§36 ISLE.^ OF fiiUMMER. 



of sub-marine warfare. The coloring matter of its -'ink" isrery 

 indestructible, and has been handed down with fossils from afar 

 distant geologic age. In making sepia paint it was formerly 

 utilized. The cuttle fish is a kind of sea acrobat, and f rei^uently 

 walks by the aid of its arms upon the bottom of the sea, not ex- 

 actly upon its head, but head downwards. When troubled, its 

 arms enable it also, while in a pei'pendicular position, to swim 

 through the water. 



The integument of the cuttle fish consists of several layers, 

 one of which (corresponding to the lowest layer of the epider- 

 mis) contains numerous large cells which are filled with pigment 

 granules; and the expansion and contraction of these cells causes 

 the marvelous play of changing colors, which the cuttle fish ex- 

 hibits when excited. 



A gentleman who was recently gathering algae in the harbor 

 of Nassau, unintentionally shook hands with a cuttle fish which 

 was clinging to a rock in the water. He mistook it for a rare 

 marine plant, and exiierienccd considerable difficulty in inducing 

 his new piscatory acquaintance to let go. The latter was finally 

 disabled and captured. We are informed that another species of 

 the cuttle fish is found near Nassau. 



The star fish and other members of the family of radiates are 

 found in the waters of the Bahamas. 



Mr. Sargeant, in giving some account of the Bahama fish, says: 



'' The hound fish are shajied very much like an eel, for which 

 it is a good substitute. It is semi-transparent, with bones re- 

 sembling light blue glass thread. Its snout or bill is often eight 

 or ten inches long, slim and sharp, with a row of teeth running 

 the entire length on either side. The maray and stingray are a 

 species of the eel. The whipray has a body shajDed like a floun- 

 der, with a tail often ten feet long, tapering from about one incli 

 in diameter at the butt, to one-eighth of an inch at the small end. 



