CUTTLE-FISH INK, OR SEPIA. 309 



voluntary muscles, he creates a vacuum under each 

 disc, and rests secure. If fixed on the back of a fish, 

 the mandibles are now brought into direct contact with 

 the prey, and rapidly devour it. It is in vain for the 

 tortured victim to fly through the water ; he carries his 

 enemy with him, till he sinks exhausted under its fangs. 

 In our Common Cuttle-fishes, the suckers, or discs, hold 

 their prey simply by the power of suction ; but there 

 are species in which this fearful prehensile apparatus is 

 rendered still more perfect by a sharp hook fixed in the 

 centre of every sucker. These are probably intended to 

 retain soft and slippery prey, which might escape from 

 suckers of an ordinary kind. While thus formidable 

 to other animals, and amply provided with offensive 

 weapons, we hardly expect to find weapons of a defen- 

 sive character, such as the weakest animals depend 

 upon. Yet we must remember that the body of the 

 Cuttle-fish is soft and naked ; that, though well-armed 

 in front, it may readily be attacked in the rear; and 

 that, unless when able to attach itself by the discs of 

 its arms, it is powerless to annoy. To escape, therefore, 

 when surprised, it resorts to stratagem. Nature has 

 furnished it with an internal bag, that secretes a large 

 quantity of a deep-brown fluid, which, on the approach 

 of danger, it can squirt out with force in the face of its 

 foe, and which, mixing readily with the water, forms 

 round the Cuttle-fish an opaque cloud, that puzzles his 

 pursuer, and favours his escape. This inky fluid, thus 

 useful to its owner, is often the cause of his destruction 

 by man, who applies it to his own purposes. It is 

 from this substance that the pigment called sepia, so in- 



