CEPHALOPODS. 725 



extremities. When they retire into their " houses " they can close the door 

 by a kind of lid called the " operculum." 



The Cephalopods include the nautilus and the cuttle fish, the terrible 

 squid, or octopus, etc. Wonderful tales are told of the tenacity and ferocity 

 of the " Poulpes," and no doubt in long-past ages these animals attained a 

 gigantic growth. They are very unpleasant enemies, and the cold, slimy 

 grasp of the long tentacles is apt to give one the "horrors," while the 

 terrible head and beak fill one with dismay. The poulpes are very for- 

 midable opponents, and discretion will certainly be the better part of valour 

 when they appear in our vicinity. 



We must here close our sketch of the Invertebrates, and we regret that 

 the limits of our volume will not permit us to continue this interesting subject, 

 nor can we find space, at present, for even the barest description of the 

 Vertebrate animals. 







The sun-fish (prtha^oriscua) 



