii, but a slight touch is all that is 

 necessary to excite and enrage it. Then the color becomes a fine maroon, the tuber- 

 cles on the body become prominent and the expansions and contractions of the mantle 

 are very irregular; in short, the animal shows every appearance of anger. When 

 swimming, which it accomplishes in much the same way as does Octopus, the body 

 takes on another shade of yellow ornamented by bright spots of red; and when walk- 

 ing about by means of its arms and suckers, still another hue is seen. 



Eledone moschata, as well as other species of the genus, is used as food, notwith- 

 standing its musky taste and odor, which persists after death. Its flesh is more tender 

 than that of Octopus, and is eaten boiled, fried, or in salads. This species frequents 

 water usually from ten to twenty fathoms in depth, and in its capture the same metliods 

 are employed as in taking Octopii; earthen jars are lowered to the bottom, and, for 

 some reason as yet unexplained, these animals soon esconce themselves inside. In a 

 few hours the jars are pulled uj) and the jwey taken. 



Order II. — DECACERA. 



The name usually applied to this division (Decapoda) is rather unfortunate, since 

 it has also been used to indicate the group of Crustacea which contains the shrimps, 



