452 THE OCEAN WORLD. 



guide them, ^inclining to the right or left as the animal changes 

 its direction. 



The cuttle-fishes feed on crustaceans, fishes, and also on shelled 

 molluscs every kind of animal, in fact, which comes within their 

 reach ; so that it is readily taken by means of the flesh of fish or 

 crustaceans, in which a strong hook is concealed. They live for five 

 or six years, and reproduce by eggs, which are large, and generally 

 found in clusters, known to fishermen under the name of sea-grapes. 



Like the zoophytes, they possess the property of redintegration, 

 already described, being able to reproduce any arm that may be 

 destroyed. There is another singular peculiarity which the cuttle- 

 fish shares with man. Under the influence of strong emotion the 

 human face becomes pale, or blushes, and in some individuals it is 

 said to become blue. This has always been supposed to be an attribute 

 of humanity ; but the cuttle-fish shares it with our race. Yielding to 

 the impressions of the moment, the cuttle-fish suddenly changes 

 colour, and, passing through various tints, it only resumes its familiar 

 one when the cause of the change has disappeared. They are, in 

 fact, gifted with great sensibility, which reacts immediately upon 

 their tissues, these being extremely elastic and delicate. Sudden 

 changes of colour are produced changes which far exceed the same 

 phenomena in man. Under the influence of passion or emotion man 

 is born to blush, but under no sort of excitement does he cover him- 

 self with pustules ; this the cuttle-fish does : it not only changes 

 colour, but it covers itself with little warts. " Observe a cuttle in a 

 pool of water," says D'Orbigny, " as it walks round its retreat it is 

 smooth, and of very pale colour. Attempt to seize it, and it quickly 

 assumes a deeper tint, and its body becomes covered on the instant 

 with warts and hairs, which remain there until its confidence is 

 entirely restored." 



The following fact is abbreviated from the " Natural History and 

 Fishery of the Sperm Whale." Mr. Beale had been searching for 

 shells among the rocks in Bonin Island, and was much astonished to 

 see at his feet a most extraordinary-looking animal, crawling back 

 towards the surf which it had just left. It was creeping on its eight 

 legs, which, from their soft and flexible nature, bent considerably 

 under the weight of its body, so that it was just lifted by an effort 

 above the rocks. It appeared much alarmed, and made every attempt 



