184 HISTORY OF 



from eggs, which are laid upon the weeds along 

 the sea-shore. 



The cuttle-fish is found along many of the 

 coasts of Europe, but are not easily caught, from 

 a contrivance with which they are furnished by 

 nature ; this is a black substance, of the colour 

 of ink, which is contained in a bladder, generally 

 on the left side of the belly, and which is ejected 

 in the manner of an excrement from the anus. 

 Whenever, therefore, this fish is pursued, and 

 when it finds a difficulty of escaping, it spurts 

 forth a great quantity of this black liquor, by 

 which the waters are totally darkened, and then 

 it escapes, by lying close at the bottom. In this 

 manner the creature finds its safety ; and men 

 find ample cause for admiration, from the great 

 variety of stratagems with which creatures are 

 endued for their peculiar preservation. 



CHAPTER IV. 



OF THE POLYPUS. 



THOSE animals which we have described in the 

 last chapter are variously denominated. They 

 have been called the Star-fish, Sea-nettles, and 

 Sea-polypi. This last name has been peculiarly 

 ascribed to them by the ancients, because of the 

 number of feelers, or feet, of which they are all 

 possessed, and with which they have a slow pro- 



