140 The Cuttle-fish or Squid 



Now this excerpt is typical of the way in which 

 appearances of the Squid were treated, and may 

 possibly account for the scepticism, in an age growing 

 with enhghtenment, with which such stories were 

 received. But why, in the name of patience and 

 common-sense, visions of fragments of the animal 

 should be regarded as usual and natural, while to 

 view the entire beast portended the most awful 

 calamities, passes the wit of man to understand. 

 Certain it is that many of the old whale-men be- 

 lieved the Squid upon which the sperm whale feeds 

 to be one unthinkably vast animal sprawling upon 

 the sea-bed, and renewing with amazing facility 

 and kindliness such portions of his anatomy as the 

 hungry whales were continually biting off. But 

 probably this is more than enough of such fantastic 

 fables. 



The plain facts about the gigantic Squid which 

 are well authenticated are few but substantial. First, 

 his habitat is certainly within the limit of five hundred 

 fathoms' depth and in places where there is much food 

 suitable for him, that is, fish of goodly size and smaller 

 members of his own species. And it would seem that 

 having found such a spot he is not willing to leave it, 

 being, although amazingly strong, of a sluggish, 

 lethargic habit. He does not pursue his prey ; he 

 waits like some unimaginable spider in the centre of 

 his web of far reaching tentacles, with his huge eyes 

 piercing the surrounding sepia-stained waters until 

 a quiver from one of the outlying arms sets the abysmal 

 mouth agape, the mighty parrot-like mandibles clashing 

 as the struggling victim is conveyed inwards. He has 

 no care, no difficulty of providing food. All he needs 

 comes to him, and what an all that must be ! I have 

 myself seen a creature of this species in the act of being 



