70 



CUTTLE FISH. 



The iiaiTator describes the sickening sensation of horror which 

 chilled his very blood, as he felt the creature's cold slimy 

 grasp, and saw its large staring eyes fixed on him, and the 

 beak opening and closing. He called loudly for help, and was 

 soon joined by his companion, who relieved him by destroying 

 the Cuttle-fish Avith a knife, and detaching the limbs piece 

 by piece. 



There are several species of these cejjhalopods ; the most 

 generally distributed appears to be the Octopus vulgaris, or 

 Common Cuttle-fish, which is sometimes found on our own 

 shores, where also may be obtained the Common Sepiola, *S'. 

 nilqans, usually about three inches long, and the Ofiicinal 

 C'uttle-fish, S. Ojficinali.s, which is about a foot in length; we 

 give below small figures of each of these three species, to show 

 the difterence in the shape: the two last, it will be observed, 

 liave, in addition to the eight tentacles, which give the generic 

 name Odopufi, signifying eight, two long side arms, the use 

 of which does not appear to be very clearly determined. 



O, VVLOARIS. 



S. TUI.GARIS. R. OFFICINALIS. 



