SEPIA. INDIA INK. 183 



the flesh of the back, which may fairly be termed an internal 

 shell.* 



^ HENRIETTA. 



Is that what we call cuttle-bone? 



MRS. F. 



It is; this substance being friable in its structure is used 

 for polishing; and I do not know whether you observed that 

 Mrs. Clifford gives it to her young canary birds to sharpen 

 their beaks. The cuttle-fish are enabled to throw out an inky 

 liquor, in order to form a thick cloud around them, by means 

 of which they conceal themselves from their enemies; or, as 

 some suppose, lie in ambush for their prey. You all know 

 what is made of this liquor? 



HENRIETTA. 



The color called Sepia, which we use in drawing. 



FREDERICK. 



And also Indian Ink. 



MRS. F. 



Of this, we are not so sure, Frederick. The present 

 opinion is, that Indian ink is prepared by the Chinese from 

 lamp-black, mixed with gum, and rendered aromatic by some, 

 as yet, unascertained substance. Sepia seems sometimes to 

 have been used as ink by the ancients; but, I believe, that 

 they more frequently employed charcoal. The ink of the 

 ancients was more easily obliterated than ours, as appears 

 from a story of Caligula, who is said to have forced those 

 who wrote any thing against him to lick it out with their 

 tongues. f In the Museum at Naples, is a pentagonal ink- 

 stand, not much unlike those in modern use. But to return 

 to the Sepia; the flesh of these animals was much esteemed 

 by the ancients, and is still eaten in Italy. 



* To this ihe bone of the Calmar (Sepia loligo] bears some resem- 

 blance. We find a horny, hollow, flat shell in the Jlplysia^ and the 

 slug also lias a small internal shell. 



t Sir William Cell. 



